Cover of Peg Woffington

Peg Woffington

  • Free to read
  • 4 hours to read
  • 13 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"Peg Woffington" by Charles Reade is a dramatic story written in the mid-19th century. The narrative centers around the life of the celebrated actress Margaret Woffington, exploring themes of theatre, personal ambition, and the turbulent interactions of love and art. The book highlights various actors and playwrights of the era, including Mr. Vane, who admires Woffington's talent and beauty. At the start of the tale, we are introduced to Triplet, a struggling scene painter and playwright, who is beset by his artistic failures and dreams of literary success. His dissatisfaction with his life is contrasted with his admiration for Mrs. Woffington, who captivates audiences with her performances. The story unfolds in a theatre setting, where characters navigate their aspirations and relationships, including Mr. Vane's burgeoning passion for Woffington, while also highlighting the dynamics and rivalries among the actors. The opening establishes the stage as a vivid backdrop for the drama that evolves, promising a rich exploration of both the personal and professional lives of its characters.

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  • Biographical fiction
  • Great Britain · History · 18th century
  • Actresses
  • Woffington, Margaret, -1760

Read the opening

Chapter I

ABOUT the middle of the last century, at eight o'clock in the evening, in a large but poor apartment, a man was slumbering on a rough couch. His rusty and worn suit of black was of a piece with his uncarpeted room, the deal table of home manufacture, and its slim unsnuffed candle.

The man was Triplet, scene painter, actor and writer of sanguinary plays, in which what ought to be, viz., truth, plot, situation and dialogue, were not; and what ought not to be, were—scilicet, small talk, big talk, fops, ruffians, and ghosts.

His three mediocrities fell so short of one talent that he was sometimes impransus.

He slumbered, but uneasily; the dramatic author was uppermost, and his “Demon of the Hayloft” hung upon the thread of popular favor.

On his uneasy slumber entered from the theater Mrs. Triplet.

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Contents

  1. Chapter I
  2. Chapter II
  3. Chapter III
  4. Chapter IV
  5. Chapter V
  6. Chapter VI
  7. Chapter VII
  8. Chapter VIII
  9. Chapter IX
  10. Chapter X
  11. Chapter XI
  12. Chapter XII
  13. Chapter XIII

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About this edition

This free edition of Peg Woffington by Charles Reade comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #3670, released 2003-01-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Plays/Films/Dramas, Novels, British Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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