Synopses & Reviews
An international team of scholars offers: - modernised, easily accessible texts - ample but unobtrusive academic guidance - attention to the theatrical qualities of each play and its stage history - informative illustrations, including reconstructions of early performances This play has attracted unprecedented interest in recent times. Professor Fraser takes account of its history, in which neglect and unpopularity have been important features, and discusses such reactions and the reasons for them. He argues for a play which is a powerful and often disconcerting blend of darkness and comedy, faults and virtues, failing and forgiveness. Beneath the fluctuating imagery there is a constant sexual undercurrent which compels unusual critical attention.
Synopsis
Alexander Leggatt has written a new Introduction to this updated edition of Russell Fraser's text on one of Shakespeare's most ambiguous plays. Leggatt's interest in performance informs his introduction and account of the instability of the main characters. He offers a thoughtful account of the play's critical and theatrical fortunes to the end of the twentieth century, as well as of the audience experience. An updated reading list completes the edition. First Edition Hb (1986): 0-521-22150-1 First Edition Pb (1986): 0-521-29365-0
Synopsis
This play has attracted unprecedented interest in recent times. Professor Fraser takes account of its history, in which neglect and unpopularity have been important features, and discusses such reactions and the reasons for them. He argues for a play which is a powerful and often disconcerting blend of darkness and comedy, faults and virtues, failing and forgiveness. Beneath the fluctuating imagery there is a constant sexual undercurrent which compels unusual critical attention.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations; Preface; Abbreviations and conventions; Introduction; Note on the text; List of characters; The play; Textual analysis; Reading list.