Shakespeare and Reception Theory

<i>Arden Shakespeare and Theory</i>provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical developments that have dominated Shakespeare studies in recent years as well as those that are emerging at the present moment. Each volume provides: <br/><br/>- a clear definition of a particular theory;<br/>- a survey of its major theorists and critics;<br/>- an analysis of its significance in Shakespeare studies;<br/>- a summary of relevant political social and economic contexts;<br/>- a wealth of suggested resources for further investigation.<br/><br/>Reception Theory provides readers with a unique overview and understanding of the ways in which both audiences and readers have reacted to Shakespeare's works historically and in the present. This study demonstrates how recent emphases on a reader's and a spectator's role in the creation of meaning might allow us to contemplate Shakespeare's work in fresh and often provocative ways. Among the plays included as case studies are <i>A Midsummer Night's Dream </i> <i>Hamlet</i> <i>The Tempest</i> <i>King Lear</i> and <i>Henry V</i>. <i>Shakespeare and Reception Theory</i> pays close attention to early modern modes of interaction in the playhouse alongside more recent assumptions that underlie spectating and performing.<br/><b></b>