Arden of Faversham

by Anonymous

Arden of Faversham (original Arden of Feversham) is an Elizabethan play, entered into the Register of the Stationers Company on 3 April 1592, and printed later that same year by Edward White. It depicts the murder of Thomas Arden by his wife Alice Arden and her lover, and their subsequent discovery and punishment. The play is notable as perhaps the earliest surviving example of domestic tragedy, a form of Renaissance play which dramatized recent and local crimes rather than far-off and historical events.

Genres: Plays, Classics, Drama, Historical Fiction, School, Academic, Theatre

90 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1592

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

From BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3:
In 1551 in Tudor England, Alice and her lover Mosby conspire with hired killers to murder Alice's husband Arden. This anonymous play is the first example of a brutal true crime story on the English stage and resonates with our contemporary fascination with all things 'noir'. Based closely on Holinshed's detailed account of the murder, it was first published in 1592.

Arden ..... Ewan Bailey
Alice ..... Amaka Okafor
Mosby ..... Samuel James
Michael ..... Tom Forrister
Greene ..... Simon Ludders
Franklin ..... Philip Fox
Black Will ..... Ben Crowe
Shakebag ..... Sion Pritchard
Clarke ..... Ryan Whittle
Lord Cheiny ..... John Telfer
Bradshaw ..... John Norton
Susan ..... Olivia Marcus

Original music composed by Lucy Rivers
Musicians: James Ifan, Hannah McPake, Dan Messore, Mark O'Connor, Elin Phillips, Lucy Rivers & Aidan Thorne

Adapted and directed by Alison Hindell

BBC Cymru Wales production for BBC Radio 3

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

[Michael P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this play more each time I read it. I know it is considered a Domestic Tragedy by genre, but I am convinced it is a comedy until it isn't, which is very near the end.

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Arden of Faversham" was the second play covered in the iTunes U course I am taking on Elizabethan theater other than Shakespeare. The author is unknown, although some argue that Shakespeare wrote at least part of it. If so, it is definitely not one of his better works.

The plot is based on an actual incident from 1550, the murder of Mr. Arden of Faversham by his wife, her lover, and their conspirators. One of the points of interest is that Arden has made several enemies by his exploitation of the sale of English monastery land during the Reformation. He has become rich as a landlord, dispossessing tenants who considered it their property. Thus Arden is not simply an innocent victim.

Most of the play is taken up with botched attempts to kill Arden. It is possible that these would be played for laughs. But when the death scene finally comes, it is properly disturbing. The perpetrators of the crime come to swift justice, and the play is over.

I would say that "Arden of Faversham" is of historical interest only. Though interesting, it does not have the timeless quality of Shakespeare's best plays.

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a nutty play. I can't understand why anyone would think Shakespeare might have had a hand in its writing as its very badly constructed, shows no inventive language, and is just weird all around. Alice plans to murder her husband Thomas Arden so she can be with Mosby. So she tells about 30 people to kill him. It's ridiculous how many people are involved in the plot and all of them just shrug and go along with it. "Oh, kill your husband, so I can marry your lover's sister? No problem." TWO DIFFERENT DUDES get that same pitch and go for it. Then a random painter who puts poisons in his paint so if you touch the picture you die is brought in, then Alice's lover hires three different killers. The whole thing is just a mess.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm so glad that's over.

I thought plays were supposed to be short. This one dragged on and on and on, all the characters made decisions and then went back on them immediately. The plot was entirely ridiculous, and although it was quite entertaining at times the amount of characters and errors in my text just got grating.

I was reading this play for hours yesterday and just wanted it to end. There were a couple of interesting/fast-paced bits and I really liked the ending, but ultimately rather dull.

Read for my Performing Death, Desire & Gender module.

[Inma Ranea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A theatrical literature work with which you can have fun reading it. It is a work of Elizabethan drama written by an unknown author.

It is a tragedy that depicts the murder of Thomas Arden by his wife (Alice) and her lover (Mosby).

It was written in the 16th century, but it can be written in this century because its theme is presented nowadays.
__________________________________________

Una obra teatral literaria con la que puedes disfrutar leyendo. Es una drama de la época de Elizabeth I escrito por un autor desconocido.

Es una tragedia que representa el asesinato de Thomas Arden por su esposa (Alice) y su amante (Mosby).

Fue escrito en el siglo 16, pero podía estar escrito en este siglo porque el tema está presente hoy en día.

[Héloïse Braun · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Measure me what I am, not what I was”

“Then let me leave thee satisfied in this, That time nor place nor persons alter me But that I hold thee dearer than my life.”

“Nay, he must leave to live that we may love, May live, may love; for what is life but love? And love shall last as long as life remains, And life shall end before my love depart… No, let our love be rocks of adamant, Which time nor place nor tempest can asunder.”

Gives Lolita in that it’s beautiful language but it’s all fake and meaningless (art with nothing behind it/masking the ugly with beautiful)

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this pretty fast because I wanted to return it from the library, so I feel I didn't get as much time to sit with it as I'd like. Pretty interesting, and there are a few nice passages, but the middle bit felt kinda repetitive. Maybe if I revisit it in future.

[Tifa_fifa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Allat just for my English prof to conclude that it was trash the entire time smh

It's funny sometimes but someone was really tripping when they decided to make a true crime horror story into smth digestible for theatre mfs

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supposedly computer analysis has determined at least parts of this play are by Shakespeare. Well. Ridiculous attempts to kill Arden. RIDICULOUS in an early modern way. Part of the fun?

[Samuele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool play, but a little ripetitive. However I liked the plot.

[Tar Buendía · Rating 2 out of 5]

Otra historia que, aunque tiene elementos de estudio interesantísimos, a nivel personal no me dice nada/me repele un poco.

[Meg Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alice is my hero

[Severind Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the worst play, but with a plot like this, I hoped it would be more interesting.

[ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was... kinda funny

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This play kinda isn't good. I'm sorry. Not to bash, but I wouldn't have put my name on this either...

[foggysuns]

"this mist, my friend, is mystical" - arden of faversham

"this sauciness in you will make you be knocked" - will

[Beth Bauman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone lies through their teeth throughout THE ENTIRE PLAY! Wow, domestic tragedy for sure. Everyone ends up dying at the end, because 8 of the characters murder one character, so they are all killed in the end.

[Daniel Callister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possible collaborative authors include Thomas Kyd, Kit Marlowe, Will Shakespeare. The 2016 edition of The Oxford Shakespeare attributes the play to Shakespeare together with an anonymous collaborator, and rejects the possibility of authorship by Kyd or Marlowe.

Good play. It wasn't as tightly wrapped up as I would have hoped, for example nothing ever comes of the curious painted poison cross that will kill those who look on it. There could have been more play between the various plots to kill Arden - there were three or four separate parties Alice and Mosbie sent to kill him. There could have been some comedy or fun twists with their interplay, but instead they all came together pretty smoothly. Sucks for poor Bradshaw.

I noticed that aside from Alice, there is only one other female role, Susan, and she has only a couple lines and wasn't really a necessary character at all.

"...oaths are words, and words is wind,
And wind is mutable: then, I conclude,
'Tis childishness to stand upon an oath."
-Alice

"...who threats his enemy,
Lends him a sword to guard himself withal."
-Mosbie

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arden of Faversham? More like Arden of Flavortown! idk, I really don't have much to say about this one. A mostly competent play.