Books in the Shakespeare: The Critical Tradition S. series

A wide-ranging survey of critical responses to Shakespeare's masterpiece. The Merchant of Venice has always been one of Shakespeare's most popular plays. However, the critical tradition reveals sharply divided opinions, reflecting the tremendous capacity of the play to provoke discussion among its readers and audiences.

Volumes in this series trace the course of Shakespeare criticism, play-by-play, from the earliest items of recorded criticism to the beginnings of the modern period. The focus of the documentary material is from the early 18th century to the first half of the 20th century.

This text presents literary criticism focused on Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure", dealing with such subjects as the nature of the major characters, the morality of their behaviour, the conclusion of the play, and the genre of a play that was listed in the First Folio as a comedy.

This study traces the response to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from Shakespeare's day to the present, including critics from Britain, Europe and America.