Susanna Centlivre's The Beau's Duel; or, A Soldier for the Ladies (1702)

This critical edition of The Beau's Duel; or, A Soldier for the Ladies (1702) by Susanna Centlivre, the first of this comedy, offers a modernised text with annotations as well as an introduction that looks at the play in its social, historical, and dramatic context.

The Beau's Duel; or, A Soldier for the Ladies (1702) is Susanna Centlivre's first comedy. It premiered soon after Queen Anne's coronation amid preparations for the War of the Spanish Succession. This work features many of the elements of Centlivre's skillful playwriting that would later establish her as one of the most popular dramatists through to the nineteenth century. This critical edition offers a modernised text with annotations and an introduction that looks at the play in its social, historical, and dramatic context.

Before the play begins, Clarinda and Colonel Manly have been courting for some time. Despite initially approving the match, Clarinda's father Careful has now agreed to give her hand in marriage to the fop Sir William Mode. The play follows the couple's attempts at outwitting both men as well as overcoming misunderstandings with the aid of Clarinda's cousin Emilia, Manly's friends Toper and Captain Bellmein along with the captain's reformed mistress Mrs Plotwell.

Autorentext
Victoria Echegaray-Mitar holds a PhD in Philological Studies with a focus on Literature and Culture in English from the Universidad de Sevilla (Spain). Her research interests include textual criticism and bibliography as well as women writers of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. She is a member of the Restoration Comedy Project.

Inhalt

Acknowledgements - Abbreviations - A Note on Citations - 1. The author - 2. The Beau's Duel: A Restoration Comedy at the Turn of the Century - 3. Stage History: The Beau's Duel at the London Theatres - 3.1 Premiere and Reception - 3.2 The Cast - 4. The Text(s) of The Beau's Duel - 4.1 Printing History - 4.2 Textual Analysis: Variants - 4.3 Editorial Policy and Apparatus - The Beau's Duel; or, A Soldier for the Ladies: A Critical Edition - Appendix A. Review of The Beau's Duel in the Post Angel - Appendix B. Timeline - Susanna Centlivre's Life and Historical Events - List of references