I find it hard to believe Jaf. actually married Bel. in the first place. He is far too easily persuaded in all directions to convince the audience or reader that he would do something so bold out of his own will. I probably missed a crucial point, as this most talked about character seems flimsy.

Otway's great Restoration tragedy.

Hugo von Hoffmansthal wrote a nice dialogue between Balzac and Baron Joseph Hammer-Purgstall in which Balzac claims that his own creation, the outrageous Vautrin, believes Otway's play is the finest of all theatrical creations. So based on the recommendation of a literary character, twice removed, I

What, my Nicky Nacky, hurry durry, Nicky Nacky in the plot—I’ll make a speech.

A truly major play, that gets its achievement from the whole, not the parts.
Its author, Otway, choked to death on a piece of bread.

Nacky, my dear Nacky, morrow, Nacky. Odd, I am very brisk, very merry, very pert, very jovi

Revolution, an outrageous sublimated friendship, total melodrama, torture on stage, and the woman main gets a Lear-sized mad speech I associate with male characters. The verse is often plain, but now and then it's pretty.
What's not to like?

Another play I read for my LIT 337 class. We had lots of thoughts about this. We think that Otway was much more interested in the relationship between Jaffier and Pierre than he was with Jaffier and Belvidera's characters. Jaffier and Belvidera spent all of their interactions speaking past each othe

Getting ready for Stratford and the RSC's performance of the play. Not really a fan of this she-tragedy whilst reading but I'm sure it'll be interesting to see on stage.

Jaffier has secretly married a senator's daughter. When he loses his fortune and asks his father-in-law for help, things get out o

Dear God this was hard work. If I hadn't had to read it to the end I would have gouged my eyes out with a teaspoon.