Joseph and His Brethren: A Scriptural Drama in Two Acts

Joseph and His Brethren: A Scriptural Drama in Two Acts is a long dramatic poem written by Charles Jeremiah Wells under the pseudonym H.L. Howard. Published in 1823, it is written in the style of Elizabethan dramatists. The poem experienced significant popularity among the Pre-Raphaelites and their followers after being praised by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Algernon Charles Swinburne. Swinburne particularly admired the character of Phraxanor, who attempts to seduce Joseph. Wells was associated with the poet John Keats and his circle. He later moved to France, where he taught English.1

The poem draws inspiration from the biblical story of Joseph, son of Jacob, whose narrative is found in the Book of Genesis. The biblical account details Joseph's enslavement and rise to prominence in Egypt, his prophetic dreams, and his eventual forgiveness of his jealous brothers.23