Arden of Faversham

Based on the true story of the murder of Thomas Arden by his wife her lover and accomplices in 1551 <i>Arden of<br/>Faversham</i> is one of the earliest domestic tragedies and a play which has continued to thrill audiences since its first<br/>staging. This comprehensive edition situates the play in its social cultural and political context while exploring<br/>its performance and critical history through a range of historical and contemporary productions including William Poel's <i>Lilies That Fester</i> (1897) and the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2014 production. Throughout the edition aims to reanimate the play's engagement with the material culture of domestic life using little-known evidence for the objects and spaces implicated in the murder. The introduction also accounts for recent new thinking about the play's likely authorship including claims that Shakespeare was a key co-author. The comprehensive illustrated introduction combined with detailed on-page commentary notes and glosses make this an ideal edition for students and teachers.