Shakespeare's Comedies A Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

FromThe Two Gentlemen of Veronain the early 1590s toThe Two Noble Kinsmenat the end of his career around 1614, Shakespeare wrote at least eighteen plays that can be called 'comedies': a far higher number than that for any other genre in which he wrote. So what is a Shakespearean comedy? We associate these plays with such themes as mistaken identities, happy marriages, and exuberant cross dressing, but how representative are these of the oeuvre as a whole?

In thisVery Short Introduction, Bart van Es explores the full range of the playwright's comic writing, from the neat classical plotting of early works likeThe Comedy of Errorsto the corrupt world of the so-called problem plays, written in the middle years of Shakespeare's life. Examining Shakespeare's influences and sources, van Es compares his plays to those of his rivals, and looks at the history of the plays in performance, from the biographies of Shakespeare's original actors to the plays' endless reinvention in modern stage productions and in films. Identifying the key qualities that make Shakespearean comedy distinctive, van Es traces the changing nature of Shakespeare's comic writing over the course of a career that spanned nearly a quarter century of theatrical change.

ABOUT THE SERIES:TheVery Short Introductionsseries from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Introduction
World
Wit
Love
Time
Character
Endings
Further Reading
Index

Aimed at a general readership, the slim volume is nonetheless carefully researched and full of original ideas and connections. --Kevin Curran,Studies in English Literature 1500-1900