The Cambridge Companion to Shakespearean Tragedy acquaints the student readerwith the forms contexts critical and theatrical lives of the ten playsconsidered to... » 

The Cambridge Companion to Shakespearean Tragedy acquaints the student readerwith the forms contexts critical and theatrical lives of the ten playsconsidered to be Shakespeares tragedies. Shakespearean tragedy is a highlycomplex and demanding theatre genre but the thirteen essays written byleading scholars in Britain and North America are clear concise andinformative. They address the ways in which Shakespearean tragedy originateddeveloped and diversified as well as how it has fared on stage as text and incriticism. Topics covered include the literary precursors of Shakespeareantragedies medieval classical and contemporary cultural backgroundspolitical religious social and psychological and the subgenres ofShakespeares tragedy love tragedy revenge tragedy and classical tragedyas well as the critical and theatrical receptions of the plays. The bookexamines the four major tragedies and in addition Titus Andronicus Romeo andJuliet Julius Caesar Antony and Cleopatra Coriolanus and Timon of Athens. «