Woman's Tragedy, The

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Historical Records

Payments

To playwrights in Philip Henslowe's diary

Fol. 47^v (Greg 1.90)

Lent vnto Harey Cheattell the 14 of July 1598	}
vpon a boocke called the playe of a womon	} vli
Tragedye the some of vli wch Robart shawe	}
willed me to delyuer hime J saye . . . . . . . . . .	}

                eather dd the playe or els to paye the money
                w^th in one forthnyght . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Theatrical Provenance

There is every reason to assume that the play, if it was completed and staged, was performed by the Admiral's men at the Rose.

Probable Genre(s)

Tragedy Harbage, Wiggins, Catalogue #1138

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

The generic title gives no clue to its narrative source.

References to the Play

None known.

Critical Commentary

Malone calls this play "The Play of a Woman," apparently considering Henslowe's "Tragedye" not to be a part of the title (p. 310). Collier, by capitalization, promotes "Tragedye" into the title of the play (p. 127). Fleay, BCED, without further comment, calls the play A woman tragedy (1.68, #10). Greg II calls the play "The Play of a Woman" (#141, p. 194); he cites Henslowe's word, "Tragedye," but does not elaborate.

'Gurr omits this title from the appendix and index.

Wiggins, Catalogue #1138 offers alternative titles, either "A Woman's Tragedy" or "The Play of a Woman."

For What It's Worth

Perhaps because of the hefty payment of £5, theater historians have tended to consider Henslowe's entry proof that such a play existed.

Works Cited

Gurr, Andrew. Shakespeare’s Opposites: The Admiral’s Company 1594-1625. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Site created and maintained by Roslyn L. Knutson; Last updated by Rlknutson on 11 August 2022 21:52:41