True Tragedy as early draft Henry VI, Part 3

thomas stothard illustration of death of prince edward; engraved augustus fox (1824)

also important in argument action implied taking place between act 5, scene 4 , act 5, scene 5. in both true tragedy , 3 henry vi, after margaret rallies troops, exit stage sounds of battle, followed entry of victorious yorkists. difference in 2 texts in presentation of victory. in true tragedy, margaret, prince edward, oxford , somerset introduced together, taken captive @ same time, how incident reported in hall; lancastrian leaders captured in field , brought yorkist camp together. however, in 3 henry vi, margaret, oxford , somerset introduced initially, , subsequently prince edward led camp (l.11; , lo youthful edward comes ). separate capture of edward follows holinshed, outlines edward fled field, captured in nearby house, , brought camp alone fellow lancastrians, prisoners there. again, implication shakespeare used hall when composing true tragedy, time after 1594, , whatever reason, modified thinking, , changed scene reflect account in holinshed instead.

however, theory true tragedy may draft not imply not represent bad quarto well. traditionally, critics (such alexander, mckerrow , urkowitz) have looked @ problem either-or situation; true tragedy either reported text or draft, there has been argument may both. example, theory supported randall martin in oxford shakespeare edition of play. theory advanced roger warren in oxford shakespeare edition of 2 henry vi. crux of argument both evidence bad quarto theory , evidence draft theory compelling neither able refute other. such, if play contains evidence of being both reported text , draft, must both; i.e. true tragedy represents reported text of draft of 3 henry vi. shakespeare wrote version of play, staged. shortly after staging, of actors constructed bad quarto , had published. in meantime, shakespeare had rewritten play form found in first folio. martin argues theory can account strong evidence both reporting , revision, , theory gaining increased support in late twentieth/early twenty-first century.