The Two Noble Kinsmen (Oxford Paperbacks) - Softcover

Shakespeare, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192814982 ISBN 13: 9780192814982

Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks, 1989

Synopsis

In addition to the text of "The Two Noble Kinsmen", a play that the editor contends was written by Shakespeare in collaboration with his younger colleague Fletcher, this book includes a discussion of the authorship, its history on the stage and the classical ideals of chivalry and friendship on which the plot turns. The text is based on the Quarto of 1634, which was printed from a prompt copy and contains problems of lineation - for example, whole scenes printed as verse which have been recognized as prose. Apart from attempting to clarify these issues, this edition aims to explicate the stage action, which is only partially revealed by the Quarto stage directions. As a volume in the Oxford Shakespeare series, there is annotation, discussion (with illustrations) of past productions, textual footnoting and an index.

About this title

Review

Shakespeare's last dramatic work, Two Noble Kinsmen has often been marginalised by editors who believe that Shakespeare was just one of its many writers. This does a disservice to what is a fascinating and haunting play. The two noble kinsmen of the play's title are Palamon and his cousin Arcite, Thebans who have sworn a vow of friendship until death, claiming, "Is there record of any two that loved/Better than we do?" King Theseus of Athens leads an invasion against Thebes, and returns to Athens with the two cousins, who both fall in love with Princess Emilia, Theseus' sister-in-law. Both become rivals for Emilia's hand, incurring the wrath of Theseus. The action moves to the forest, where Palamon and Arcite prepare to duel over Emilia, only to be interrupted by Theseus, who delays the duel for one month, commanding that whoever wins the duel will marry Emilia, whilst the loser will be executed. On the day Arcite defeats Palamon, but is then crushed under his own horse. As he dies he bequeaths Emilia's hand to his cousin. The play ends with their wedding ceremony. Two Noble Kinsmen concludes with a note of resignation, as Theseus says "Let us be thankful/For that which is, and with you leave dispute/That are above our question", but as always, it is dangerous to see this as Shakespeare pronouncing on life itself, or simply another character in one of his plays voicing a particularly elegiac viewpoint on the sad events portrayed. --Jerry Brotton

Review

"An exemplary text, superbly edited with a most helpful introduction. The authorship question is excellently treated."--Margaret Loftus Ranald, Queens College, CUNY "[An] excellent edition...This sturdily bound book is an extremely usable edition of a too little known play. All serious academic libraries will wish to have it."--Choice Praise for the Oxford Shakespeare "Every library supporting the study of Shakespeare on any level must have the new Oxford Shakespeare."--Choice "The Oxford Shakespeare has followed the example of the New Ardens in printing collations and notes at the foot of each page rather than in appendices. Oxford, however, has improved upon the Ardens in the matter of typography and provides the most attractive and easiest to use single-play editions of Shakespeare currently available."--The Shakespeare Bulletin "Beautifully printed and easy to handle, each volume provides legible and useful footnotes, along with an introduction by an eminent scholar."--New York Times Book Review "Not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship."--Times Literary Supplement "Easy reading...first-class 20th century footnotes...and lots of relevant scholarship for practical stage usage. Congratulations."--Joseph Papp "The very best texts of Shakespeare's plays."--Biblioth((e'))que d'Humanisme et Renaissance "An exemplary text, superbly edited with a most helpful introduction. The authorship question is excellently treated."--Margaret Loftus Ranald, Queens College, CUNY "[An] excellent edition...This sturdily bound book is an extremely usable edition of a too little known play. All serious academic libraries will wish to have it."--Choice Praise for the Oxford Shakespeare: "Every library supporting the study of Shakespeare on any level must have the new Oxford Shakespeare."--Choice "The Oxford Shakespeare has followed the example of the New Ardens in printing collations and notes at the foot of each page rather than in appendices. Oxford, however, has improved upon the Ardens in the matter of typography and provides the most attractive and easiest to use single-play editions of Shakespeare currently available."--The Shakespeare Bulletin "Beautifully printed and easy to handle, each volume provides legible and useful footnotes, along with an introduction by an eminent scholar."--New York Times Book Review "Not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship."--Times Literary Supplement "Easy reading...first-class 20th century footnotes...and lots of relevant scholarship for practical stage usage. Congratulations."--Joseph Papp "The very best texts of Shakespeare's plays."--Biblioth((e'))que d'Humanisme et Renaissance "An exemplary text, superbly edited with a most helpful introduction. The authorship question is excellently treated."--Margaret Loftus Ranald, Queens College, CUNY "[An] excellent edition...This sturdily bound book is an extremely usable edition of a too little known play. All serious academic libraries will wish to have it."--Choice Praise for the Oxford Shakespeare: "Every library supporting the study of Shakespeare on any level must have the new Oxford Shakespeare."--Choice "The Oxford Shakespeare has followed the example of the New Ardens in printing collations and notes at the foot of each page rather than in appendices. Oxford, however, has improved upon the Ardens in the matter of typography and provides the most attractive and easiest to use single-play editions of Shakespeare currently available."--The Shakespeare Bulletin "Beautifully printed and easy to handle, each volume provides legible and useful footnotes, along with an introduction by an eminent scholar."--New York Times Book Review "Not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship."--Times Literary Supplement "Easy reading...first-class 20th century footnotes...and lots of relevant scholarship for practical stage usage. Congratulations."--Joseph Papp "The very best texts of Shakespeare's plays."--Biblioth((e'))que d'Humanisme et Renaissance "An exemplary text, superbly edited with a most helpful introduction. The authorship question is excellently treated."--Margaret Loftus Ranald, Queens College, CUNY "[An] excellent edition...This sturdily bound book is an extremely usable edition of a too little known play. All serious academic libraries will wish to have it."--Choice Praise for the Oxford Shakespeare: "Every library supporting the study of Shakespeare on any level must have the new Oxford Shakespeare."--Choice "The Oxford Shakespeare has followed the example of the New Ardens in printing collations and notes at the foot of each page rather than in appendices. Oxford, however, has improved upon the Ardens in the matter of typography and provides the most attractive and easiest to use single-play editions of Shakespeare currently available."--The Shakespeare Bulletin "Beautifully printed and easy to handle, each volume provides legible and useful footnotes, along with an introduction by an eminent scholar."--New York Times Book Review "Not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship."--Times Literary Supplement "Easy reading...first-class 20th century footnotes...and lots of relevant scholarship for practical stage usage. Congratulations."--Joseph Papp "The very best texts of Shakespeare's plays."--Biblioth((e'))que d'Humanisme et Renaissance

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0192814982
• ISBN 13: 9780192814982
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 242