In its timeless exploration of familial and political dissolution, and in its relentless questioning of the apparent moral indifference of the universe, King Lear is Shakespeare's darkest tragedy. It is also one of his most timely, for many of the issues it raises resonate loudly within our own era. Perhaps because of its contemporary relevance, it is one of Shakespeare's most frequently produced, taught, and studied works. And the amount of scholarship on King Lear is exceeded only be the complexity which that scholarship reveals. This book is a lucid and thorough guide to the play's roots and legacy. The volume begins with a discussion of the play's textual history, which is complicated by the different quarto and folio versions. It also addresses the merits of several recent editions. The book then looks at the literary, historical, and cultural contexts that inform the play. This is followed by an examination of Shakespeare's dramatic art, an analysis of the play's themes, and a summary of the different approaches critics have used to elucidate its meaning. A final chapter explores the play's rich production history, and a selected bibliography concludes the volume. As a guide, this reference successfully navigates the tremendous body of available scholarship and is a ready aid for a wide range of readers.

King Lear is one of Shakespeare's most performed and studied plays - seen as one of the most significant and universal tragedies of all time. This guide 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.

An indispensable reference tool for Shakespeare students and enthusiasts, this compact guide provides authoritative summaries of each of Shakespeare's works.

Here's a new study guide with a difference. "What Happens in Shakespeare's King Lear" by Nick Buchanan provides a complete walk-through commentary exploring EVERY paragraph of this magnificent play. Word definitions are placed right next to the text in which they appear - so there's no ferreting around in foot-of-the-page or back-of-the-book glossaries. The play's major themes are identified and explored and there are charts which indicate key moments in each character's journey, together with a useful guide for playing Shakespeare (for actors and directors). This guide is for EVERYONE - for those who love reading, for students - and even those new to Shakespeare. It includes the whole play with FULL commentary. So, whether you are a casual reader, an enthusiast, an actor, a director, a scholar or a teacher (in a school, a college or a university) this is the definitive guide to King Lear.

Explains the historical, legendary, and mythological background of 38 plays and 2 narrative poems.

Playing Shakespeare is the premier guide to understanding and appreciating the mastery of the world’s greatest playwright. Together with Royal Shakespeare Company actors–among them Patrick Stewart, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Ben Kingsley, and David Suchet–John Barton demonstrates how to adapt Elizabethan theater for the modern stage. The director begins by explicating Shakespeare’s verse and prose, speeches and soliloquies, and naturalistic and heightened language to discover the essence of his characters. In the second section, Barton and the actors explore nuance in Shakespearean theater, from evoking irony and ambiguity and striking the delicate balance of passion and profound intellectual thought, to finding new approaches to playing Shakespeare’s most controversial creation, Shylock, from The Merchant of Venice. A practical and essential guide, Playing Shakespeare will stand for years as the authoritative favorite among actors, scholars, teachers, and students.