Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ...may be noted as a matter of minor interest. In the dumb show which preceeds the first act of "Jocasta," we find these stage directions: "Enter a king with an imperial crown uppon his head very richely apparelled, etc., sitting in a Chariote very richely furnished, drawne in by foure kinges in their Dublettes and Hosen, etc."" Did Marlowe have this passage in mind in the 18 'Hist, of Classical Greek Lit.,' i, p. 366 note. 19 " Phoenissae," 5o3-5o6. so "Jocasta," a, 1, Hazl. ed. i, p. 287. si " Hen. IV." 1, 3, aoi. 22 Hazl. ed. i, p. 250, stage direction: "Enter Tamburlaine drawn in his chariot by the kings ofTrebezond and Soria, with bits in their mouths: in his right hand a whip with which he scourgeth them?"»3 Or did both look back to a common original? II. Gascoigne's comedy the "Supposes" was performed the same year as "Jocasta," 1566, and at the same place. None of the particulars of these two performances have been handed down to us. However, that the "Supposes" was not unsuccessful is proved by its revival in 1582 at Trinity College, Oxford.u This play is particularly memorable as the first successful adaptation of an Italian comedy, " the earliest existing specimen of a play in English prose acted either in public or private, "a5 and from the fact that from it Shakespeare borrowed the underplot of "The Taming of the Shrew." "It seems peculiarly fitting,"says Mr.Symonds, "that our comedy should have begun with a translation of Ariosto'sSuppositi," which with the same author's " Cassaria " are placed next to the comedies of Macchiavelli by most Italian critics; for Ariosto seems to have been...
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
