Description: Peter Hyland gives a highly readable account of what is known about Shakespeare's life, and maps out the historical, social and intellectual pressures of his time. He provides a comprehensive description of the development of the theatrical profession in Shakespeare's England, and of the practical constraints under which the dramatist had to work. Half of the book is devoted to a survey of the plays and examines the numerous controversial issues that arise when we ask precisely what we can 'know' about Shakespeare and his works. For those who want to discover more about Shakespeare and the turbulent times in which his plays were written, and for those who are daunted by the volume or the impenetrable prose of much recent writing on the dramatist, this book will be a stimulating introduction.

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