This book is a critical edition of John Bale's The Image of Both Churches (c. 1545). The Introduction provides a thorough overview of this sixteenth century work, explaining its relationship to the apocalyptic tradition and to Bale's important inspirations, from Augustine to Erasmus and Luther. Topics such as Bale's language, the place of the Image in his oeuvre, his use of medieval chronicles, and the influence of his exegesis are also discussed. The Image has often been called Bale's most important work; it articulated and developed the English Protestant view of the Apocalypse, influencing other Reformers both in England and on the continent. This book offers the first critical edition of the Image, including fully modernized spelling and punctuation as well as extensive explanatory notes. The five sixteenth-century printed editions of the Image are collated here, with textual notes that illustrate the relationship between variant readings and provide information on the choices made in this particular edition. This book also reproduces the striking woodcut illustrations from the Image in their original placements; examples from two different woodcut series are offered, as well as an overview of the history and importance of these images in the early printed texts. Five appendices, including a glossary of unfamiliar terms and a chart outlining Bale's periodization of history, also provide a wealth of information that enables readers to understand and use this edition. The largest appendix, on historical names and terminology, gives biographical information for 450 individuals and explains their importance, both to Bale and to the sixteenth-century Reformers in a broader context. This critical edition of the Image offers the most thorough study of the work to date, opening up the opportunity for a deeper understanding of this monumental text and for many further avenues of research.

Timon of Athens has struck many readers as rough and unpolished, perhaps even unfinished, though to others it has appeared as Shakespeare's most profound tragic allegory. Described by Coleridge as 'the stillborn twin of King Lear', the play has nevertheless proved brilliantly effective in performance over the past thirty or forty years.This edition accepts and contributes to the growing scholarly consensus that the play is not Shakespeare's solo work, but is the result of his collaboration with Thomas Middleton, who wrote about a third of it. The editors offer an account of the process of collaboration and discuss the different ways that each author contributes to the play's relentless look at the corruption and greed of society. They provide, as well, detailed annotation of the text and explore the wide range of critical and theatrical interpretations that the play has engendered. Tracing both its satirical and tragic strains, their introduction presents a perspective on the play's meanings that combines careful elucidation of historical context with analysis of its relevance to modern-day society. An extensive and well-illustrated account of the play's production history generates a rich sense of how the play can speak to different historical moments in specific and rewarding ways.

For the first time, the world-renowned Arden Shakespeare is producing Performance Editions, aimed specifically for use in the rehearsal room. Published in association with the Shakespeare Institute, the text features easily accessible facing page notes - including short definitions of words, key textual variants, and guidance on metre and pronunciation; a larger font size for easier reading; space for writing notes and reduced punctuation aimed at the actor rather than the reader. With editorial expertise from the worlds of theatre and academia, the series has been developed in association with actors and drama students. The Series Editors are distinguished scholars Professor Michael Dobson and Dr Abigail Rokison and leading Shakespearean actor, Simon Russell Beale.

A major new edition of this much studied play offering the standard, depth and range associated with all Arden editions. The on-page commentary notes explain the language, referenes and staging issues posed by the text while the lengthy, illustrated introduction offers a lively overview of the play's historical, performance and critical contexts. This is the ideal edition for study and performance.

The Revenger's Tragedy (1606), now widely attributed to Thomas Middleton, is a play that provides a dark, satirical response to other revenge tragedies such as Hamlet. With its over-the-top and highly theatrical approach to revenge, The Revenger's Tragedy has emerged as one of the most compelling examples of a drama by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries. This collection of ten newly-commissioned essays situates the play with respect to other Middleton and Shakespeare works as well as repertory, showcasing recent research about the play's engagement with issues such as religion, genre, race, language and performance.

The Revenger's Tragedy treads a line between macabre humour and moral commentary. Thomas Middleton's aptly named play begins with a man called Vindice holding the skull of his dead fiancee and vowing to avenge her death. The tragedy that unfolds features complicated plot twists in which the licentious Duke and his corrupt family, who are guilty of rape, poisoning, and much more, become the victims of torture and murder. This edition offers a comprehensive analysis of diverse critical attitudes towards the play, with special attention to its authorship and its ambiguous theological orientation. A thorough discussion of The Revenger's Tragedy's rich performance history shows how it has consistently reflected cultural preoccupations with violence and vigilante justice.

The Revenger's Tragedy (1606), now widely attributed to Thomas Middleton, is a play that provides a dark, satirical response to other revenge tragedies such as Hamlet. With its over-the-top and highly theatrical approach to revenge, The Revenger's Tragedy has emerged as one of the most compelling examples of a drama by one of Shakespeare's contemporaries. This collection of ten newly-commissioned essays situates the play with respect to other Middleton and Shakespeare works as well as repertory, showcasing recent research about the play's engagement with issues such as religion, genre, race, language and performance.