Shakespeare's last plays, because of their apparent similarity in thematic concern, dramatic arrangements and stylistic features, are often considered by modern scholarship to form a unique group in his canon. Their departure from the preceding great tragedies and their status as an artist's last works have long aroused scholarly interest in Shakespeare's lateness - the study, essentially, of the relationship between his advancing years and his final dramatic output, encompassing questions such as Why did Shakespeare write the last plays?, What influenced his writing?, and What is the...