Jonathan Bate

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's controversial comedy of the war between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Taming of the Shrew in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actress - Gregory Doran, Phyllida Lloyd and Michelle Gomez – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Measure for Measure in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with a leading director and two actors – Trevor Nunn, Roger Allam and Josette Simon – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a fresh new edition of Shakespeare's bittersweet comedy of courtship and ethnic tension THIS EDITION INCLUDES: * An introduction to The Merchant of Venice by award-winning scholar Jonathan Bate * The play – with clear and authoritative explanatory notes on each page * A helpful scene-by-scene analysis and key facts about the play * An introduction to Shakespeare's career and the Elizabethan theatre * A rich exploration of approaches to staging the play featuring photographs of key productions The most enjoyable way to understand a Shakespeare play is to see it or participate in it. This unique edition presents a historical overview of The Merchant of Venice in performance, recommends film versions, takes a detailed look at specific productions and includes interviews with two leading directors and two actors – Darko Tresnjak, David Thacker, Anthony Sher and Henry Goodman - so that we may get a sense of the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible, a variety that gives Shakespeare his unique capacity to be reinvented and made 'our contemporary' four centuries after his death. 'The glossary includes much that has been ignored in the past, enlightening the new student...as well as adding to the vocabulary of those who have been enjoying his plays all their lives... an invaluable resource.' - Word Matters Introduction About the Text Key Facts The Merchant of Venice Textual Notes Scene-by-scene Analysis The Merchant of Venice in Performance: the RSC and Beyond Four Centuries of The Merchant: An Overview At the RSC The Director's Cut: interviews with David Thacker and Darko Tresjnak Playing Shylock: interviews with Antony Sher and Henry Goodman Shakespeare's Career in the Theatre Shakespeare's Works: a Chronology Further Reading and Viewing References Acknowledgements and Picture Credits JONATHAN BATE is Professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature, University of Warwick, UK, and the editor of The RSC Shakespeare: The Complete Works. He has held visiting posts at Harvard, Yale and UCLA and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a Fellow of the British Academy, an Honorary Fellow of St Catherine's College, Cambridge, and a Governor and Board member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. A prominent critic, award-winning biographer and broadcaster, he is the author of several books on Shakespeare, including The Genius of Shakespeare (Picador), which was praised by Sir Peter Hall, founder of the RSC, as 'the best modern book on Shakespeare.' In June 2006 he was awarded a CBE by HM The Queen 'for services to Higher Education'. ERIC RASMUSSEN is Professor of English at the University of Nevada, USA, and the Textual Editor of The RSC Shakespeare: The Complete Works. He is co-editor of the Norton Anthology of English Renaissance Drama and has edited volumes in both the Arden Shakespeare and Oxford World's Classics series. He is the General Textual Editor of the Internet Shakespeare Editions project - one of the most visited Shakespeare websites in the world. For over nine years he has written the annual review of editions and textual studies for the Shakespeare Survey.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's tragi-comedy of youth and age, introducing the immortal Sir John Falstaff. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part I in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor– Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy of the battle between the sexes. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Much Ado About Nothing in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with two leading directors and an actor – Marianne Elliott, Nicholas Hytner and Harriet Walter – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's profound exploration of a prince's coming of age and the rejection of old Jack Falstaff. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Henry IV Part II in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor– Michael Boyd, Adrian Noble and Michael Pennington – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s magnificent tragedy of love, jealousy and explosive racial politics. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Othello in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with two leading directors and an actor – Trevor Nunn, Michael Attenborough and Antony Sher – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of the most famous of all love stories. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Romeo and Juliet in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with a leading director and two actors – Michael Attenborough, David Tennant and Alexandra Gilbreath – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company - a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's much-loved sonnets and poems. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Shakespeare's Sonnets and Other Poems, providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. Ideal for students and lovers of Shakespeare everywhere, the RSC editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare's works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s immortal love story. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Antony and Cleopatra in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Adrian Noble, Braham Murray and Gregory Doran – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s great drama of ambition, desire and guilt. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Macbeth in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors – Rupert Goold, Gregory Doran and Trevor Nunn – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s bleakest and most profound tragedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of King Lear in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Adrian Noble, Deborah Warner and Trevor Nunn – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s magical vision. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of The Tempest in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors – Peter Brook, Sam Mendes and Rupert Goold – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple, providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare's dazzling comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of Love's Labour's Lost in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are interviews with three leading directors – Terry Hands, Liz Shipman and Gregory Doran – providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company – a modern, definitive edition of Shakespeare’s most loved comedy. With an expert introduction by Sir Jonathan Bate, this unique edition presents a historical overview of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in performance, takes a detailed look at specific productions, and recommends film versions. Included in this edition are three interviews with leading directors Michael Boyd, Gregory Doran and Tim Supple, providing an illuminating insight into the extraordinary variety of interpretations that are possible. This edition also includes an essay on Shakespeare’s career and Elizabethan theatre, and enables the reader to understand the play as it was originally intended – as living theatre to be enjoyed and performed. Ideal for students, theatre-goers, actors and general readers, the RSC Shakespeare editions offer a fresh, accessible and contemporary approach to reading and rediscovering Shakespeare’s works for the twenty-first century.

As we enter a new millennium ruled by technology, will poetry still matter? The Song of the Earth answers eloquently in the affirmative. A book about our growing alienation from nature, it is also a brilliant meditation on the capacity of the writer to bring us back to earth, our home. In the first ecological reading of English literature, Jonathan Bate traces the distinctions among "nature," "culture," and "environment" and shows how their meanings have changed since their appearance in the literature of the eighteenth century. An intricate interweaving of climatic, topographical, and political elements poetically deployed, his book ranges from greenhouses in Jane Austen's novels to fruit bats in the poetry of Les Murray, by way of Thomas Hardy's woodlands, Dr. Frankenstein's Creature, John Clare's birds' nests, Wordsworth's rivers, Byron's bear, and an early nineteenth-century novel about an orangutan who stands for Parliament. Though grounded in the English Romantic tradition, the book also explores American, Central European, and Caribbean poets and engages theoretically with Rousseau, Adorno, Bachelard, and especially Heidegger. The model for an innovative and sophisticated new "ecopoetics," The Song of the Earth is at once an essential history of environmental consciousness and an impassioned argument for the necessity of literature in a time of ecological crisis.

The most important critical work for decades' Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times In the brilliantly engaging style that characterised The Genius of Shakespeare, Jonathan Bate has written a series of compelling pieces on the link between literature and the environment and why poetry matters in the new millennium. In fascinating detail, Bate explains how words like 'culture' and 'environment' have evolved since the writing of Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy and the Romantics to the present day. 'Bate presents his case with an emotional conviction which is almost impossible to resist' The Times 'Anyone familiar with Bate's The Genius of Shakespeare will know how winningly he marries erudition to liveliness' John Coldstream, Daily Telegraph 'I came away from the book deeply grateful for its impassioned song' Adam Thorpe, Sunday Telegraph