The Perjur'd Husband

About the book

"The Perjur'd Husband; or, The Adventures of Venice. A Tragedy" by Susanna Centlivre is a tragicomedy first performed and printed in 1700. Set during Venetian Carnival, the play follows Count Bassino, a married rake who pursues the betrothed Aurelia while his friend desperately tries to save his marriage. When Bassino's abandoned wife arrives in disguise to confront her rival, passion and deception spiral into violence. A comic subplot involves marital infidelity and a clever maid who outwits both her master and mistress through cunning schemes.