Originally published in 1964, this study combines a consideration of the general issues affecting Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedy with particular comment on plays from the period. Through the careful analysis of plays, as opposed to the illustration of abstract themes with isolated passages, a well-rounded examination of theatrical developments in the period is developed. Maintaining that the meaning of a play, and consequently its relationship with the surrounding historical context, is based on the quality of the dramatist's insight, the book avoids an excessive concentration on scholarly 'background'. This is a fascinating text that will be of value to anyone with an interest in English Renaissance drama.