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Title Victorian epic burlesques : a critical anthology of nineteenth-century theatrical entertainments after Homer / Rachel Bryant Davies.
Author Davies, Rachel Bryant, author.
Publisher London : Bloomsbury Academic, 2019.


Status Loan Type Location Shelf-mark
 In Library  Standard  Library Level 9  English F159.B8 DAV  

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Description xi, 284 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
ISBN 9781350027176 hardback
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents Classical burlesque and Homeric epic -- Thomas Dibdin, Melodrama mad!; or, the Siege of Troy (1819) -- James Robinson Planch with Charles Dance, Telemachus; or, the Island of Calypso (1834) -- Robert B. Brough, Iliad; or the Siege of Troy (1858) -- Sir Francis Cowley Burnand, Ulysses; or the Ironclad warrior and the Little tug of war (1865) -- List of epic burlesques.
Summary "This anthology presents annotated scripts of four major burlesques by key playwrights: Melodrama Mad! or, the Siege of Troy by Thomas John Dibdin (1819); Telemachus; or, the Island of Calypso by J.R. Planché (1834); The Iliad; or, the Siege of Troy by Robert Brough (1858) and Ulysses; or the Ironclad Warriors and the Little Tug of War by F.C. Burnand (1865). Beloved legend, archaeological riddle and educational staple: Homer's epic tales of the Trojan War and its aftermath were vividly reimagined in nineteenth-century Britain. Classical burlesques--exceptionally successful theatrical entertainments--continually mined the Iliad and Odyssey to lucrative comic effect. Burlesques combined song, dance and slapstick comedy with an eclectic kaleidoscope of topical allusions. From namedropping boxing legends to recasting Shakespearean combats, epic adaptations overflow with satirical commentary on politics, cultural highlights and everyday current affairs. In uncovering Homer's irreverently playful afterlife, this selection showcases burlesque's development and wide appeal. The critical introduction analyses how these plays contested the accessibility of classical antiquity and dramatic performance. Textual and literary annotations, with contemporary illustrations, illuminate the juxtaposed sources to establish these repackaged epics as indispensable tools for unlocking nineteenth-century social, cultural and political history. Resources for further study are available online"-- Provided by publisher.
Series Bloomsbury studies in classical reception.
Library Class English F159.B8
Subject Burlesques.
English drama -- 19th century -- History and criticism.
Burlesque (Theater) -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century.
Trojan War -- Literature and the war.
English literature -- Classical influences.
Troy (Extinct city) -- Literature.
Carthage (Extinct city) -- Literature.

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