Paul Budra

Shakespeare Early and Late provides a more nuanced introduction to Shakespeare's plays and their historical contexts than the prefatory material found in most critical editions targeting an undergraduate audience. The idea of dividing the plays into "Early and Late" sections and the compression of so much information in such a lucid package felt both established and new. Its depth of insight will appeal to both new students and experienced readers." - Professor Clifford Werier, Department of English, Mount Royal University.

The most important thing to keep in mind when you begin studying Shakespeare is that theatre in his age was a form of popular culture. It was not “highbrow” or exclusive. It offered audiences of great social diversity powerful emotional experiences: laughter, tears, thrills, and frights. And while we may now find some of Shakespeare’s language difficult and some of his allusions confusing, if we allow ourselves to feel for his characters and get lost in his stories, we can experience those same emotions. We can connect with the audience members who stood in the pit of the Globe Theatre over 400 years ago. All we need is a little knowledge, our imaginations, and a capacity for wonder.

ISBN 9781772871159   (softcover) | ISBN 9781772871166 (EPUB)

About the Author

Paul Budra is Professor of English at Simon Fraser University. He teaches Shakespeare and early modern literature and has published articles on Renaissance literature and contemporary popular culture. He is the author of A Mirror for Magistrates and the de casibus Tradition (2000) and Shakespeare Early and Late (2016). He is the co-editor of the essay collections Part Two: Reflections on the Sequel (1998), Soldier Talk: Oral Narratives of the Vietnam War (2004), From Text to Txting: New Media in the Classroom (2012), and Shakespeare and Consciousness (2016).

Campus eBookstore collects your personal information as a service provider to SFU under the authority of the University Act (R.S.B.C. 1996, c.468). Your email address is collected by Campus eBookstore to communicate with customers. Device monitoring is collected by Campus eBookstore to prevent fraud. Campus eBookstore's privacy policy can be found here: https://www.campusebookstore.com/PrivacyPolicy.aspx

If you have any questions about the collection and use of this information please contact Managing Editor, SFU Publications sfupublications@sfu.ca.