Thomas Heywood's masterpiece, A Woman Killed With Kindness, is a domestic tragedy, which combines two plots and has two women at its centre. One woman is almost prostituted by her brother in order to pay off his creditor. The other woman begins an affair with her husband's friend and house-guest, only to be discovered by her husband and sent away from their home. This supposed act of 'kindness' by her husband, who spares his wife the fate of being killed outright, ends in disaster, and this is a morality tale that Heywood wanted his audience to learn from.
In this edition students will find a wealth of information to support their studies: an extended introduction exploring theatrical and historical context, critical reactions, background on the author and stage history as well as the latest research on Heywood. The play itself contains numerous notes and explanations throughout to aid students' understanding.
