William Shakespeare is one of the most widely studied and culturally significant writers of all time; his language interwoven through popular reference and imaginings of the Western canon. In this concise, structured guide, Robert Shaughnessy: introduces Shakespeare's life and works in context, providing crucial historical background; introduces each of Shakespeare's plays in turn, considering issues of historical context, contemporary criticism and performance history; provides a detailed discussion of twentieth century Shakespearean criticism, exploring the theories, debates and discoveries that have shaped our understanding of Shakespeare today; looks at contemporary performance of Shakespeare on stage and screen; cross-references between sections of the guide to suggest links between texts, contexts and criticism; and, provides an annotated further reading section and detailed chronologies. Demystifying and contextualizing Shakespeare for the twenty-first century, this book offers both an introduction to the subject for beginning students and an invaluable resource for more experienced Shakespeareans.