''Agis, A Tragedy'' is a

blank verse Blank verse is poetry written with regular metrical but unrhymed lines, almost always in iambic pentameter. It has been described as "probably the most common and influential form that English poetry has taken since the 16th century", and ...

tragedy by the Scottish dramatist

John Home Rev John Home FRSE (13 September 1722 – 4 September 1808) was a Scottish minister, soldier and author. His play '' Douglas'' was a standard Scottish school text until the Second World War, but his work is now largely neglected. In 1783 he wa ...

. It was his first play, but has been greatly overshadowed, by his second (and once famous) play ''

Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civi ...

''. It is a classical drama, based on the life of Agis, King of Sparta and is founded on

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ...

's narrative."HOME, John", in 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica After writing the play in Scotland in 1747, Home took it to London, and submitted it to David Garrick for representation at Drury Lane, but it was rejected as unsuitable for the stage. The play was produced later at Drury Lane on 21 February 1758 by Garrick. It was interpreted by good actors, the play was performed for eleven days but considered inferior to Douglas, another Home's play. The Drury Lane cast featured David Garrick as Lysander,

Henry Mossop Henry Mossop (1729 – 18 November 1773) was an Irish actor. Life He was born in Dunmore, County Galway, where his father was a clergyman. He made his first stage appearance as Zanga in Young's tragedy ''The Revenge'' at the Smock Alley Th ...

as Agis, William Havard as Amphares, Thomas Davies as Euxus, Charles Holland as Reusus, Hannah Pritchard as Ageistrata,

Mary Ann Yates Mary Ann Yates (1728–1787) was an English tragic actress. The daughter of William Graham, a ship's steward and his wife, Mary, she married Richard Yates (c. 1706-1796), a well-known comedian of the time. In 1754, aged 25, she appeared at Dru ...

as Sandane and Susannah Cibber as Euathane.Hogan p.647

References

Bibliography

* Nicoll, Allardyce. ''A History of English Drama 1660–1900: Volume III''. Cambridge University Press, 2009. * Hogan, C.B (ed.) ''The London Stage, 1660–1800: Volume IV''. Southern Illinois University Press, 1968.

External links

Agis A Tragedy on Google plays
1747 plays 1747 in Scotland West End plays Tragedy plays Adaptations of works by Plutarch Plays by John Home {{Scotland-stub