William Shakespeare

This Columbia Critical Guidesteers a clear path through the huge body of critical material on Richard IIthat has accrued over the past three centuries, elucidating the play's reception by audiences, critics, and scholars since its first production. Beginning with a discussion of early commentaries, the book presents and addresses the most significant critical arguments to give the reader a clear understanding of the ways in which each generation has sought to invest Richard IIwith new meaning. The final section considers the radical new reading of Shakespeare's work provided by contemporary critics.