Kategoria BISAC: Juvenile Nonfiction >> Reference - General

William Shakespeare's comedies--including A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice, and more--are funny, allusive, difficult, profound, and unforgettable, and have served as templates for other comedic works throughout the centuries. This invaluable new study guide contains a selection of the finest contemporary criticism of these classic plays.

William Shakespeare is defined by his tragedies. His unique ability to create a moral universe complete unto itself lends his characters not only their stamp of authenticity but their bid to eternity as well. New full-length critical essays take up the Bard's tragic dramas, offering new perspectives on the fated lives of King Lear, Hamlet, Macbeth, Antony, and Cleopatra, and the many other vibrantly flawed personages he introduced to the world stage. This new edition also contains a chronology, a bibliography, an index, and an introductory essay from Yale University's Harold Bloom.

Shakespeare's vibrant history plays, including Richard II; Richard III; Henry IV, Parts I and II; and Henry V; spring to life with all the drama of the feuds, rivalries, and epic battles on which they were based. Aware of the historical past and a keen observer of his own times, Shakespeare's true genius lies in the timeless universality he lends to the lives of these legendary royals and the schemers and dreamers who made up their worlds. This new edition of critical essays covering the Bard's history plays also includes a chronology, bibliography, index, and introductory essay by...

Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare's most majestic works. Set in the tumultuous days of ancient Rome, the play is renowned for its memorable characters and political intrigue, which have been captivating audiences and readers since it was first presented more than 400 years ago. This new edition of critical essays examining the Bard's Julius Caesar features an introductory essay by esteemed scholar Harold Bloom, notes on the contributing writers, a bibliography, a chronology, and an index for quick reference.

Tennessee Williams is recognized as one of America's greatest dramatists and as an innovator of post-World War II theater. He looked for a mechanism for portraying the truth in theater at a time when traditional approaches no longer worked. Both in form as well as in subject matter, Williams confronted audiences with what had been taboo topics and underrepresented domestic and social realities. His notable contributions to literature include The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Coverage of Williams's major works and suggested essay topics will be...

Known for his poetic transformation of New England and nature, Robert Frost has retained his position through the years as one of the essential American poets of the 20th century. His classic works, including "The Road Not Taken," "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," and "The Death of the Hired Man," are explored in this volume and will lead students and readers to a more nuanced understanding of the work of this verse master. Suggestions for writing an effective paper about Frost will encourage students' critical-thinking skills.

Coleridge's poetry often overshadows the brilliance of the other genres and forms of writing that occupied his interests. Classic works such as The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Christabel, "Kubla Khan," and "Frost at Midnight" take their place among the most accomplished poems written in the English language. His critical work also extends and reveals a wealth of profoundly sensitive observations and a prophetic vision of compelling authenticity. This new addition to Bloom's Classic Critical Views features classic essays on Coleridge's writings, a chronology of his life, an index for quick...

Lord Byron has been called a vital embodiment of post-Renaissance poetry. His work is that of a proud individualist asserting the primacy of instinct through agonized self-conflict. Born in 1788, Byron is considered one of the greatest poets of the Romantic Movement. This volume presents critical commentary from his lifetime and beyond to provide a thorough and thought-provoking portrait of this essential poet's evolving reputation. This new title in the Bloom's Classic Critical Views series also features a chronology of Lord Byron's life, an index of the volume, and an introductory essay...

Percy Shelley left an indelible mark on English romantic poetry with his enduring works, including "Ozymandias," "To a Skylark," and "Ode to the West Wind." Esteemed scholar Harold Bloom states that Shelley, though at heart a skeptic and not a Platonic visionary, nevertheless broke through to a Gnostic vision of his own. His evolving critical reputation is presented here, from the commentary of those who knew him to the assessments of succeeding generations of critics and readers. These critical essays are enhanced by a chronology of Shelley's life, an index of the volume, and an...

The sublime in literature is described as the sense of awe that is evoked in the presence of nature or great works of art. In this engaging new volume, the role of the sublime is discussed in Emma, "Ode to the West Wind," Song of Myself, and many other works.