Richard III: A Critical Reader

Description

Charting the ruthless rise and fall of the villainous king, Richard III remains one of Shakespeare’s most enduringly discussed and oft-performed plays. Assembled by leading scholars, this guide provides a comprehensive survey of major issues in the contemporary study of the play. Throughout the book survey chapters explore such issues as the play’s critical reception from Dr Johnson to postmodern readings in the 21st century; the performance history of the play, from Shakespeare’s day to more recent stagings by Laurence Olivier and Ian McKellen; key themes in current scholarship, from disability to gender and nationalism; Richard III on film, including Al Pacino’s Looking for Richard. Richard III: A Critical Guide also includes a complete guide to resources available on the play - including critical editions, online resources and an annotated bibliography - and how they might be used to aid both the teaching and study of Shakespeare’s play. FC Title Page Copyright Contents Series Introduction Notes on Contributors Timeline Introduction, Annaliese Connolly 1. The Critical Backstory, Peter J. Smith 2. Richard III on Stage, Kate Wilkinson 3. The State of the Art, Nina Levine 4. New Directions: Audience Engagement and The Genres of Richard III, Brian Walsh 5. New Directions: Tyranny and the State of Exception in Shakespeare’s Richard III, Rebecca Lemon 6. New Directions: ‘Some tardy cripple’: Timing Disability in Richard III, David Houston Wood 7. New Directions: ‘Put[ing] on Some Other Shape’: Richard III as an Arab V.I.P., Adele Lee 8. Resources for Teaching and Studying Richard III, Daniel Cadman Notes Bibliography Index