Philaster (Arden Early Modern Drama)

Philaster is a tragicomedy by Beaumont and Fletcher which has much in common with Shakespeare’s late plays such as The Winter’s Tale. Set in a fictionalized Sicily, it has the complex plot of love, disguise and the threat of death much loved by early modern theatre-goers.

This edition provides an authoritative, modernized text by a leading scholar with detailed on-page commentary notes giving readers a deeper understanding of the play. The comprehensive, illustrated introduction discusses Philaster from a performance perspective as well as its relation to Shakespearean drama, and places it in its historical and critical contexts.

The play is often taught in Shakespeare and Early Modern drama courses but this is the first detailed, modern edition available for use by students and scholars.