King John

by William Shakespeare; Paul Werstine; Dr. Barbara A. Mowat

• ISBN13: 9780671722739
• ISBN10: 0671722735
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-12-01
• Publisher: Washington Square Press

Summary

Immune to the slings and arrows of political correctness that have brought many of his "dead-white-male" peers down a peg or two in the literary pantheon, Shakespeare is, if anything, more influential and popular today than ever. King John, an engrossing play about an embattled monarch's struggles to keep his crown, is widely recognized as one of Shakespeare's finest explorations of political reality. The play is wonderfully enlivened by the bravado of the Bastard, the King's fiercely loyal nephew.

Each edition in the New Folger Library -- the literary series that is widely recognized as the finest available anywhere -- features:
-- Brief and simple introduction to Shakespeare's language
-- Scene-by-scene plot summaries
-- Explanatory notes illuminating obscure and obsolete expressions
-- A fascinating essay discussing the play through the lens of state-of-the-art modern criticism.

Table of Contents

Editors' Preface

Shakespeare's King John

Reading Shakespeare's Language: King John

Shakespeare's Life

Shakespeare's Theater

The Publication of Shakespeare's Plays

An Introduction to This Text

King John Text of the Play with Commentary Longer Notes

Textual Notes

Historical Background King John, Prince Arthur, and ""borrowed majesty"" King John and the roman Catholic Church King John and ""An Homily against disobedience and willful rebellion"" King John: A Modern Perspective by Deborah T. Curren-AquinoFurther

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