{"product_id":"the-dramatic-works-of-thomas-dekker-8-volume-paperback-set-critical","title":"The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker 8-Volume Paperback Set - Critical","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of the 8-volume paperback set of The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker, readers and scholars will find a comprehensive, accessible edition of plays previously difficult to obtain. The bottom line: this set is for those who want the full, old-spelling texts and scholarly apparatus that restores lesser-known Dekker plays to view; the single biggest reason to buy is the combination of complete play texts and a complementary set of introductions and notes prepared by an expert editor. It reads as both a text collection and a research tool for serious study.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirst modern collected edition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Restores plays to print that had not appeared collectively since the late nineteenth century, making Dekker's work widely available again for study and reading.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCritical old-spelling text:\u003c\/strong\u003e Presents the plays in an edition that preserves historical orthography, which benefits scholars and readers interested in period language and fidelity to original texts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEight-volume organization:\u003c\/strong\u003e Divides the complete plays into four volumes with an additional four-volume companion set of introductions and notes, providing convenient access to both text and commentary.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eScholarly editing:\u003c\/strong\u003e The edition is prepared under Professor Fredson Bowers, offering a reliable editorial framework for textual critics and students of Elizabethan drama.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExpanded canon:\u003c\/strong\u003e Includes a few works not previously collected but judged to merit inclusion, enriching the known Dekker corpus.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis set is ideal for literature students, theater historians, and academic libraries that need a thorough, textually conscientious edition of Dekker's plays. It suits those who value detailed introductions and notes alongside the primary texts and who work with Elizabethan language and textual variants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a lightweight or modernized reader's edition with contemporary spelling and abridged introductions should look elsewhere; this collection is designed for study rather than casual, modernized reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComprehensive assembly of Dekker's accepted canon reinstates many plays to easy access.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetailed introductions and notes across four volumes aid interpretation and research.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOld-spelling critical text supports scholarly work on language, variants, and editorial history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOld-spelling presentation may be challenging for casual readers unaccustomed to historical orthography.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker 8-Volume Paperback Set\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEditor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFredson Bowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePublication history\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOriginally published in 1953; first modern collected edition since late 1800s\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePaperback multi-volume set\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eContents\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFour volumes of complete plays plus four volumes of introductions and notes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTextual approach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCritical old-spelling text of the ordinarily accepted canon\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 8-volume paperback set is the go-to edition for scholars and dedicated students of Elizabethan drama who need authoritative texts and detailed commentary. Its value lies in restoring Dekker's plays to a reliable collected form and pairing them with substantial critical apparatus, making it a sound investment for research libraries and serious readers who want fidelity to historical texts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this set include all of Dekker's plays?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt presents the ordinarily accepted canon across four text volumes and also includes a few additional works deemed worthy of inclusion by the editor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the text modernized for easy reading?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, the edition uses a critical old-spelling text intended to preserve historical orthography rather than modernize spelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho edited this edition?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe set was prepared under the editorial direction of Professor Fredson Bowers and published as a scholarly collected edition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Thomas Dekker, George Dekker, Fredson Bowers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48598953591003,"sku":"0521102944","price":74.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/51OGKQjD38S._SL1000.jpg?v=1776285245","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/the-dramatic-works-of-thomas-dekker-8-volume-paperback-set-critical","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}