The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume II

"The Works of Aphra Behn, Volume II" by Aphra Behn is a collection of dramatic works written during the late 17th century. The volume includes various plays, starting with "Abdelazer; or, The Moor's Revenge," which follows the complex web of revenge, love, and political intrigue surrounding the character Abdelazer, a Moorish general entangled in conflict with the Spanish royal family. At the start of "Abdelazer," the reader is introduced to a dramatic tension that centers on themes of power, ambition, and betrayal. The aging Spanish King has taken in Abdelazer, the orphaned Moorish prince, and appointed him as a general. However, Abdelazer's desire for revenge—a consequence of past injustices—drives him into an affair with the lustful Queen Isabella, leading to a conspiracy to kill the King. The opening intricately weaves dialogue showcasing Abdelazer's internal struggles and motivations as he navigates the treacherous court environment filled with plots and counterplots among characters like Prince Philip and Cardinal Mendozo. The stage is set for a tragic tale that blends elements of romance and betrayal, hinting at the violent and pivotal choices to come. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Aphra Behn was an English playwright, poet, prose writer and translator from the Restoration era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing, she broke cultural barriers and served as a literary role model for later generations of women authors. Rising from obscurity, she came to the notice of Charles II, who employed her as a spy in Antwerp. Upon her return to London and a probable brief stay in debtors' prison, she began writing for the stage. She belonged to a coterie of poets and famous libertines such as John Wilmot, Lord Rochester. Behn wrote under the pastoral pseudonym Astrea. During the turbulent political times of the Exclusion Crisis, she wrote an epilogue and prologue that brought her legal trouble; she thereafter devoted most of her writing to prose genres and translations. A staunch supporter of the Stuart line, Behn declined an invitation from Bishop Burnet to write a welcoming poem to the new king William III. She died shortly after.