The Malcontent
by John Marston

Name: The Malcontent
Brand: John Marston
SKU: 9780713642889
Rating: 3.5 (298 reviews)

The Malcontent Book Cover — The Malcontent Cover

Highlights

British

What readers are saying

Readers generally appreciate The Malcontent for its intricate plot and sharp dialogue, often highlighting the humor amidst its dark themes. Many consider it a notable work by John Marston, praising its influence on later plays like those of Shakespeare. However, some readers find the plot complexity and character similarities a bit challenging to navigate.

Sharp and witty dialogueIntriguing plot twistsHumor in dark themesInfluential early modern playComplex plot can be confusingSome character names are similar

Synopsis

"This Malevole is one of the most prodigious affections that ever conversed with nature: a man, or rather a monster, more discontent than Lucifer."

The Malcontent is a striking example of the new satiric tone and moral seriousness in English comedy of the early 1600s.

The play's vision of a fallen humanity driven by lust and ambition is created partly by its depiction of Machiavellian intrigue in the court of Genoa, and partly by the disaffected Malevole, the malcontent of the title, who is actually the deposed Duke Altofronto in disguise.

Marston's tragi-comedy is full of reversals, surprises and moral transformations and offers a thin disguise for the Jacobean court and its vices.

This new student edition contains a lengthy new Introduction with background on the author, date and sources, theme, critical interpretation and stage history.