Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 04 of 10

Fletcher, John, 1579-1625Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.8
Word count
688K words
Chapters
69

Tags

English Originals Dramatic Literature Court FeudsHuman NatureTragicomedyCollaborative PlaysDramatic TensionDocument ArrangementStage ClassicArt of LanguageRenaissance DramaJacobean Era

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 04 of 10 by Francis Beaumont and John FletcherAuthor: Fletcher, John, 1579-1625,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Sep 21, 2015

Editor's review

This is Volume 4 of a ten-volume collection of the works of Beaumont and Fletcher, in the original English and released free by Project Gutenberg. The two were a major playwrighting duo of the English Renaissance, known for intricate plots and witty language; their work is essential reading for the study of early modern English drama. As one volume of a ten-volume set, it suits readers with some grounding in drama who wish to proceed volume by volume, and researchers who need to consult specific plays as required. The electronic edition is easy to search and excerpt, but usually lacks modern annotation, textual notes, and scholarly introduction, so readers must bring their own background knowledge. Overall, its value lies in the rawness of the text and ease of access; it is suitable as supplementary material for courses in drama history and English literature rather than as an introductory text.

Who it's for

A good fit for

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Reading tips

  1. First check the list of plays included in this volume, choose one or two for close reading, and treat the rest as reference material.
  2. While reading, note unfamiliar words and period usage, and use background material on drama history to understand plot and character relationships.
  3. Read in comparison with works by other contemporary playwrights, noting similarities and differences in language style and plot structure.
  4. Use the search function of the electronic edition to locate keywords, then return to the context for close reading to improve research efficiency.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. 61
  62. 62
  63. 63
  64. 64
  65. 65
  66. 66
  67. 67
  68. 68
  69. 69

FAQ

Which works does this volume contain? The material only states that this is Volume 4 of a ten-volume collection of Beaumont and Fletcher's works and does not list the specific plays. It is advisable to download it and check the table of contents first, then decide the order for close reading or reference.
What level of English is required to read it? The text is in early modern English, with spelling and syntax that differ from modern English. A good command of English reading and some background knowledge of Renaissance drama are recommended.
Does this edition have annotations and an introduction? This is a public-domain electronic text released by Project Gutenberg and usually contains no modern scholarly annotation, textual notes, or introduction. Readers need to supply their own background material or consult other editions.
Is it suitable as an introductory text for drama? Not really. Beaumont and Fletcher's plays are witty in language and complex in plot, and this electronic edition lacks supporting annotation. Beginners may first read Shakespeare or an annotated anthology before turning to it.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Fletcher, John, 1579-1625 Author

John Fletcher (1579–1625) was a playwright of the English Renaissance, and he is the author addressed here. Public information about his life is limited: details of his education, official positions and specific experiences are largely unknown, and his literary standing rests chiefly on plays written in collaboration with Francis Beaumont and others. The collection holds twenty-three related works, mostly in collection form, including several volumes of the ten-volume Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, as well as plays such as The Maids Tragedy, A King, and No King and The Loyal Subject. These works are notable for tragedy and tragicomedy, with tightly constructed plots, witty dialogue and intense personal conflict, making effective use of dramatic tension and stagecraft. His plays hold a place in the seventeenth-century English dramatic tradition and are often named alongside Beaumont, exercising a certain influence on later English drama.