A major interpretative account of Shakespeare's play, this is a close scrutiny which will engage readers directly with the text and perfomance of the work. The Renaissance code of honor is seen to be of central importance to the character of the hero, his actions, and to the play as a whole; and, viewed in this light, there is fresh revelation of the character of Hamlet himslef and of the dramatic world of which he is a part. Mr. Dodsworth challenges the conventional and traditional reading of Hamlet at many points. But he enforces no single overall meaning and readers are encouraged to remain sensiive to their own individual understanding and response.

This concluding volume contains commentary on the Third Partition, which considers Love and Religious Melancholy. As before, the aim is to give as much help as possible to the modern reader, including translations of all Latin quotations. A 'Biobibliographical' index to the whole Anatomy is provided, giving brief details of the lives and works of the 1550 writers cited by Burton, together with an index of the major topics discussed.

This volume contains commentary on the text from Partition 1, Section 2, Member 4, Subsection 1 to the end of the second Partition. It thus concludes Burton's account of the causes, symptoms, and prognosis of melancholy, and his examination of remedies, spiritual and medical. As before, the commentary elucidates Burton's meaning (as well as translating all passages in Latin) and identifies the sources of his many quotations from and references to other authors.