King Lear by William Shakespeare is part of the Barnes amp Noble Shakespeare series This unique series features newly edited texts prepared by leading scholars from America and Great Britain in collaboration with one of the worlds foremost Shakespeare authorities David Scott Kastan of Columbia University Together they have produced texts as faithful as possible to those that Shakespeare wroteEach volume in the Barnes amp Noble Shakespeare includesNew Scholarship Premiere scholars introduce each play with contemporary scholarship An essay on editing the text provides an in-depth look at the quartos and folios used in the edition Contextualizing Essays Essays on Shakespeares England language and life along with essays on performing Shakespeare and significant performances frame the play in both historical and theatrical context for readers A look at the lasting influence of the play on music art film and dance creates an interdisciplinary framework with which to approach the play Better Notes Through one-word margin definitions facing-page glosses and longer end notes after the play our innovative approach to notes pulls readers away from the text fewer times while providing them with more information and comprehensive analysis Further Reading An annotated bibliography of titles hand-selected by the introduction author takes readers beyond the edition for further readingOne of Shakespeares greatest tragedies King Lear portrays with frightening power the collapse of royal and parental authority The editor Andrew Hadfield restores the play to its historical context showing how the names and places in the ancient Britain of the play connect to Shakespeares England.
