In this groundbreaking book one of the most original and compelling voices in contemporary Shakespeare criticism undertakes a detailed study of the extraordinary comedies Shakespeare wrote during his first decade as a dramatist. Lively and readable, Ryan lets each play speak for itself, transforming our understanding of Shakespearean comedy.

Providing an introduction to the whole range of Ian McEwan's work, examining his novels, short stories and screenplays, this title draws on McEwan's obsessions with childhood and the body, with regression and abjection, showing how these are deployed to raise disturbing political questions about gender, power, pleasure and narrative.