The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare's History Plays [Paperback]

An accessible, wide-ranging and informed 2002 introduction to Shakespeare's history and Roman plays.Shakespeare's history plays have been performed more in recent years than ever before, in Britain, North America, and in Europe. This volume provides an accessible, wide-ranging and informed introduction to Shakespeare's history and Roman plays. It offers chapters on the individual plays as well as accounts of the genre of the history play, of Renaissance theories of history, and of masques and pageants. There are also comparisons with other European history plays, and an account of women's roles, as well as genealogical tables and a list of principal and recurrent characters.Shakespeare's history plays have been performed more in recent years than ever before, in Britain, North America, and in Europe. This volume provides an accessible, wide-ranging and informed introduction to Shakespeare's history and Roman plays. It offers chapters on the individual plays as well as accounts of the genre of the history play, of Renaissance theories of history, and of masques and pageants. There are also comparisons with other European history plays, and an account of women's roles, as well as genealogical tables and a list of principal and recurrent characters.Shakespeare's history plays have been performed in recent years more than ever before throughout Britain, North America, and Europe. This volume is an accessible introduction to Shakespeare's historical and classical plays. Comprehensive in scope, it offers chapters on the individual plays and accounts of the genre of the history play, Renaissance theories of history, and masques and pageants. It compares them with other European history plays, and includes an account of women's roles, genealogical tables and a list of principal and recurrent characters.Part I. Contexts: 1. The Shakespearean history play Michael Hattaway; 2. Shakespeare and the early modern history play A. J. Hoenselaars; 3. Pageants, masques, and history DlCÈ