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Shakespeare's English Kings: History, Chronicle, and Drama
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 822.33
EAN: 9780195123197
Edition: 2
ISBN: 0195123190
Label: Oxford University Press, USA
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 304
Publication Date: April 20, 2000
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Studio: Oxford University Press, USA
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Editorial Review:
Far more than any professional historian, Shakespeare is responsible for whatever notions most of us possess about English medieval history. Anyone who appreciates the dramatic action of Shakespeare's history plays but is confused by much of the historical detail will welcome this guide to the Richards, Edwards, Henrys, Warwicks and Norfolks who ruled and fought across Shakespeare's page and stage. Not only theater-goers and students, but today's film-goers who want to enrich their understanding of film adaptations of plays such as Richard III and Henry V will find this revised edition of Shakespeare's English Kings to be an essential companion.
Saccio's engaging narrative weaves together three threads: medieval English history according to the Tudor chroniclers who provided Shakespeare with his material, that history as understood by modern scholars, and the action of the plays themselves. Including a new preface, a revised further reading list, genealogical charts, an appendix of names and titles, and an index, the second edition of Shakespeare's English Kings offers excellent background reading for all of the ten history plays.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Shakespeare for Everyone
I am also listening to Professor Saccio's lectures on Shakespeare. He makes everything finally make sense.
Rating:  - The history behind the dramas
"Shakespeare's English Kings" is a good guide to the tumultuous stretch of English history from the 1490s into the 1580s, with a brief Tudor detour into the reign of Henry VIII. The fact that this book is specifically designed to help one better understand Shakespeare's historical plays on the kings of that time is almost a bonus. While it's not exactly a scholarly work of historiography or literary study, I'd highly recommend this book for Shakespeare fans and casual British history buffs.
Rating: - The best guide to Shakespeare's royalty
One of the foremost experts on Shakespeare, Peter Saccio, has written a fantastic book on the history and intricacies of relationships between royal families in the works of Shakespeare. I reiterate the same positive things said by other reviewers...an essential book, by a brilliant man, for anyone serious about getting to know Shakespeare's kings much better.
Rating: - Shakespeare's English Kings in Play and History explained by an erudite academic scholar
This reviewer first became acquainted with Dr. Peter Saccio by viewing his 36 class course on Shakespeare in the Learning Company DVD series.
Intrigued by his skill in making Shakespeare understandable I picked up a copy of Shakespeare's English Kings. This slim volume provides the historical knowledge needed of each of the king's reigns to enhance appreciation of the Shakespearean plays.
The kings covered are:
Richard II-The Fall of the King
Henry IV-The King Embattled ... Read More
Rating: - Good supplemental reading for the History Plays
Prof. Saccio's book is certainly interesting on it's own merit but it is most rewarding as background for reading Shakespeare's History plays. Providing insights on Shakespeare's primary sources and contrasting the real historical events to Shakespeare's dramatization , the narrative swings back and forth between historical documentation and discussion of the plays themselves fairly seamlessly.
The first introductory chapter is a remarkably succinct ,yet lucid discourse on the period covered ... Read More
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