The Duchess of Malfi, The White Devil, The Broken Heart and 'Tis Pity She's a Whore

This collection includes four significant dramas written during the reigns of James I and Charles I. The works of John Webster and John Ford take revenge tragedy in new, dark, and ambiguous directions. In "The Duchess of Malfi" and "The White Devil," Webster explores the role of women as well as themes such as power, sexuality, and corruption at the Italian court, creating two unforgettable anti-heroines. John Ford questions the value of emotional suppression in "The Broken Heart," while the characters in the ancient Greek setting struggle to control their desires and aversions. Finally, Ford's masterpiece "'Tis Pity She's a Whore" addresses taboo subjects of incest and forbidden desire in a bold reinterpretation of "Romeo and Juliet." Editor Jane Kingsley-Smith has revised the plays from the earliest quartos and added valuable editorial materials, including explanatory notes and a new introduction that discusses how the playwrights used theater to address issues of women, sexuality, power, and violence.