Peter Ure Livres

This richly annotated edition takes a fresh look at the first part of Shakespeare's second tetralogy of history plays, showing how it relates to the other plays in the sequence. Forker places the play in its political context, discussing its relation to competing theories of monarchy, looking at how it faced censorship because of possible comparisons between Richard II and Elizabeth I, and how Bolingbroke's rebellion could be compared to the Essex rising of the time. This edition also reconsiders Shakespeare's use of sources, asking why he chose to emphasise one approach over another. Forker also looks at the play's rich afterlife, and the many interpretations that actors and directors have taken. Finally, the edition looks closely at the aesthetic relationship between language, character, structure and political import.

In this commentary on character and design in the major plays of Yeats, the author reflects on insights gained since the publication of their first book on the poet sixteen years ago. They express gratitude to notable scholars such as Birgit Bjersby, Giorgio Melchiori, Thomas Parkinson, and F. A. C. Wilson, whose extensive writings on Yeats's poetry and plays have informed this work. The author notes a missed opportunity to incorporate Mr. Wilson's second book, which was released after much of this commentary was completed, as well as a valuable illustrated account by D. J. Gordon and Ian Fletcher. Portions of the book, specifically parts of Chapters I, III, VI, and a section of Chapter VII, have been previously published in various periodicals, and the author appreciates the permissions granted by the respective editors and publishers. Acknowledgments are also extended for the reprinting of copyright material from Yeats's works, including contributions from Mrs. W. B. Yeats and Messrs. Macmillan and Co., as well as Faber and Faber. The publisher, Forgotten Books, specializes in reproducing important historical works, utilizing advanced technology to preserve original formats while correcting imperfections.