Publisher's Synopsis
"Selene" is court theatre, written by a courtier, performed before courtiers, and depicting events at a fictitious court. This volume proposes that after 1546, when he entered the service of the Duke of Ferrara, Giraldi had more practical and pressing concerns than the pursuit of literary fame. The introduction discusses personal experiences and cultural influences at work in "Selene". Chapter one examines Giraldi's expose of court life written for the guidance of an aspiring young courtier and based on his knowledge of the Ferrarese court. The following chapter illustrate his close rapport, as dramatist, with the Duke. Chapter three sets the play in the context of the burgeoning contemporary literature concerning the excellence of women. The notes to the play comment on its ideological content, resolve syntactical problems, and clarify the movements of the actors on stage.
