Thomas Otway wrote Restoration tragedy and comedy, best known for plays in which political danger and private betrayal reinforce each other. Venice Preserv'd follows Jaffeir, drawn into a conspiracy against the Venetian state while his marriage to Belvidera makes loyalty to the plot increasingly impossible. The Orphan centres on two brothers and the woman they both love, turning secrecy and mistaken identity into a domestic tragedy. Otway's drama is more emotionally direct than the satirical comedies of many contemporaries, with intense scenes of friendship, jealousy and divided allegiance. His verse and dialogue are formal but theatrically forceful, especially in roles built around suffering and moral conflict. His work fits Restoration tragedy, political drama and classic British theatre. Read more Less
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