Caesar's Fall: Difference between revisions
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Feldman and Tetzeli von Rosador note that ''Caesar's Fall'' belonged to a fashion for dramatizations of Caesar's life that ran throughout the 1590s in all kinds of theatrical venue, including Samuel Daniel's ''Cleopatra'' and the Trinity College play ''Caesar's Revenge'' as well as the public theatre plays such as Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar'' (328). | Feldman and Tetzeli von Rosador note that ''Caesar's Fall'' belonged to a fashion for dramatizations of Caesar's life that ran throughout the 1590s in all kinds of theatrical venue, including Samuel Daniel's ''Cleopatra'' and the Trinity College play ''Caesar's Revenge'' as well as the public theatre plays such as Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar'' (328). | ||
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Furthermore, they note that the Admiral's Men themselves had already produced a two-part anonymous ''Caesar and Pompey'' (see [[Caesar and Pompey, Part 1|part one]], and [[Caesar and Pompey, Part 2|part two]]) and the lost (possibly unfinished) ''[[Catiline's Conspiracy]]'' by Henry Chettle and Robert Wilson. They speculate further that this repertoire of Caesar plays could have been a multi-play "Caesarean project", which would begin with the the war with Pompey in ''Caesar and Pompey Part 1'', continue with the war against his son Sextus in ''Part 2'', and then explore his political triumphs in ''Catiline's Conspiracy''. As its title suggests, ''Caesar's Fall'' would thus conclude the narrative, creating a tragedy in the ''de casibus'' tradition | Furthermore, they note that the Admiral's Men themselves had already produced a two-part anonymous ''Caesar and Pompey'' (see [[Caesar and Pompey, Part 1|part one]], and [[Caesar and Pompey, Part 2|part two]]) and the lost (possibly unfinished) ''[[Catiline's Conspiracy]]'' by Henry Chettle and Robert Wilson. They speculate further that this repertoire of Caesar plays could have been a multi-play "Caesarean project", which would begin with the the war with Pompey in ''Caesar and Pompey Part 1'', continue with the war against his son Sextus in ''Part 2'', and then explore his political triumphs in ''Catiline's Conspiracy''. As its title suggests, ''Caesar's Fall'' would thus conclude the narrative, creating a tragedy in the ''de casibus'' tradition (328-9). | ||
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Feldman and Tetzeli von Rosador note that references to Caesar appear in the works of each of the five dramatists, but that the attitudes displayed toward him are so diverse that it is impossible to speculate on how he might have been portrayed in the play (329). | Feldman and Tetzeli von Rosador note that references to Caesar appear in the works of each of the five dramatists, but that the attitudes displayed toward him are so diverse that it is impossible to speculate on how he might have been portrayed in the play (329). | ||
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==References to the Play== | ==References to the Play== | ||
Revision as of 22:07, 14 May 2011
Thomas Dekker, Michael Drayton, Thomas Middleton, Anthony Munday and John Webster (1602)
Historical records
The play appears in Henslowe's diary as two payments made to the Admiral's Men:
- Lent unto the company the 22 of maij
- 1602 to geue vnto antoney monday &
- mihell drayton webester & the Rest [interlined: mydelton] in
- earneste of a Boocke called sesers ffalle
- the some of vlb (Greg I, 166)
Theatrical provenance
Henslowe's diary attributes this play to the Admiral's Men.
Probable Genre(s)
Tragedy.
Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues
Feldman and Tetzeli von Rosador note that Caesar's Fall belonged to a fashion for dramatizations of Caesar's life that ran throughout the 1590s in all kinds of theatrical venue, including Samuel Daniel's Cleopatra and the Trinity College play Caesar's Revenge as well as the public theatre plays such as Shakespeare's Julius Caesar (328).
Furthermore, they note that the Admiral's Men themselves had already produced a two-part anonymous Caesar and Pompey (see part one, and part two) and the lost (possibly unfinished) Catiline's Conspiracy by Henry Chettle and Robert Wilson. They speculate further that this repertoire of Caesar plays could have been a multi-play "Caesarean project", which would begin with the the war with Pompey in Caesar and Pompey Part 1, continue with the war against his son Sextus in Part 2, and then explore his political triumphs in Catiline's Conspiracy. As its title suggests, Caesar's Fall would thus conclude the narrative, creating a tragedy in the de casibus tradition (328-9).
Feldman and Tetzeli von Rosador note that references to Caesar appear in the works of each of the five dramatists, but that the attitudes displayed toward him are so diverse that it is impossible to speculate on how he might have been portrayed in the play (329).
References to the Play
None known.
Critical Commentary
W.W. Greg identified this play with the lost Caesar's Fall, recorded in the diary one week earlier; he argued that the correspondence between the dramatists and the payments make this identification "beyond doubt" (Greg II, 222). Subsequent commentators (ncluding Feldmann and Tetzeli von Rosador) have followed suit.
For What It's Worth
(Content welcome)
Works Cited
Site created and maintained by David Nicol, Dalhousie University; updated 14 May, 2011.