Bernard Lott Book order (chronological)

Presents the original text of Shakespeare's play side by side with a modern version, with marginal notes and explanations and full descriptions of each character.

A new look at Shakespeare's play in accordance with the work of the Shakespeare and Schools Project, the National Curriculum for English, developments at GCSE and A-level, and the probable development of English and Drama throughout the 1990s. Cambridge School Shakespeare considers the play as theatre and the text as script, enabling pupils to inhabit the imaginative world of the play in an accessible, meaningful and creative way. Cambridge School Shakespeare approaches the plays in a new way, encouraging students to participate actively in examining them, to work in groups as well as individually, to treat each play as a script to be re-created, and to explore the theatrical/dramatic qualities of the text. The editorial comments cater for pupils of all ages and abilities, providing clear, helpful guidelines for school study. The format of the plays is also designed to help all teachers, whether experienced or inexperienced. NB This replaces the information previously issued.

These editions of Shakespeare's plays are designed especially for students at Senior Secondary and University level. Each edition includes the General Editor's preface, the introduction, the text of the play and a glossary. The introduction explains the historical, social and philosophical background to the play and the Elizabethan theatre, and certain points are clarified by illustrations taken from contemporary sources. The text of the play has a general note on each scene and detailed notes are set facing the text to which they refer. The glossary at the back gives the location of all the difficult or unusual words in the text together with a brief explanation of their meaning. The treatment of the play is detailed, but throughout the aim has been to ensure that the reader fully understands and appreciates the play itself.