''The Duke of Guise, a Tragedy'' is a
tragedy
Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...
by
John Dryden
''
John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate.
He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...
and
Nathaniel Lee
Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an England, English dramatist. He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth of England, Commonwealth; Dr Lee was ...
, published in 1683.
Characters
* ''The King of France''.
* ''Duke of'' Guise.
* ''Duke of'' Mayenne.
* Grillon, ''Colonel of the Guard''.
* Alphonso Corso, ''a Colonel''.
* Belleure, ''a Courtier''.
*''Royalists.''
** Abbot del Bene,
** M. Monfert,
*''Of Guise's Faction.''
** ''The Cardinal of'' Guise.
** ''Archbishop of'' Lyons.
** Polin,
** Aumale,
** Bussy,
** ''The Curate of St'' Eustace,
** Malicorn, ''a Necromancer'',
** Melanax, ''a Spirit'',
* ''Two Sheriffs'',
* ''Citizens and Rabble, &c.''
* ''Queen Mother''.
* Marmoutiere, ''Niece to'' Grillon.
History
Dryden co-operated with Nathaniel Lee in producing the ''Duke of Guise''. The story, which in Dryden's early effort had been intended to suggest a parallel to the English rebellion, was now to be applied to the contest of the court against
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury () is a town and civil parish in Dorset, England. It is situated on the A30 road, west of Salisbury, near the border with Wiltshire. It is the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset, being built about above sea level on a ...
and
Monmouth
Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...
. Dryden, however, did his best to extenuate his own responsibility in a ''Vindication of the Duke of Guise'' separately published.
The play was first acted on 4 December 1682, and encountered a stormy and dubious, if not an unfavourable, reception. the piece was ultimately enabled to maintain its ground with more general approbation. It was performed by the
United Companies, and printed in 1683.
[Scott 1808, p. 11.]
References
Bibliography
* Hammond, Paul (2004)
"Dryden, John (1631–1700), poet, playwright, and critic" In ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Oxford University Press.
*
Scott, Walter, ed. (1808). ''The Works of John Dryden, Now First Collected in Eighteen Volumes''.
Vol. 7. Edinburgh: Printed for William Miller by James Ballantyne and Co. pp. 1–208.
*
*
The Duke of Guise a tragedy: acted by Their Majesties servants / written by Mr. Dryden and Mr. Lee'. London: Printed by T. H. for R. Bentley ... and J. Tonson ..., 1683.
*
The True History of the Duke of Guise. Extracted Out of Thuanus, Mezeray, Mr Aubeny's Memoirs, and the Journal of the Reign of Henry the Third of France. Published for the Undeceiving Such as May Perhaps be Imposed Upon by Mr. Dryden's Late Tragedy of the Duke of Guise'. London: Printed and are to be Sold by R. Baldwin, 1683.
{{Authority control
1682 plays
Plays by John Dryden
Plays by Nathaniel Lee