Divorce, The

Anon. (1653)

Historical Records

Marriott's List (1653)

In late 1653, the printer Richard Marriott entered a group of twenty-one plays on the Stationers' Register. Among the titles is:

The Diuorse

Theatrical Provenance

Unknown

Probable Genre(s)

Unknown

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

None known

References to the Play

None known

Critical Commentary

"The only evidence for the existence of a play of this name is Marriott's entry of the play in the Stationers' Register" (Bentley, 5.1321).

For discussion of Marriott's list, follow this link: Marriott's List (1653)

For What It's Worth

James Shirley's comedy The Wedding seems to have enjoyed considerable success in the Caroline theatre. Its first quarto in 1629 was followed by a second, in 1632, including a cast list for a production of it by Queen Henrietta's Men. While The Divorce is a perfectly intelligible play-title in its own right, it might well have seemed, to Caroline playgoers, if it were a Caroline play, to respond in some way to the title of Shirley's comedy.

Site created and maintained by Matthew Steggle, Sheffield Hallam Univeristy. Updated 6 May 2010.