Subject
Prostitutes -- Drama Books
Best books
Thomas Dekker
Thomas Dekker Edited, with an introduction and notes by Ernest Rhys. Unexpurgated Edition
"Thomas Dekker" by Thomas Dekker is a collection of works by the playwright Thomas Dekker, likely compiled in the late 19th century. This edition highlights some of his most notable plays, including "The Shoemaker's Holiday," "The Honest Whore," "Old Fortunatus," and "The Witch of Edmonton." The collection serves to showcase Dekker's unique blend of humor, realism, and poetic flair, reflecting the social life and sentiments of Elizabethan England, particularly through the lens of common tradesmen and their experiences. The opening portion introduces Dekker's life and career, outlining his initial struggles and the emergence of his talent in the vibrant world of Elizabethan drama. It discusses elements of his biography as recorded in Henslowe's Diary, illuminated by examples from his works that provide insight into his experiences as a playwright and poet. Particularly noteworthy is the beginning of "The Shoemaker's Holiday," which sets up the central plot where Rowland Lacy disguises himself as a Dutch shoemaker to win the affection of the Lord Mayor's daughter, Rose, revealing Dekker's knack for combining comedy with social commentary and character-driven narratives.
Arthur Schnitzler
Reigen: Zehn Dialoge
"Reigen: Zehn Dialoge" by Arthur Schnitzler is a play written between 1896 and 1897. Ten dialogues depict pairs of men and women from different social classes before and after sexual encounters. Each scene links to the next like a dance, with one partner from each scene continuing into the following one. The cycle moves from prostitute to soldier to maid, ascending through bourgeois and aristocratic Vienna, until the final scene closes the circle. Schnitzler portrays desire, power, seduction, and disappointment across Fin de Siècle society.
Recently surfaced classics