Commentaries on
Shakespeare’s Tragedies
Anonymous and William Shakespeare. The Tragedy of M. Arden of Faversham. (The New Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works, pp. 117-81.)
Of Interest: Arden of Faversham (Gutenberg) | Arden of Faversham, 1st ed. title page (Shakespeare Documented) | Arden of Faversham (RSC) | Arden, full production (Baylor U/YouTube) | The Murder Case in Arden … by Amnon Kabatchnik(CrimeReads) | The … Stupid Tudor Murder That May Have Inspired Shakespeare (Tom Macklaw / YouTube) | Arden … The Authorship Problem, by Brian Vickers (ResearchGate, request copy from author)
Attribution Note: The Oxford editors say many specialist scholars “now agree that Shakespeare wrote scenes 4-8, scene 9 is disputed.” The other contributor is not firmly established, with some scholars favoring Christopher Marlowe, and others Thomas Kyd. These authors, or perhaps even “an anonymous amateur,” are sometimes claimed to have authored the entire play. My view is that while it sounds as if authorship of Arden is a lively question, to say the least, it is without a doubt an excellent and enjoyable play. Thanks to the author or authors, whoever they were!
Commentary … check back soon…. Comments should be posted by early March 2026.
Edition: Anonymous and William Shakespeare. “The Tragedy of M. Arden of Faversham.” The New Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works, edited by John Jowett, et al., Oxford UP, 2016, pp. 117-81. ISBN-13: 978-0199591152.
Copyright © 2026 Alfred J. Drake