{"title":"John Marston","description":"\u003cp\u003eJohn Marston’s works are notable for their vivid exploration of human passions and social satire within the context of early modern drama. His plays, often infused with sharp wit and complex characters, delve into themes of revenge, morality, and the complexities of human nature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a rich experience of Renaissance theatre will find \u003cem\u003eFive Revenge Tragedies\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Dutch Courtesan\u003c\/em\u003e exemplary of Marston’s skill in blending dark humour with incisive cultural commentary. These works offer a compelling glimpse into the artistic vibrancy of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-dutch-courtesan-by-john-marston-9781472568960","title":"The Dutch Courtesan","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Dutch Courtesan\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJuxtaposing 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 commerce and commodification. Marston's commentary on financial insecurity and the hypocritical repudiation of foreignness makes \u003cem\u003eThe Dutch Courtesan\u003c\/em\u003e truly a document for our time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47471758737644,"sku":"9781472568960","price":29.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781472568960-the-dutch-courtesan.jpg?v=1775252736"},{"product_id":"five-revenge-tragedies-by-thomas-middleton-9780141192277","title":"Five Revenge Tragedies","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA new and authoritative edition of five seminal revenge tragedies, edited by Emma Smith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs the Elizabethan era gave way to the reign of James I, England grappled with corruption within the royal court and widespread religious anxiety. Dramatists responded with morally complex plays of dark wit and violent spectacle, exploring the nature of death, the abuse of power, and vigilante justice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn Kyd's \u003cem\u003eThe Spanish Tragedy\u003c\/em\u003e, a father failed by the Spanish court seeks his own bloody retribution for his son's murder. Shakespeare's 1603 version of \u003cem\u003eHamlet\u003c\/em\u003e creates an avenging Prince of unique psychological depth, while Chettle's \u003cem\u003eThe Tragedy of Hoffman\u003c\/em\u003e is a fascinating reworking of \u003cem\u003eHamlet\u003c\/em\u003e's themes, probably for a rival theatre company. In Marston's \u003cem\u003eAntonio's Revenge\u003c\/em\u003e, thwarted love leads inexorably to gory reprisals. In Middleton's \u003cem\u003eThe Revenger's Tragedy\u003c\/em\u003e, malcontent Vindice unleashes an escalating orgy of mayhem on a debauched Duke for his bride's murder, in a ferocious satire reflecting the mounting disillusionment of the age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEmma Smith's introduction considers the political and religious climate behind the plays and the dramatic conventions within them. This edition includes a chronology, playwrights' biographies, and suggestions for further reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47596416893164,"sku":"9780141192277","price":38.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780141192277-five-revenge-tragedies.jpg?v=1777924583"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/john-marston.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}