Synopses & Reviews
The rise of queer theory in the last fifteen years or so has led to a large body of criticism on Edward II, on Marlowe more generally, and indeed on Renaissance literature. This new introduction to the play takes full account of that criticism, offering students a useful and lively overview of the field. While it is often remarked that the writing in Edward II is less 'Marlovian' than his other major plays, no critic has yet fully discussed why this might be the case. The new introduction brings together these topics in order to demonstrate how our understanding of the play is enhanced by considering these aspects of the play together.
In addition the introduction also includes a performance history, updating the history given in the previous edition and paying greater attention to Derek Jarman's film, with which the play is often studied. All this ensures the edition meets the needs of students and teachers fully and imaginatively.
Synopsis
Dramatically compressing the reign of Edward II and enlivening the historical narrative with humour, romance, and horrific violence, Marlowe interrogates how the transgression of accepted codes of behaviour affects even those at the highest level of society. Kept off the stage for almost three hundred years because of its dramatization of explicit homosexual relationships, it has become increasingly popular with modern day readers and performed on stage and film to great acclaim.
This student edition contains a completely new introduction by Stephen Guy-Bray, and offers students a useful and lively overview of recent criticism, an updated performance history paying greater attention to Derek Jarman's film, a background on the author and themes, as well as an updated bibliography and a fully annotated version of the playtext.
About the Author
Stephen Guy-Bray is Professor and Head of the Department of English at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
Table of Contents
Introduction
A Note on the Text
Further Reading
Edward II