Table of contents:
List of Illustrations. Acknowledgements. About This Book. Why Shakespeare studies changed. Did Shakespeare really mean all this? How to use this book. This book is the only on way of studying Shakespeare. Chapter 1. Shakespeare's Language (1) Chapter 2. Shakespeare's Language (2) Chapter 3. Types of Stage Action Chapter 4. What the play means in performance Part Two: The Genres Chapter 5. What is Genre? Chapter 6. Understanding Comedy: The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice Chapter 7. Understanding History: King Richard II, King Henry IV Part One, King Henry V Chapter 8. Understanding Tragedy: Hamlet, King Lear, Othello Chapter 9. Understanding the mixed-genre plays: Measure For Measure, Troilus and Cressida Chapter 10. Understanding Romance: The Winter's Tale, The Tempest Conclusion. Chronology. References. Index of Definitions of Concepts and Terms. General Index.
Aimed squarely at the student new to Shakespeare, this volume provides a through introduction to the plays, based on the exciting new approaches shaping the field of Shakespeare studies. The author offers a refreshingly clear guide to Shakespeare's language; the plays as performance texts; the cultural and political contexts of the plays; early modern theatre practice; new understandings of the major genres.
This clear guide demystifies Shakespeare for the beginning reader. An essential reference resource of ideas and approaches, it is fully illustrated with examples from some of the most frequently studied plays.
List of Illustrations. Acknowledgements. About This Book. Why Shakespeare studies changed. Did Shakespeare really mean all this? How to use this book. This book is the only on way of studying Shakespeare. Chapter 1. Shakespeare's Language (1) Chapter 2. Shakespeare's Language (2) Chapter 3. Types of Stage Action Chapter 4. What the play means in performance Part Two: The Genres Chapter 5. What is Genre? Chapter 6. Understanding Comedy: The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice Chapter 7. Understanding History: King Richard II, King Henry IV Part One, King Henry V Chapter 8. Understanding Tragedy: Hamlet, King Lear, Othello Chapter 9. Understanding the mixed-genre plays: Measure For Measure, Troilus and Cressida Chapter 10. Understanding Romance: The Winter's Tale, The Tempest Conclusion. Chronology. References. Index of Definitions of Concepts and Terms. General Index.
Aimed squarely at the student new to Shakespeare, this volume provides a through introduction to the plays, based on the exciting new approaches shaping the field of Shakespeare studies. The author offers a refreshingly clear guide to Shakespeare's language; the plays as performance texts; the cultural and political contexts of the plays; early modern theatre practice; new understandings of the major genres.
This clear guide demystifies Shakespeare for the beginning reader. An essential reference resource of ideas and approaches, it is fully illustrated with examples from some of the most frequently studied plays.