The Virgin Martyr (1844)

The Virgin Martyr is a play written by Philip Massinger in 1620 and first published in 1631. The play is set in ancient Rome and tells the story of Dorothea, a Christian virgin who is being forced to marry the pagan governor of Alexandria, who is in love with her. Dorothea refuses to marry him and is sentenced to death by the governor. She is then tortured and finally beheaded, but not before she converts the governor's brother to Christianity. The play explores themes of religious persecution, martyrdom, and the conflict between Christianity and paganism. It is considered one of Massinger's most powerful and moving works, and has been praised for its poetic language and dramatic intensity. The Virgin Martyr has been adapted for the stage and screen numerous times, and remains a popular and influential work of English literature.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.