Description
Book SynopsisA fast-paced whirlwind of fantasy and mockery confined to a single room,
The Alchemist offers a witty culmination of Jonson''s experiments with city comedy. The play has been widely recognized as one of the most impressive achievements of the period''s theatre; Coleridge famously described it as one of the three most perfect plots in literature. Yet it is a notoriously difficult play: its alchemical language has aged into obscurity, and its insiderly humour can seem impenetrable to students approaching it for the first time. This comprehensively annotated edition translates and illuminates the play''s many pleasures and shows how Jonson''s cynical, street-wise wit resonates with our contemporary sensibilities. Pollard highlights the play''s witty ingenuity, while offering the information and guidance to enable students to understand and enjoy
The Alchemist fully.
Table of ContentsList of illustrations General editors’ preface Preface
Introduction Jonson in 1610 London Alchemy Sex, Generation and Family Literary Alchemy: Collaborating with Authors Alchemy of Place: London, Blackfriars, Playhouse Staging Revivals: Collaborating Across Periods Staging the Page: Textual History Later Editions Folio Paratext THE ALCHEMIST Appendix: Casting
The Alchemist Abbreviations and References Abbreviations used in notes Works by and partly by Shakespeare Works by and partly by Jonson Editions of The Alchemist collated Other works cited Index
