Jonson's Two Prologues to Epicœne: Libel, Print, and Play
Article
Article Title | Jonson's Two Prologues to Epicœne: Libel, Print, and Play |
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ERA Journal ID | 11562 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Johnson, Laurie |
Journal Title | The Explicator |
Number of Pages | 6 |
Year | 2024 |
Publisher | Taylor & Francis |
Place of Publication | United States |
ISSN | 0014-4940 |
1939-926X | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/00144940.2024.2428981 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00144940.2024.2428981 |
Abstract | When Ben Jonson’s Epicœne first appeared in print in Workes (1616), it bore two prologues, the first listed under the definitive name of “Prologue” and the second bearing the name “Another,” with a marginal note offered to advise readers that this other prologue was “Occasioned by some person’s impertinent exception.” This article revisits the question of whether Jonson also revised the play in response to claims that he slandered Lady Arabella Stuart. I propose a topical joke that would have been a more likely line to cause offence, giving the playwright good reason to make at least two revisions leaving us with the extant version. |
Keywords | Ben Jonson; Lady Arabella Stuart; Libel; Jacobean Drama |
Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 470504. British and Irish literature |
430304. British history | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/zq65q/jonson-s-two-prologues-to-epic-ne-libel-print-and-play
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