John Fletcher's "A Wife for a Moneth": a critical, old-spelling edition
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Description
John Fletcher's last tragicomedy, A Wife for a Moneth (1624), has suffered unmerited neglect since the end of the seventeenth century. Although it is not unflawed, this play is a striking example of the playwright's unique tragicomic style. The play is included in the various eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth century Beaumont and Fletcher collection, each of which is based mainly upon the text of the Second Folio (Fifty Comedies and Tragedies, 1679). With the exception of the Glover and Waller edition of 1907, which is little more than a reprint of the Second Folio text, all previous editions display the eclecticism characteristic of eigtheenth and nineteenth century editing. This old-spelling, critical edition, based on the authoritative text of the First Folio (Comedies and Tragedies, 1647), meets the need for a reliable text; it not only draws attention to this fine play, but also provides insight into John Fletcher's art in his more widely appreciated plays The Introduction to this edition begins with a discussion of the authorship of the play. John Fletcher's sole authorship has never been questioned. Nevertheless, a brief review of contemporary attribution and of linguistic and stylistic characteristics which support the assertion of Fletcher's authorship provides a foundation for the rest of the discussion. A review of various suggestions of sources for the play follows, leading to the conclusion that in most cases Fletcher drew on his potential sources only in the most general way Sections on Stage History and The Text document the rather few performances of this play and its history in print. The latter section also presents the rationale for selection of the First Folio as the copy text, and documents my extensive collation of copies of the First Folio text of A Wife for a Moneth In order to provide the reader with a sufficient sense of the intellectual milieu of the play, the Introduction also examines Fletcher's presentation of the themes of Absolute Monarchy, Melancholy, and Honor. This examination prepares for a consideration of the play as an example of the author's unique tragicomic style. The themes are less important in themselves than in the theatrical effects which they help to achieve. Fletcher's genius as an author of tragicomedy lies in his ability to produce certain effects: a series of startling events, rapid shifts of emotion, and a denouement which, while completely surprising, is well prepared-for in the course of the play. A Wife for a Moneth provides an excellent illustration of Fletcher's art The edition itself follows the dicta of W. W. Greg and Fredson Bowers, insofar as it preserves the significant accidentals of the copy text. In general, aside from the correction of obvious printing errors, the only emendations are those required to preserve the clarity of expression. The running commentary on the text provides the reader with insight into the linguistic, literary, and cultural background of the play