Publisher's Synopsis
The Duchess of Padua is a play written by Oscar Wilde, first performed in 1891. The play is set in 16th century Italy and tells the story of a young woman named Lucrezia, who is forced into a loveless marriage with the Duke of Padua. Lucrezia falls in love with a young man named Guido, who is actually the illegitimate son of the Duke. The two have a passionate affair, but are eventually discovered by the Duke, who orders Guido's execution. Lucrezia is devastated by the loss of her lover and eventually dies of a broken heart. The play explores themes of love, betrayal, and the corrupting influence of power. It is considered one of Wilde's lesser-known works, but is still admired for its poetic language and dramatic intensity.DUCHESS Alas, my Lord, Such common things as neither you nor I, Nor any of these noble gentlemen, Have ever need at all to think about; They say the bread, the very bread they eat, Is made of sorry chaff.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
