King Lear : a guide to the play

Author(s)

Bibliographic Information

King Lear : a guide to the play

Jay L. Halio

(Greenwood guides to Shakespeare)

Greenwood Press, 2001

Available at  / 10 libraries

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. [117]-124) and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

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.

Table of Contents

Preface Textual History Contexts and Sources Dramatic Structure Themes Critical Approaches The Play in Performance Bibliography Index

by "Nielsen BookData"

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Details

  • NCID
    BA56200405
  • ISBN
    • 031331618X
  • LCCN
    2001023330
  • Country Code
    us
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Westport, Conn.
  • Pages/Volumes
    xiv, 128 p., [8] p. of plates
  • Size
    25 cm
  • Subject Headings
  • Parent Bibliography ID
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