Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Cenci

Mark Sandy (University of Durham)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.06: English Writing and Culture of the Romantic Period, 1789-1837.
Vol. editors: Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Daniel Robinson (Widener University)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1819

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Play
Poetry (any)

Resources

Before concluding his lyrical drama, Prometheus Unbound (see separate entry) Shelley turned his attention, between May and August 1819, to writing a tragic play entitled The Cenci. Unexpectedly, Shelley suspended composition of his drama when his son, William, was afflicted with a stomach infection that precipitated in the young boy's death on 7 June 1819. Shelley did not recommence authoring The Cenci until late June or early July but, certainly, by August his tragedy was being transcribed for the press and Glauco Masi, a Leghorn printer, had by 21 September 1819 produced 250 copies of the play in readiness for shipping to England.

Originally, Shelley harboured aspirations that his tragedy would be …

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847 words

Citation: Sandy, Mark. "The Cenci". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 August 2004 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1290, accessed 26 November 2024.]

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