Shakespeare: The Comedies

R. P. DRAPER is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Aberdeen and has published widely in the fields of Shakespeare and modern literature and, in particular, on D.H. Lawrence and Thomas Hardy. His most recent publication is An Introduction to Twentieth-Century Poetry in English, also published by Macmillan.

Contents.- General Editor's Preface.- A Note on Editions.- PART ONE: ANALYSING SHAKESPEARE'S COMEDIES.- Introduction: The Nature of Shakespearean Comedy.- Atmospherics.- Sympathetic Criticism.- Illusion.- Romantic Sentiment.- Wooing.- Fools (1): Dupes.- Fools (2): Clever Fools.- Manlike Women.- Odd Men Out.- Set Pieces.- Endings.- General Conclusions to Part One.- PART TWO: THE CONTEXT AND THE CRITICS.- The Other Comedies and the Poems.- Histories, Tragedies, and Last Plays.- Theories of Comedy and Criticism of Shakespeare's Comedies.- Further Reading.- Index.