William Godwin's Diary

Abbas, King of Persia

Godwin, William Abbas, King of Persia (1801)

A five act tragedy but acts 4 and 5 are missing. There does exist a synopsis of the entire play in Godwin’s hand. Although there are only three acts of this tragedy remaining, Abbas reveals a strong Shakespearean influence as well as being an excellent example of the London audience’s taste for Orientalism. Godwin chose the play’s topic at Coleridge’s suggestion and there exists a correspondence between the two aspiring dramatists on the play. The play is published in The Plays of William Godwin , ed. O'Shaughnessy.

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