"This Malevole is one of the most prodigious affections that ever conversed with nature: a man, or rather a monster, more discontent than Lucifer." The Malcontent is a striking example of the new satiric tone and moral seriousness in English comedy of the early 1600s. The play's vision of a fallen humanity driven by lust and ambition is created partly by its depiction of Machiavellian intrigue in the court of Genoa, and partly by the disaffected Malevole, the malcontent of the title, who is actually the deposed Duke Altofronto in disguise. Marston's tragi-comedy is full of reversals, surprises and moral transformations and offers a thin disguise for the Jacobean court and its vices. This new student edition contains a lengthy new Introduction with background on the author, date and sources, theme, critical interpretation and stage history.

Modernized versions of the play text edited to the highest textual standards Fully annotated student editions with obscure words explained and critical, contextual and staging insight provided on each page Full Introductions analyzing context, themes, author background and stage history

About the Author
W. David Kay is Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the author of Ben Jonson: A Literary Life and of essays on Erasmus, Jonson, and Shakespeare.


Book Information
ISBN 9780713642889
Author John Marston
Format Paperback
Page Count 176
Imprint Methuen Drama
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 189g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 13mm