context

• play written in Jacobeon era- 1600
• set in Italy on the coast of Amalfi
• written by John Webster in 1605
• a tragedy about forbidden marriage
• ferdinands court links to James 1 surrounding himself with sycophants
• people would pay for their titles leading to unqualified people in office
• italy was set up into provinces each seperately ruled
• play set in Italy to avoid certain censorships set in England at the time