John Webster The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi is generally regarded as John Webster''s finest play a masterpiece of tragic depth and emotional complexity. The conflict between private love and public political behaviour for a passionate but circumscribed woman is as theatrically pertinent now as when first performed. This timely Handbook:- Examines the play''s sources and its cultural context- Offers a detailed theatrical commentary that aids visualisation of the underlying dynamics and structure of the play in performance and explores performance possibilities- Analyses influential productions on stage and screen from when it was first performed by the actors of Shakespeare''s theatre company the King''s Men to the present day- Presents key critical debates and assessments of The Duchess of Malfi