Richard II

Written in 1595, Richard II occupies a significant place in the Shakespeare canon. It marks the transition from the earlier history plays dominated by civil war and stark power to a more nuanced representation of the political conflicts of England's past where character and politics are inextricably intertwined. Deftly combining history with tragedy, its tale of bad government and usurpation had great political immediacy for its first audiences in late Elizabethan England and continues to resonate today. This scholarly but student-friendly edition features a freshly edited version of the text based on the early quartos and first Folio of 1623. The thorough set of textual notes and full commentary are designed to aid the modern reader to better understand and appreciate the language, the characters, and the dramatic action. The introduction places the play squarely in its own time, describing its topical significance and its political perspectives, and showing how carefully Shakespeare positioned his play within an ongoing political conversation. Together with this historical perspective, the introduction focuses as well on the play's richly poetic language and its great success over the centuries as a play for the stage.

Anthony Dawson is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. An editor, theatre historian, and literary critic, he has published widely on Shakespeare and the early modern theatre.

Paul Yachnin is Tomlinson Professor of Shakespeare Studies and Chair of English at McGill University. In April 2008, he was elected President of the Shakespeare Association of America. He directs the Making Publics Project and co-directs the McGill Shakespeare and Performance Research Team. He is the founder of the McGill Institute for the Public Life of Arts and Ideas. He has undertaken editorial projects including the Oxford edition of The Works of Thomas Middleton and The Tempest (Broadview Press, forthcoming; with Brent Whitted). Recent books include Shakespeare and the Eighteenth Century, with Peter Sabor; Shakespeare and Character: Theory, History, Performance, and Theatrical Persons, with Jessica Slights; and Making Publics in Early Modern Europe: People, Things, Forms of Knowledge, with Bronwen Wilson.