Includes bibliographical references and index.

Note: Readings marked with asterisks are new to this edition. Preface. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. Life in Shakespeare's England. *Shakespeare's World: A Visual Portfolio. The Drama Before Shakespeare. London Theaters and Dramatic Companies. Shakespeare's Life and Work. Shakespeare's Language: His Development as a Poet and Dramatist. Editions and Editors of Shakespeare. Shakespeare Criticism. THE COMEDIES. The Comedy of Errors. Love's Labor's Lost. The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The Taming of the Shrew. A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Merchant of Venice. Much Ado About Nothing. The Merry Wives of Windsor. As You Like It. Twelfth Night; or, What You Will. All's Well That Ends Well. Measure for Measure. Troilus and Cressida. THE HISTORIES. The First Part of King Henry the Sixth. The Second Part of King Henry the Sixth. The Third Part of King Henry the Sixth. The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. The Life and Death of King John. The Tragedy of King Richard the Second. The First Part of King Henry the Fourth. The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth. The Life of King Henry the Fifth. The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth. THE TRAGEDIES. Titus Andronicus. Romeo and Juliet. Julius Caesar. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Othello, the Moor of Venice. King Lear. Macbeth. Timon of Athens. Antony and Cleopatra. Coriolanus. THE ROMANCES. Pericles. Cymbeline. The Winter's Tale. The Tempest. The Two Noble Kinsmen. THE POEMS. Venus and Adonis. The Rape of Lucrece. The Phoenix and Turtle. A Lover's Complaint. Sonnets. Appendix 1: Canon, Dates, and Early Texts. Appendix 2: Sources. Appendix 3: Shakespeare in Performance (co-authored with Lois Potter). The Royal Genealogy of England. Maps. Bibliography: Suggestions for Reading and Research. Textual Notes. Glossary: Shakespearean Words and Meanings of Freq

A balanced editorial approach, a highly respected editor, and proven apparatus combine to make Bevington the most student-friendly introduction to Shakespeare on the market. The fifth edition of this comprehensive anthology addresses the two key issues confronted by students approaching Shakespeare today: a lack of knowledge about the historical period and difficulty with the language of Shakespeare's plays. A richly illustrated general introduction offers insight into Shakespeare's England and background on the literary and cultural contexts in which Shakespeare wrote and produced plays. Each play is introduced by a descriptive essay designed to help students appreciate the cultural contexts and interpretive issues raised by the play, without dictating students' interpretations. Thoroughly revised and updated notes and glosses support student readers line by line, paraphrasing Elizabethan idioms in clear and accessible language.