David Bevington Books

This clear and succinct book is designed for general readers who want to know how to go about reading Shakespeare's works for pleasure.

Focusing on the evolution of Shakespearean biography, this work examines the interpretations and insights offered by biographers from the 18th century to the present. It highlights the shifting interests and themes that have emerged over time, revealing how cultural developments influence the understanding of Shakespeare's life and legacy. By analyzing various biographical accounts, the study showcases the changing perspectives that reflect broader societal transformations in the ongoing reinterpretation of Shakespeare.

One of a series of play texts by Elizabethan and Jacobean dramatists other than Shakespeare, this volume discusses the plays Campaspe and Sappho and Phao by John Lyly. The series aims to throw light on the plays and to offer views of the plays that have been neglected in the past. -- .

The revenge play became the most durable and commercially successful type of drama on the Elizabethan stage. This example by Thomas Kyd, who was one of the originators of the genre, brings to life the intrigues of the Spanish court, dramatically juxtaposing romantic passion with violent death.

The extended second edition of this inspiring introduction to Shakespeare offers readers more insights into what makes Shakespeare great, and why we still read and perform his works.

Galatea and Midas are two of John Lyly's most engaging plays. Shortly after his early success with Campaspe and Sappho and Phao in 1583-4, he took up the story of two young women, Galatea (or Gallathea) and Phillida who are dressed up in male clothes by their fathers so that they can avoid the requirement of the god Neptune that every year "the fairest and chastest virgin in all the country" be sacrificed to a sea-monster. Hiding together in the forest, the two maidens fall in love, each supposing the other to be a young man. Galatea has become the subject of considerable feminist critical study in recent years. Midas (1590) uses mythology in quite a different way, dramatizing two stories about King Midas (the golden touch and the ass's ears) in such a way as to fashion a satire of King Philip of Spain (and of any tyrant like him) for colossal greediness and folly. In the wake of the defeat of Philip's Armada fleet and its attempted invasion of England in 1588, this satire was calculated to win the approval of Queen Elizabeth and her court. The plays are newly presented here by the scholars who have recently edited Campaspe, Sappho and Phao, and Endymion for the Revels series.

The interplay between staging, criticism, and editing of Hamlet reveals its significance as a reflection of the cultural history of the English-speaking world. David Bevington explores how these elements have evolved together over the centuries, illustrating the profound impact of this iconic play on literature and society. Through this lens, Hamlet serves not only as a literary masterpiece but also as a mirror to the changing values and artistic expressions within the cultural landscape.

This volume in the Revel Plays series, offers reading editions, with modern spelling, of the 1604 and 1616 editions of Marlowe's play, arguing that the two cannot be conflated into one. Included are sources and commentary, literary criticism, style and staging/performance assessments.