- What famous essayist insisted that Shakespeare's plays were unfit for performance?- Which two plays center on the Hundred Years' War?- In which scene of "Romeo and Juliet" does the Nurse report -falsely- that Juliet is dead and thus seal Romeo's tragic fate?The answers are easily found in "Shakespeare A to Z," the only single-volume reference to virtually everything one needs -or wants- to know about the Bard. Wonderfully informative, this comprehensive work includes 3,000 entries and 50 illustrations covering:- EVERY PLAY, including scene-by-scene synopses, critical commentary, sources, textual commentary, and theatrical history- EVERY CHARACTER, from Aaron to Young Talbot, including those without speaking parts- THE POEMS, including the sonnets and long works in verse- ACTORS, PRODUCERS, AND DIRECTORS, including William Kempe, Charles Laughton, Sarah Bernhardt, Sir Laurence Olivier, and others who have brought the plays and characters to life over the centuries- PLACES, real and imaginary, important to Shakespeare's life and works- THEATRICAL AND LITERARY TERMS that relate to the plays and poetry- CONTEMPORARIES OF SHAKESPEARE, including family members, friends and colleagues, patrons, and historical figures- AUTHORS, SCHOLARS, AND PUBLISHERS of Shakespeare's works, critical studies, and histories - and much more, all in easily accessible encyclopedic format.
