Kenneth Arthur Muir was a distinguished literary scholar and author, celebrated for his profound contributions to Shakespearean studies and English Renaissance theatre. His work delves into the intricate nuances of classical texts, offering insightful analysis that illuminates their enduring significance.
Focusing on the Comedy of Manners, this book explores its origins in English and French literature, distinguishing it from other comedic forms. It features in-depth chapters on key playwrights such as Etherege, Dryden, Wycherly, Congreve, Vanbrugh, and Farquhar, highlighting their contributions to the genre. Additionally, it examines Jeremy Collier's critique of the plays' immorality and profaneness, providing a comprehensive understanding of the cultural and literary context of the period.
Recognized for its cultural significance, this work contributes to the foundational knowledge of civilization. It has been chosen by scholars for its importance, highlighting its role in shaping understanding and perspectives within a historical context.
This new edition is based on the quarto, the version closest to the original manuscript. The introduction illminates the plays' origins and practicalities of composition, its reception and influence. Detailed notes pay especial attention to language and staging, and the volume includes King Lear's first derivative, a contemporary ballad, and guides to appreciation of the play and its multiple offshoots.
Cambridge School Shakespeare was developed from the work of Rex Gibson's Shakespeare and Schools Project and has gone on to become a bestselling series in schools around the world. Each play in the series has been carefully edited to enable students to inhabit Shakespeare's imaginative world in accessible and creative ways. This new larger-format edition of Cambridge School Shakespeare has been substantially revised, extended and presented in an attractive new design. It remains faithful to the series' active approach, which treats each play as a script to be acted, explored and enjoyed. As well as the complete scripts, you will find a running synopsis of the action, an explanation of unfamiliar words and a variety of classroom-tested activities to help turn the script into drama. This edition includes : a stunning full-colour design, richly illustrated with exciting photographs of performances from around the world ; -a wide variety of classroom activities, thematically organised in distinctive `Stagecraft', `Write about it', `Language in the play', `Characters' and `Themes' feature boxes ; expansive endnotes, including extensive essay-writing guidance ; glossary aligned with the play text for ease of reference.
Leading Shakespearean scholars explore various aspects of the bard's life and works in this authoritative introduction to the entire field of Shakespeare studies
