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One of Shakespeare's finest history plays, Richard II deals with one of the most sensitive and politically explosive issues of its day--the rights and wrongs of deposing a legitimately appointed king. Forerunner to the two parts of Henry IV, the play deals with the abdication of King Richard II in 1399, the subsequent succession of Bolingbroke, the future King Henry IV, and Richard's death in the spring of 1400. But the play has been celebrated above and beyond its stature as historical drama. Richard II begins with a portrait of Richard as a pompous, arrogant and self-regarding sovereign, with little sense of his people or his political responsibilities. As he consistently miscalculates in his attempts to destroy Bolingbroke, and watches his own power wane, he becomes a far more appealing, Hamlet-like figure, more interested in "talk of graves, of worms and epitaphs", and "sad stories of the death of kings". Richard's speeches become increasingly lyrical and poetic as his supporters desert him, until he finally takes on the stature of the pilloried Christ in the climax of the play, the deposition scene, one of the most politically risky scenes in all of Shakespeare. The play remains most famous for John of Gaunt's "This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle" speech, but historians believe that the play was also performed in the streets of London in 1601 in support of the Earl of Essex's attempt to depose Elizabeth I. Whilst the plot failed, it showed the power of the theatre of the time, and the politically controversial nature of Shakespeare's play. --Jerry Brotton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

内容简介

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This moving and eloquent historical drama depicts the conflict between a willful and arrogant poet of a king, Richard II, and his politically pragmatic cousin, Bolingbroke. Rich with memorable scenes and speeches, this lyrical history moves from a splendid medieval tournament to the poignant surrender of a crown; from the queen’s heart-shattering farewell to her king to Richard’s murder—a deed “chronicled in hell” that lives forever as one of the great moments in theater.

作者简介

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. Thefacts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. Hewas one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant ofsome standing in his community. William probably went to the King’sNew School in Stratford, but he had no university education. InNovember 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway,eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child,Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( whowould die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and alreadyknown as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referredto him as “an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers.”Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of thesuccessful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later underJames I, called the King’s Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain’s Menbuilt and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the ThamesRiver. Here many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed by the mostfamous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe,and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had ahand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The TwoNoble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus andAdonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets werepublished, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and moretime to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing suchplays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613.He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church,Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published duringhis life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, JohnHeminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection nowcalled the First Folio.

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April
1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The
facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He
was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of
some standing in his community. William probably went to the King’s
New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In
November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway,
eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child,
Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( who
would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By
1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and already
known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred
to him as “an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers.”
Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the
successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later under
James I, called the King’s Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
built and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the Thames
River. Here many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed by the most
famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe,
and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a
hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two
Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and
Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were
published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or
1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more
time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such
plays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613.
He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church,
Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during
his life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John
Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now
called the First Folio.

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目　　录

Introduction
Richard IIon Stage
Richard IIon Scree
The Playhouse
RICHARD
Date and Text
Textual Notes
Shakespeare's Sources
Further Reading
Memorable Lines

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RICHARD II(ISBN=9780553213034)

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