Shakespeare's Comedies: A Very Short Introduction

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Theatre, Comedy, Fiction & Literature, Drama
Cover of the book Shakespeare's Comedies: A Very Short Introduction by Bart van Es, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Bart van Es ISBN: 9780191034961
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: March 24, 2016
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Bart van Es
ISBN: 9780191034961
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: March 24, 2016
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

From The Two Gentlemen of Verona in the early 1590s to The Two Noble Kinsmen at 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 this Very Short Introduction, Bart van Es explores the full range of the playwright's comic writing, from the neat classical plotting of early works like The Comedy of Errors to 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: The Very Short Introductions series 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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From The Two Gentlemen of Verona in the early 1590s to The Two Noble Kinsmen at 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 this Very Short Introduction, Bart van Es explores the full range of the playwright's comic writing, from the neat classical plotting of early works like The Comedy of Errors to 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: The Very Short Introductions series 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.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Mind, Method, and Morality by Bart van Es
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of International Adjudication by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Bart van Es
Cover of the book New Models of Religious Understanding by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Design Concepts in Nutritional Epidemiology by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Worlds of Arthur: Facts and Fictions of the Dark Ages by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Legal Aspects of Carbon Trading by Bart van Es
Cover of the book The Origins of Music by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Eye Tracking by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Music: A Very Short Introduction by Bart van Es
Cover of the book EU Law in Criminal Practice by Bart van Es
Cover of the book The Prime Ministers' Craft by Bart van Es
Cover of the book Centripetal Democracy by Bart van Es
Cover of the book From International to Federal Market by Bart van Es
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy