Webster & Tourneur

John WebsterProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.3

Word count: 608K words
Chapters: 61

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.Webster & Tourneur by Cyril Tourneur and John WebsterAuthor: Webster, John, 1580?-1625?,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Sep 25, 2017

Editor's review

This volume brings together works by two English Renaissance dramatists, John Webster and Cyril Tourneur, in a public-domain English text prepared by Project Gutenberg. Webster is known for tragedies such as The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil, while Tourneur's The Revenger's Tragedy is likewise a key specimen of Jacobean revenge tragedy. Placing the two side by side lets readers observe the shared features of this period's English tragedy—bloody plots, moral ambiguity, rhetorical language—as well as individual differences. As an electronic text it is better suited to drama research or as supplementary material for English literature courses than to casual reading. Note that the Project Gutenberg edition presents the original text in plain formatting, without textual notes, footnotes, or a modern introduction; seventeenth-century English vocabulary and syntax are a barrier for general readers, and the violence and erotic content in the plays require readers to judge for themselves whether it suits them. Use it alongside a reliable literary history or introductory material; do not treat it as a standalone primer.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers and students taking courses in English Renaissance drama
Deep literary readers interested in the revenge tragedy genre
Theater practitioners needing public-domain English play texts
Readers able to handle the difficulty of early modern English

Not a good fit for

Readers new to English classical drama who need notes and introductions
Readers sensitive to violence and revenge themes
General readers seeking light entertainment

Reading tips

First read a chapter on Jacobean tragedy in a literary history to establish the period and genre background.
Read one play closely and skim the other, so the two don't blur your sense of the characters.
Jot down relationships and revenge motives as you read; these plays have dense plotlines, so sort them out before going on.
Use a reliable annotated edition or introductory material alongside, to make up for the lack of notes in the Project Gutenberg edition.

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.

FAQ

What works does this book include?

This is a collection of works by John Webster and Cyril Tourneur. Webster is a major tragedian of the English Renaissance, and Tourneur is known for The Revenger's Tragedy. The Project Gutenberg edition presents the original texts; see the actual ebook contents for the specific pieces included.

Can I understand it without notes?

For most readers it is difficult. The works use early modern English, with syntax and vocabulary markedly different from contemporary English, and the Project Gutenberg edition has no notes. Read it alongside an annotated edition or a literary-historical introduction.

Is it suitable as an introduction to drama?

Not really. These playwrights' works are heavy in subject and difficult in language and usually appear in university English literature courses. Beginners should start with Shakespeare or an anthology with detailed introductions before turning to this book.

What should I keep in mind when reading the electronic edition?

The Project Gutenberg edition is plain text with simple formatting, and dialogue and stage directions in the plays may be less prominent than in a print edition. Use reading software that supports font adjustment and bookmarks, and familiarize yourself with play formatting beforehand.

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About the author

John Webster Author · English · 1580–1632

John Webster (1580?–1632?) was an English dramatist, born in London around 1580 and died around 1632. Public information about his life is limited, and many details of his career remain uncertain, so later readers have chiefly come to know him through his works. He is known for the tragedies The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi, which are regarded as the finest English tragedies of the seventeenth century apart from Shakespeare. Their subjects often involve court intrigue, desire, and death, and their style is dark and grave, with language rich in imagery and tension. He also co-wrote several plays with Thomas Dekker and others, and a collection titled Webster & Tourneur has come down to us.