The Tempest - by H R Coursen & Herbert R Coursen (Hardcover)

About the Book

The Tempest was first published in 1623 and is probably the last play Shakespeare wrote by himself. The product of his artistic maturity, it has inspired a variety of modern adaptations and remains one of his most popular plays. While its plot is fairly straightforward, The Tempest addresses numerous issues and topics current in the 17th century, such as magic and colonialism. Scholars, in turn, have responded by generating a vast body of criticism. This reference is a comprehensive guide to the play.

The volume begins with a brief consideration of the play's textual history, followed by an evaluation of the merits of various modern editions. It then looks at some of Shakespeare's likely sources and influences, from classical literature to accounts of a 17th-century shipwreck. A chapter on the play's dramatic structure moves through the text and touches on issues raised in greater detail later in the book. The volume then studies some of the play's themes and summarizes how critics have responded to them. Finally, the book comments on the play's performance history and analyzes major productions.

Book Synopsis

The Tempest was first published in 1623 and is probably the last play Shakespeare wrote by himself. The product of his artistic maturity, it has inspired a variety of modern adaptations and remains one of his most popular plays. While its plot is fairly straightforward, The Tempest addresses numerous issues and topics current in the 17th century, such as magic and colonialism. Scholars, in turn, have responded by generating a vast body of criticism. This reference is a comprehensive guide to the play.

The volume begins with a brief consideration of the play's textual history, followed by an evaluation of the merits of various modern editions. It then looks at some of Shakespeare's likely sources and influences, from classical literature to accounts of a 17th-century shipwreck. A chapter on the play's dramatic structure moves through the text and touches on issues raised in greater detail later in the book. The volume then studies some of the play's themes and summarizes how critics have responded to them. Finally, the book comments on the play's performance history and analyzes major productions.

Review Quotes

"Coursen has woven the bountiful scholarly literature on The Tempest into a compact and insightful guidebook. It should be immensely useful to students, teachers, and general readers for its trenchant, judicious discussions of the play's text, sources, themes, characters and performance history. A handy Baedeker to Shakespeare's last solo play."-Alden and Virginia Vaughan Co-editors, The Arden "Tempest"

"Herbert Coursen's book on The Tempest is the product of a master teacher and scholar's long career. Its comprehensive survey of the play's texts, themes, characters, critical treatments, and performances provides a handy reference for students and instructors. Its individual perspectives and personal judgements make for lively reading and provocative discussion."-Steven Marx Cal Poly University San Luis Obispo

?Coursen provides an elegant reading of the play's textual history, sources, structure and themes, criticism, and performance history.?-Studies in English Literature

"Coursen provides an elegant reading of the play's textual history, sources, structure and themes, criticism, and performance history."-Studies in English Literature

About the Author

H.R. COURSEN teaches at the University of Maine, Augusta. He is the author of more than forty books, including Macbeth: A Guide to the Play (Greenwood Press, 1997) and Teaching Shakespeare with Film and Television: A Guide (Greenwood Press, 1997), both available from Greenwood Press.