Shakespeare's history plays have always been pivotal to our understanding of his works. This collection renews attention to these crucial plays by exploring official and unofficial versions of the past, histories and counter-histories in the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. By exploring the diversity of Shakespeare's engagement with history in all its forms, these contributors open up a range of new interpretive possibilities for understanding the way history 'plays' with the past. The book is divided into three sections: Memory and mourning, Counter-histories, Identity and performance. In each section, leading theorists, historicists and performance critics offer fresh perspectives on the key issues that are transforming our understanding of Shakespeare. These include: gender and violence, the mapping of Britain, cultural memory and religion. This collection will appeal to all critically engaged readers of Shakespeare. In particular it will command wide-ranging interest from undergraduates, postgraduates, academic researchers and students of early modern theatre, history and culture. -- .

This is an introduction to Shakespeare's "I Henry IV" - introducing its critical and performance history, current critical landscape and new directions in research on the play. "I Henry IV" has always been one of Shakespeare's most popular plays and this critical guide offers a comprehensive guide to the wide range of criticism on the play and its central figures, including Falstaff. It introduces the play's critical and performance history, including notable stage productions alongside TV, film and radio versions. It includes a keynote chapter outlining major areas of current research on the play and four new critical essays. Finally, a guide to critical, web-based and production-related resources and an annotated bibliography provide a basis for further individual research. "Continuum Renaissance Drama" offers practical and accessible introductions to the critical and performative contexts of key Elizabethan and Jacobean plays. Each guide introduces the text's critical and performance history but also provides students with an invaluable insight into the landscape of current scholarly research through a keynote essay on the state of the art and newly commissioned essays of fresh research from different critical perspectives.

This is an introduction to Shakespeare's "I Henry IV" - introducing its critical and performance history, current critical landscape and new directions in research on the play. "I Henry IV" has always been one of Shakespeare's most popular plays and this critical guide offers a comprehensive guide to the wide range of criticism on the play and its central figures, including Falstaff. It introduces the play's critical and performance history, including notable stage productions alongside TV, film and radio versions. It includes a keynote chapter outlining major areas of current research on the play and four new critical essays. Finally, a guide to critical, web-based and production-related resources and an annotated bibliography provide a basis for further individual research. "Continuum Renaissance Drama" offers practical and accessible introductions to the critical and performative contexts of key Elizabethan and Jacobean plays. Each guide introduces the text's critical and performance history but also provides students with an invaluable insight into the landscape of current scholarly research through a keynote essay on the state of the art and newly commissioned essays of fresh research from different critical perspectives.

"Literature and Culture Handbooks" are an innovative series of guides to major periods, topics and authors in British and American literature and culture. Designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop resource for literature students, each handbook provides the essential information and guidance needed from the beginning of a course through to developing more advanced knowledge and skills. Written in clear language by leading academics, they provide an indispensable introduction to key topics, including:

- Introduction to authors, texts, historical and cultural contexts

- Guides to key critics, concepts and topics

- An overview of major critical approaches, changes in the canon and directions of current and future research

- Case studies in reading literary and critical texts

- Annotated bibliography (including websites), timeline, glossary of critical terms.

"The Shakespeare Handbook" is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to Shakespeare and early modern literature.

This work offers a comprehensive, accessible and lucid coverage of the major issues and key figures in Shakespeare studies, designed to facilitate progression from introductory topics to more sophisticated approaches. "The Shakespeare Handbook" is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to Shakespeare and early modern literature. It provides a one-stop resource for students with the essential information and guidance needed from the beginning of a course through to developing more advanced knowledge and skills. It includes: introductions to key authors, texts and contexts; guides to key critics, concepts and topics; an overview of major critical approaches, changes in the canon and directions of current and future research; case studies in reading literary and theoretical and critical texts; and, annotated further reading (including websites), timeline, glossary of critical terms.Written in clear language by leading academics, it is an indispensable starting point for anyone beginning their study of Shakespeare. "Literature and Culture Handbooks" are an innovative series of guides to major periods, topics and authors in British and American literature and culture. Designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop resource for literature students, each handbook provides the essential information and guidance needed from the beginning of a course through to developing more advanced knowledge and skills.