The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare

About this book

The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare is the most comprehensive reference work available on Shakespeares life times works and his 400-year global legacy. In addition to the authoritative A-Z entries it includes nearly 100 illustrations a chronology a guide to further reading a thematic contents list and special feature entries on each of Shakespeares works. Tying in with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeares death this much-loved Companion has been revised and updated reflecting developments and discoveries made in recent years and to cover the performance interpretation and the influence of Shakespeares works up to the present day. First published in 2001 the online edition was revised in 2011 with updates to over 200 entries plus 16 new entries. These online updates appear in print for the first time in this second edition along with a further 35 000 new and revised words. These include more than 80 new entries ranging from important performers directors and scholars (such as Lucy Bailey Samuel West and Alfredo Michel Modenessi) to topics as diverse as Shakespeare in the digital age and the ubiquity of plants in Shakespeares works to the interpretation of Shakespeare globally from Finland to Iraq. To make information on Shakespeares major works easier to find the feature entries have been grouped and placed in a centre section (fully cross-referenced from the A-Z). The thematic listing of entries - described in the press as an invaluable panorama of the contents - has been updated to include all of the new entries. This edition contains a preface written by much-lauded Shakespearian actor Simon Russell Beale. Full of both entertaining trivia and scholarly detail this authoritative Companion will delight the browser and reward students academics as well as anyone wanting to know more about Shakespeare.