Dr Faustus 1616: The Malone Society

This is one of the most celebrated of all Elizabethan plays, famous for its treatment of the damnation of Faustus and his struggles with his divided conscience. It combines spectacular visual effects with sophisticated theological discussion.

The edition reproduces in facsimile the only surviving copy of the play, which is held in the British Library. The differences from the 1604 text, including revisions and additional passages, are fully described and analysed, and placed in the context of changing theatre practices at the time. A major feature of the edition is that it identifies the printer of the 1616 text, whose name has been hitherto unknown.