Synopsis:

The Duchess of Malfi is one of the major tragedies of the early modern period and remains popular in the theatre as well as in the classroom. The story of the Duchess's secret marriage and the cruel revenge of her brothers has fascinated and appalled audiences for centuries. This Arden edition offers readers a comprehensive, illustrated introduction to the play's historical, critical and performance history. The text is modernised and edited to the highest scholarly standards, with textual notes and commentary notes on the same page for ease of reference.

'I found it more exciting than I should probably admit to at seeing the Shakespeare-rich layer of annotation underpinning the text on the page of a play – The Duchess of Malfi – that simply hasn't been treated in that way before, especially in terms of introductory matter.' – Shakespeare Bookshop Newsletter