The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare and Contemporary Dramatists

Through the constant reification of the critics, it is sometimes easy to forget that Shakespeare did not spring fully-formed and perfect from his father's brow, but rather emerged from a hale and hearty tradition of English drama. The aim of this addition to the venerable Cambridge Companion series is to place Will's career into its proper context and to remind us of those working in the field before, during and immediately after the duration of that career. To this end, the volume begins with a timeline marking key political events of the period, births and deaths of dramatists referenced in...