This edition of Twelfth Night provides: a clear and authoritative text, edited to the highest standards of scholarship; detailed notes and commentary on the same page as the text; a full, illustrated introduction to the play's historical, cultural and performance contexts; an in-depth survey of critical approaches to the play; a full index to the introduction and notes; and a select bibliography of references and further reading.
Critically acclaimed as one of Shakespeare's most complex and intriguing plays, "Twelfth Night" is a classic romantic comedy of mistaken identities. This book explores the factors that make up the play's textual, theatrical, critical and cultural history. It surveys the play's production and reception and emphasizes the role of the spectator.
Critically acclaimed as one of Shakespeare's most complex and intriguing plays, Twelfth Night is a classic romantic comedy of mistaken identities. In recent years it has returned to the center of critical debate surrounding gender and sexuality. The Introduction explores the multiple factors that make up the play's rich textual, theatrical, critical and cultural history. Keir Elam surveys the play's production and reception, emphasizing the role of the spectator both within the comedy and the playhouse.