{"product_id":"the-witch-9780713639452","title":"The Witch","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Witch (1615\/16?), categorised by its author as 'a tragi-comedy', \u003cbr\u003epits the intrigues of a group of Italian aristocrats against the\u003cbr\u003emalevolent practices of Hecate and her witches' coven, leaving the\u003cbr\u003eaudience with the impression that human malevolence is by far the\u003cbr\u003efiercer and more effective. This edition sets the play into its\u003cbr\u003edramatic and literary contexts, ranging from Shakespeare's Macbeth and\u003cbr\u003eMiddleton's own later tragedies to Reginald Scot's sceptical Discovery\u003cbr\u003eof Witchcraft and King James's virulent Daemonologie. It also argues\u003cbr\u003ethat Middleton wrote it as a topical satire to capitalise on the\u003cbr\u003escandal involving Frances Howard, who obtained a divorce from the Earl\u003cbr\u003eof Essex on the grounds that he had been sexually incapacitated by\u003cbr\u003ewitchcraft; she was also rumoured to have tried to poison him.\u003cbr\u003eMiddleton exposes his noble characters precisely by letting them get\u003cbr\u003eaway with murder.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMiddleton, Thomas:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Thomas Middleton was a prolific and successful English Jacobean playwright and poet. A contemporary of Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, Middleton wrote over 30 plays including A Mad World, My Masters which was first performed in 1606.","brand":"Methuen Drama","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50460767617298,"sku":"9780713639452","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_da1894c3-1c04-405d-874f-8f15cd5c3783.jpg?v=1744210506","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-witch-9780713639452","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}