{"product_id":"victorian-epic-burlesques-a-critical-anthology-of-nineteenth-century-theatrical-entertainments-after-homer-paperback","title":"Victorian Epic Burlesques: A Critical Anthology of Nineteenth-Century Theatrical Entertainments After Homer - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eRachel Bryant Davies\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis anthology presents annotated scripts of four major burlesques by key playwrights: \u003ci\u003eMelodrama Mad! or, the Siege of Troy\u003c\/i\u003e by Thomas John Dibdin (1819); \u003ci\u003eTelemachus; or, the Island of Calypso \u003c\/i\u003eby J.R. Planché (1834); \u003ci\u003eThe Iliad; or, the Siege of Troy\u003c\/i\u003e by Robert Brough (1858) and \u003ci\u003eUlysses; or the Ironclad Warriors and the Little Tug of War\u003c\/i\u003e by F.C. Burnand (1865). \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBeloved legend, archaeological riddle and educational staple: Homer's epic tales of the Trojan War and its aftermath were vividly reimagined in nineteenth-century Britain. Classical burlesques-exceptionally successful theatrical entertainments-continually mined the \u003ci\u003eIliad \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eOdyssey \u003c\/i\u003eto lucrative comic effect. Burlesques combined song, dance and slapstick comedy with an eclectic kaleidoscope of topical allusions. From namedropping boxing legends to recasting Shakespearean combats, epic adaptations overflow with satirical commentary on politics, cultural highlights and everyday current affairs. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In uncovering Homer's irreverently playful afterlife, this selection showcases burlesque's development and wide appeal. The critical introduction analyses how these plays contested the accessibility of classical antiquity and dramatic performance. Textual and literary annotations, with contemporary illustrations, illuminate the juxtaposed sources to establish these repackaged epics as indispensable tools for unlocking nineteenth-century social, cultural and political history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eResources for further study are available online.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRachel Bryant Davies \u003c\/b\u003eis Lecturer in Comparative Literature at Queen Mary University of London, UK, and an Early Career Associate with the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama, University of Oxford, UK. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eTroy, Carthage and the Victorians: The Drama of Classical Ruins in the Nineteenth-Century Imagination\u003c\/i\u003e (2018).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 296\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.62 x 9.21 x 6.14 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 30, 2020\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42104558911623,"sku":"9781350160057","price":84.51,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/7c2c63e5d5dc3145b7e1b70a93f607be.webp?v=1732425336","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/victorian-epic-burlesques-a-critical-anthology-of-nineteenth-century-theatrical-entertainments-after-homer-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}