What makes Shakespeare''s late plays so special? Through detailed analyses of key passages, Kate Aughterson shows how these plays portray a world of political intrigue, familial chaos and crisis, which teeters continually into tragedy: a world we can recognise today.
Part I of this engaging study:
- provides stimulating close readings of extracts from The Tempest, The Winter''s Tale, Cymbeline and Pericles
- examines major topics such as openings, endings, familial roles, stage properties, spectacle and song
- offers suggestions for further work and summarizes the methods of analysis.
Part II supplies essential background material, including:
- detailed accounts of Shakespeare''s literary and historical contexts
- samples from important critical works and performances.
With a helpful Further Reading section, this illuminating volume is ideal for anyone who wishes to appreciate and explore Shakespeare''s late plays
