His last known work and the only one to be written primarily in verse, The Woman in the Moon is among Lyly's most entertaining plays. Turning upon the construction of the female character, it has been read as highly misogynistic, and as a sixteenth-century feminist manifesto. The biblical version of the creation of woman is overturned in the first scene when the play's supreme deity, Nature, presents her ultimate creation, Pandora (memorably played in 1928 by Katharine Hepburn), to a group of Utopian shepherds, who compete for her love. Their amatory pursuit is complicated by the seven planets, whose attributes have been bestowed by Nature on her new creation, and who decide to take revenge by subjecting Pandora to their influence. The action rapidly develops into a dazzling comedy of intrigue, resulting in both an explanation for the female disposition and the creation of an 'alternative' version of the myth of the man in the moon.

Newly edited from the first edition (1597), The Woman in the Moon will be of interest to all students of sixteenth-century drama. It is complemented by generous notes and commentary, as well as a full introduction and stage history.

About the Author
Leah Scragg is Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Manchester.

Reviews
This thoroughly annotated volume provides a detailed study of the play's sources. -- .



Book Information
ISBN 9780719072451
Author Leah Scragg
Format Paperback
Page Count 160
Imprint Manchester University Press
Publisher Manchester University Press
Weight(grams) 191g
Dimensions(mm) 216mm * 138mm * 9mm