Orestes' Furies

Thomas Dekker, Henry Chettle? (1599)

Historical Records

Henslowe's Diary

F. 62 (Greg I.107)

Lent more the same time vnto m^r dickers in

earnest of a Boocke called orestes fvres….. v^s

This follows an entry for "the 2 of maye 1599" that records Chettle and Dekker borrowing 20s. to discharge Chettle "of his a Reste [i.e. arrest] from Jngrome" (Greg II.253).

Theatrical Provenance

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Probable Genre(s)

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Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

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References to the Play

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Critical Commentary

Scholars have variously interpreted the title that Henslowe transcribed as "orestes fvres." Hazlitt suggested "Orestes Furiens"; Fleay, "Orestes Furious"; Haliwell, "Orestes Furies"; Greg, "Orestes' Furies"; Gurr, "Orestes Furens" (Greg II.202 and Gurr 244).

Several have identified "Orestes" with Dekker and Chettle's Agamemnon (Chambers II.169; Gurr 244). Greg thought that the proximity between the loan to the two playwrights (for Chettle's discharge) and the payment to Dekker for "Orestes" "suggests that the previous loan was made on the same security, whence it would follow that Chettle was also engaged on this play […] This would put its identity with Agamemnon […] practically beyond doubt." (II.260). ("Agamemnon" was licensed with the Master of the Revels on June 3.)

For What It's Worth

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Works Cited

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