Victorian Epic Burlesques: A Critical Anthology of Nineteenth-Century Theatrical Entertainments after Homer

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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. Planch (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: Homers epic tales of the Trojan War and its aftermath were vividly reimagined in nineteenth-century Britain. Classical burlesquesexceptionally successful theatrical entertainmentscontinually 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 burlesques 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.

Reviews

This beautifully presented volume is ground-breaking in providing access to, and critical commentary of, a group of hitherto little-known texts, and thereby allowing readers a glimpse into the presence and uses of the Classics (more specifically, Homer) in Victorian society. * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
An invaluable and scholarly insight into Victorian theatrical burlesque and its mediation of Homers epic poetry within nineteenth-century theatre and more generally within the milieu of nineteenth-century culture. * The Classical Association *
This will be particularly welcome to those who work in the history of theater, but should be of interest broadly, as the texts illuminate a fascinating, understudied aspect of the culture. * SEL Studies in English Literature *

Author Bio

Rachel Bryant Davies is Lecturer in Comparative Literature at Queen Mary University of London, UK, and an Early Career Associate with the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama, University of Oxford, UK. She is the author of Troy, Carthage and the Victorians: The Drama of Classical Ruins in the Nineteenth-Century Imagination (2018).