Overview
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.
Full Product Details
Author: Jay leon Halio
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Imprint: Greenwood Press
Edition: Annotated edition
Dimensions:
Width: 15.60cm
, Height: 1.20cm
, Length: 23.50cm
Weight: 0.340kg
ISBN: 9780313316180
ISBN 10: 031331618
Pages: 152
Publication Date: 30 September 2001
Recommended Age: From 7 to 17 years
Audience:
General/trade
,
College/higher education
,
General
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Reviews
Well indexed, with an excellent, selective annotated bibliography, this fine book will serve both undergraduates and graduate students. -Choice ?Well indexed, with an excellent, selective annotated bibliography, this fine book will serve both undergraduates and graduate students.?-Choice
?Well indexed, with an excellent, selective annotated bibliography, this fine book will serve both undergraduates and graduate students.?-Choice ""Well indexed, with an excellent, selective annotated bibliography, this fine book will serve both undergraduates and graduate students.""-Choice
?Well indexed, with an excellent, selective annotated bibliography, this fine book will serve both undergraduates and graduate students.?-Choice
Author Information
JAY L. HALIO is Professor of English at the University of Delaware. He edited the volume on King Lear for the New Cambridge Shakespeare series (1992), and The First Quarto of King Lear (1994). He has published numerous articles and several other books, including Romeo and Juliet: A Guide to the Play (1998), and Understanding The Merchant of Venice (2000), both available from Greenwood Press.
