Shakespeare's World: The Comedies: A Historical Exploration of Literature Contributor(s): Pendergast, John (Author) |
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ISBN: 1440857482 ISBN-13: 9781440857485 Publisher: ABC-Clio, LLC OUR PRICE: $68.31 Product Type: Hardcover Published: December 2019 * Not available - Not in print at this time * |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Drama | Shakespeare - Literary Criticism | Shakespeare - History | Europe - Renaissance |
Dewey: 822.33 |
LCCN: 2019046767 |
Series: Historical Explorations of Literature |
Physical Information: 0.9" H x 6.4" W x 9.3" (1.37 lbs) 272 pages |
Themes: - Cultural Region - British Isles |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Comedy was popular during the Renaissance, and it was also one of Shakespeare's specialties. The four plays discussed in this book, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night and The Tempest, span Shakespeare's career and remind us that Shakespeare, more than any of his contemporaries, explored the possibilities of comedy, consistently developing new approaches to the genre. Shakespeare was a fairly traditional playwright, well aware of the long tradition of comedy, which dates back to the Greeks and Romans. This book places Shakespeare's comedies in their historical context. It includes dedicated chapters on each of the four comedies, with each chapter providing a plot summary, a discussion of the play's historical background and significance, and excerpts from primary source documents related to the play. An introduction surveys the historical background of the plays, while a timeline chronicles key events that influenced them. Suggestions for further reading direct readers to additional sources of information. |