The Tragedy of Mariam

"First published in 1613, The Tragedy of Mariam, the Fair Queen of Jewry is the first play in English to have been authored by a woman, and it has become increasingly popular in the study of early modern women's writing. The play, which Cary based on the story of Herod and Mariam, turns on a rumour of Herod's death, and it unfolds around the actions taken by the patriarch's family and servants in his absence. In part a critique of male power, the play sets gender politics in sharp relief against a background of dynastic conflict and Roman imperialism."--BOOK JACKET.