About the Book:

Aimed squarely at the student new to Shakespeare, the volume Shakespeare: The Basics provides a through introduction to the plays, based on the exciting new approaches shaping the field of Shakespeare studies. The author Sean McEvoy offers a refreshingly clear guide to Shakespeare's language; the plays as performance texts; the cultural and political contexts of the plays; early modern theatre practise; new understandings of the major genres.

What people say:

"The book effectively summarizes the current status of Shakespeare masterpieces, meets McEvoy's goal of preparing students for college-level courses, and covers more ground than Shakespeare for Dummies. Suggestions for additional study are included. This is recommended for all public and academic libraries." — Library Journal

"This book is an invaluable resource for the introductory study of Shakespeare. It is likely to spark its student readers into enlivened discussions, animated debates, and fearless engagements with Shakespeare's works." — Naomi Liebler, English Professor, Montclair State College, Montclair, New Jersey

"Reading McEvoy's Basics will add to the enjoyment that can be derived from watching or reading Shakespeare's plays." — English Teaching

"It is a most valuable introduction to the plays of Shakespeare." — Speech and Drama

About the Author:

Sean McEvoy is a British scholar who teaches English and Classical literature at Varndean Sixth Form College Brighton, where he also co-ordinates the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. He has taught at Cambridge and Sussex universities and has been a visiting lecturer on the Shakespeare MA course at Royal Holloway, University of London.