Reading Shakespeare Today

A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of William Shakespeare's funniest comedies. Over the ages, readers and theater-goers have enjoyed this madcap play. Reading Shakespeare Today: A Midsummer Night's Dream places the play in a historical context, provides a look at each scene, covers the major themes of the work, and relays the many ways that Shakespeare is still relevant to our modern lives.

Reading Shakespeare Today: Richard III provides a summary of Shakespeare's famous play about King Richard III's rise to power. In addition to positioning the play in contemporary popular culture, the book includes an in-depth explanation of each scene and a look at the themes of the work.

William Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night for Epiphany, the twelfth day after Christmas. The comedy features ingenious plot twists, colorful characters, and slapstick humor. Reading Shakespeare Today: Twelfth Night examines each scene of the play, Shakespeare's use of language, modern stagings, and the history behind Twelfth Night to present a comprehensive picture of this classic.

Of his tragedies, William Shakespeare is best known for plays like Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. Yet literary critics refer to the tragedy Othello as the most "modern" of the Bard's plays. Othello's treatment of race and gender make the play relatable to contemporary audiences. Reading Shakespeare Today: Othello examines the history, plot, and literary devices of the play. The book presents an in-depth look at this major work while also positioning Othello in our digital age.

A tale of magic, power struggles, and intrigue, The Tempest is one of Shakespeare's final plays. Reading Shakespeare Today: The Tempest explores the plot of The Tempest while considering the blend of comedic and tragic elements that make it unique. The book also demonstrates ways that the play continues to be relevant in the internet age.

Since its publication in the late sixteenth century, The Taming of the Shrew has been staged, filmed, and reinterpreted countless times. This beloved Shakespearean comedy is still celebrated today, though unlike the audiences in Shakespeare's time, contemporary audiences share their responses to the play on social media! Reading Shakespeare Today: The Taming of the Shrew provides historical context for the play, reviews the themes and motifs that make it timeless, and investigates how the comedy fits into our modern world.