The Roaring Girl

The titular Roaring Girl of Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker's comedy is Moll Cutpurse, a fictionalized version of a real person, Mary Frith, who attained legendary status in London by flouting gendered dress conventions, illegally performing onstage, and engaging in all sorts of transgressive behavior from smoking and swearing to stealing. In the course of The Roaring Girl's lively and complex plot of seduction and clever ruses, Moll shares her views on gender and sexuality, defends her own honor in a duel, and demonstrates her knowledge of London's criminal underworld. This edition of the play offers an informative introduction, thorough annotation, and a substantial selection of contextual materials related to the real Mary Frith, gender and cross-dressing, criminality in London, and more. KEY FEATURES Comprehensive introduction Informative notes and glosses Background contextual materials Competitive price