A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10

This volume brings together a striking example of early‑seventeenth‑century tragedy, a work that plunges the audience into a court riddled with jealousy, lust, and the thirst for vengeance. Set in an Italian ducal palace, the opening scenes introduce a bitterly resentful nobleman who watches his family unravel under the weight of corrupt desires. His monologues, rich with poetic fury, lay bare a world where honor is cheap and retribution looms like a dark promise.

The cast of characters—an aging duke, his scheming duchess, a ruthless bastard son, and a tormented brother—entwine in a web of intrigue that feels both timeless and unsettlingly fresh. The language, with its vivid metaphors and rhythmic cadences, captures the raw intensity of a mind driven to extremes. Listeners will be drawn into the volatile atmosphere, feeling each pulse of anger and each whispered plot as the tragedy unfolds, promising a gripping journey through the darker corners of human ambition.