Vortigern; an historical play

audiobook

Vortigern; an historical play

by W. H. (William Henry) Ireland

EN·~2 hours·15 chapters

Chapters

15 total
1

VORTIGERN;

0:20
2

PREFACE.

41:19
3

PREFACE

6:01
4

PROLOGUE

1:46
5

PROLOGUE.

2:04
6

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ, 1796.

0:26
7

VORTIGERN.

0:00
8

ACT I.

22:41
9

ACT II.

13:16
10

ACT III.

13:46

Description

Set against the turbulent twilight of post‑Roman Britain, the drama follows the embattled king Vortigern as he navigates rival chieftains, looming invasions, and the whispered counsel of mysterious prophets. Political intrigue intertwines with personal ambition, and the stage comes alive with fierce battles, shifting loyalties, and the haunting allure of ancient prophecy. Listeners are drawn into a world where the fate of a fledgling kingdom hangs on the choices of a ruler torn between power and conscience.

Beyond its vivid storytelling, the play carries a fascinating history of its own. First staged in the late eighteenth century and billed as a newly uncovered work of the great Bard, it later sparked controversy over its true authorship, prompting spirited debate among scholars and enthusiasts. The accompanying preface offers candid reflections on that literary scandal, providing context that enriches the listening experience without revealing the story’s later twists.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~2 hours (130K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

United Kingdom: Joseph Thomas, 1832.

Credits

Tim Lindell, Krista Zaleski and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Release date

2023-05-09

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

W. H. (William Henry) Ireland

W. H. (William Henry) Ireland

1777–1835

Best remembered for one of literary history’s boldest hoaxes, this English writer forged supposedly lost Shakespeare papers before later telling the story himself. His life moved from scandal to memoir, leaving behind a strange and memorable place in Romantic-era literary culture.

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