Shakespeare's Histories and Counter-Histories (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780719070754)

Shakespeare's history plays have always been pivotal to our understanding of his works. This collection renews attention to these crucial plays by exploring official and unofficial versions of the past, histories and counter-histories in the plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. By exploring the diversity of Shakespeare's engagement with history in all its forms, these contributors open up a range of new interpretive possibilities for understanding the way history 'plays' with the past.

The book is divided into three sections: Memory and mourning, Counter-histories, Identity and performance. In each section, leading theorists, historicists and performance critics offer fresh perspectives on the key issues that are transforming our understanding of Shakespeare. These include: gender and violence, the mapping of Britain, cultural memory and religion.

This collection will appeal to all critically engaged readers of Shakespeare. In particular it will command wide-ranging interest from undergraduates, postgraduates, academic researchers and students of early modern theatre, history and culture.

Author: Dermot Cavanagh
ISBN-10: 0719070759
ISBN-13: 9780719070754
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Language: English
Published: 01/04/2011
Pages: 256
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.54d