The Two Noble Kinsmen (The Oxford Shakespeare) - Hardcover

Shakespeare, William; Fletcher, John; Waith, Euguene M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198129394 ISBN 13: 9780198129394

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 1989

Synopsis

Based on Chaucer's Knight's Tale the central themes of this humourous and moving play are the claims of love and friendship. The introduction to this new edition offers an illuminating account of Shakespeare's collaboration with his younger colleague John Fletcher, and there are full and helpful notes on unfamiliar words, stage business, allusions, and the play's often complex language. Eugene Waith is Douglas Tracy Smith Professor of English Literature Emeritus at Yale University, USA

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:

'This is an important scholarly edition and will obviously be indispensable for advanced study of the play.' Ann Thompson, Liverpool University

The Oxford Shakespeare is an admirably scholarly edition, immaculately presented, offering close attention to possibilities of staging as well as meaning.' Dr D. Sedge, Exeter University

About this edition

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0198129394
• ISBN 13: 9780198129394
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 244