Bredero in a new light
Bredero (1585-1618) was known for his farces and comedies, but he also wrote one tragedy. According to Olga van Marion and Tim Vergeer, the play's main protagonists Rodd’rick and Alphonsus were not competing for the love of a lady, but were in love with one another.
In the Golden Age, theatre was an important source of entertainment. One of the most famous Dutch playwrights of the time was Gerbrand Adriaenszoon Bredero. Famous for his farces and comedies, Bredero wrote just one tragedy: Rodd'rick ende Alphonsus (1616).
In this tragedy, two young knights are competing for the hand of a young lady. At least, that is the traditional interpretation according to Dutch literary history. Leiden Dutch specialists Olga van Marion and Tim Vergeer have arrived at a different, more controversial opinion: Rodd’rick and Alphonsus were not competing for the love of a young lady, but were in love with one another.
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