Described as one of Shakespeare’s most intriguing plays, All’s Well That Ends Well has only recently begun to receive the critical attention it deserves. Noted as a crucial point of development in Shakespeare’s career, this collection of new essays reflects the growing interest in the play and presents a broad range of approaches to it, including historical, feminist, performative and psychoanalytical criticisms.
In addition to fourteen essays written by leading scholars, the editor’s introduction provides a substantial overview of the play’s critical history, with a strong focus on performance analysis and the impact that this has had on its reception and reputation. Demonstrating a variety of approaches to the play and furthering recent debates, this book makes a valuable contribution to Shakespeare criticism.
Biography
Gary Waller is Professor of Literature Cultural and Drama Studies at Purchase College, SUNY. He has published widely, including books on The Sidney Family Romance, English Poetry of the Sixteenth Century, Shakespeare’s Comedies, Edmund Spenser: A Literary Life and Mary Sidney Countess of Pembroke.
