Victorian Epic Burlesques: A Critical Anthology of Nineteenth-Century Theatrical Entertainments after HomerThis anthology presents annotated scripts of four major burlesques by key playwrights: Melodrama Mad! or, the Siege of Troy by Thomas John Dibdin (1819); Telemachus; or, the Island of Calypso by J.R. Planché (1834); The Iliad; or, the Siege of Troy by Robert Brough (1858) and Ulysses; or the Ironclad Warriors and the Little Tug of War by F.C. Burnand (1865). Beloved 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 Iliad and Odyssey to 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. 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. Resources for further study are available online. |
Contents
Thomas Dibdin Melodrama Mad or the Siege of Troy 1819 | |
Robert B Brough Iliad or the Siege of Troy 1858 | |
Other editions - View all
Victorian Epic Burlesques: A Critical Anthology of Nineteenth-Century ... Rachel Bryant Davies No preview available - 2018 |
Victorian Epic Burlesques: A Critical Anthology of Nineteenth-Century ... Rachel Bryant Davies No preview available - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
Achilles AENEAS Aeneid AGAMEMNON AJAX allusion ancient ANDROMACHE Apollo audience ballad Briseis British Brough Brough’s Iliad Bryant Davies 2018b burlesque Burnand CALYPSO CARADOC AP TRUNCHEON CASSANDRA CHORUS Chryseis colloquial comic Covent Garden CRESSIDA CUPID Dance dear DENNIS MURPHY Dibdin DIOMED DIOMEDES e’en Enter epic burlesques EUCHARIS EURYCLEA Exeunt Exit Fénelon’s fight goddess gods Grecian Greek HECTOR HECUBA Helen helmet HOMER Homer’s Iliad horse Iliad Jove JUPITER King ladies LEUCOTHOE London Lyceum MAC CLASSIC Macbeth Macduff’s Melodrama Mad Menelaus MENTOR MERCURY MINERVA Miss Monrós-Gaspar Music NESTOR nineteenth-century NYMPHS o’er Odyssey Olympic opera Paratext Paris parody PATROCLUS PENELOPE performed Planché playbills plays PRIAM puns Roman Roud scene Shakespeare ship Siege of Troy slang song Speaking Roles spectators stage suitors Surrey Theatre TALTHYBIUS Telemachus TEUCER theatrical thee There’s THERSITES THETIS thou TROILUS Trojan Trojan War ULYSSES Venus Vestris Victorian What’s wicksy wife
Bibliographic information
| Title | Victorian Epic Burlesques: A Critical Anthology of Nineteenth-Century Theatrical Entertainments after Homer Bloomsbury Studies in Classical Reception |
| Author | Rachel Bryant Davies |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018 |
| ISBN | 1350027197, 9781350027190 |
| Length | 296 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / Ancient / General Literary Collections / General Literary Criticism / Drama Performing Arts / Theater / History & Criticism |
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