John Marston Books

The Dutch Courtesan is a riotous tragicomedy that explores the delights and perils afforded by Jacobean London. While Freevill, an educated young Englishman and the play's nominal hero, frolics in the city's streets, taverns and brothels, Franceschina, his cast-off mistress and the Dutch courtesan of the play's title, laments his betrayal and plots revenge. Juxtaposing Franceschina's vulnerable financial position against the unappealing marital prospects available to gentry women, the play undermines the language of romance, revealing it to be rooted in the commerce and commodification. Marston's commentary on financial insecurity and the hypocritical repudiation of foreignness makes The Dutch Courtesan truly a document for our time

David Key gives full, clear explanatory notes with a lively and expert account of the play's literary and historical context and of its interpretation as a theatre-work. Aimed at actors, theatre-goers and students of Shakespeare and English drama it is free of jargon and pedantry.

This definitive edition of the works of John Marston, a seminal figure in the English Renaissance theater, offers a comprehensive survey of his major plays and poetry. With its expert commentary and insightful analysis, it provides a rich and illuminating glimpse into the literary and theatrical culture of Elizabethan England. Whether you are a scholar of English literature or simply interested in the cultural history of the Renaissance, you will find this book an essential and rewarding read.