This is an invaluable reference to all the characters who appear in English drama from 1500 to 1660. The book indexes well over a thousand printed plays. In addition to characters' names it indexes character types (Dwarf, Gypsy), nationalities (Frenchman, American), military ranks, psychological states (Jealousy, Melancholy), occupations and professions. The accompanying Finding List provides a table of play titles, authors, dates of publication, dates of performance and short-title catalogue numbers. The book is a much revised and expanded version of An Index of Characters in English Printed Drama to the Restoration (1975). This edition indexes the names of characters in 180 plays which no longer survive in print and characters from Latin plays of the period. Further features are an alphabetical list of plays, an index of playwrights and an expanded bibliography.
