Richard III: A Critical Reader

Description

Charting the ruthless rise and fall of the villainous king, Richard III remains one of Shakespeare's most enduringly discussed and oft-performed plays. Assembled by leading scholars, this guide provides a comprehensive survey of major issues in the contemporary study of the play. Throughout the book survey chapters explore such issues as the play's critical reception from Dr Johnson to postmodern readings in the 21st century; the performance history of the play, from Shakespeare's day to more recent stagings by Laurence Olivier and Ian McKellen; key themes in current scholarship, from disability to gender and nationalism; Richard III on film, including Al Pacino's Looking for Richard. Richard III: A Critical Guide also includes a complete guide to resources available on the play - including critical editions, online resources and an annotated bibliography - and how they might be used to aid both the teaching and study of Shakespeare's play.

Annaliese Connolly is Senior Lecturer in English at Sheffield Hallam University, UK. She is Managing Editor of Early Modern Literary Studies.

The essays in this book about Shakespeare's "tragical history" of Richard "Crookback" Gloucester, the disgraced King of England, edited by Connolly (English, Sheffield Hallam Univ.), deal with Richard as a contradiction of king and tyrant, while also delving into more current discussion topics for reading the play, such as disability theory, where to place the piece in terms of genre, and the history of the play on film ... each essay has its own fascinating points... This title will be useful to those in college Shakespeare classes who are delving deep into research. -- Nick Philpott * Library Journal *