Troilus and Cressida (The ^AWorld's Classics) - Softcover

Shakespeare, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192814397 ISBN 13: 9780192814395

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1984

Synopsis

Given the wealth of formal debate contained in this tragedy, Troilus and Cressida was probably written in 1602 for a performance at one of the Inns of the Court. Shakespeare's treatment of the age-old tale of love and betrayal is based on many sources, from Homer and Ovid to Chaucer and Shakespeare's near contemporary Robert Greene. In the introduction the various problems connected with the play, its performance, and publication, are considered succinctly; its multiple sources are discussed in detail, together with its peculiar stage history and its renewed popularity in recent years.

About this title

Book Description:

The performance history in English of Troilus and Cressida began in the early twentieth century. This edition is the first to offer a detailed account of the theatrical treatment of this problematic and fascinating play on the British and North American stages from its first revivals at the beginning of the twentieth century to the present. Drawing upon critical responses, photographic archives, promptbooks and video tapes, Frances Shirley traces the important changes in production styles, emphases, and responses to the play.

From the Back Cover:

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's great tragedy of love and war
 
THIS EDITION INCLUDES:
· An illuminating introduction to Troilus and Cressida by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate
· The play - with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page
· A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play
· An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre
· A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productions

The most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of Troilus and Cressida in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors – Trevor Nunn and Michael Boyd – so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death.

Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare plays offer an accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1984
• ISBN 10: 0192814397
• ISBN 13: 9780192814395
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224
• Editor: Muir Kenneth