The First Quarto of King Lear (The New Cambridge Shakespeare: The Early Quartos) - Hardcover

Shakespeare, William

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521418119 ISBN 13: 9780521418119

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1994

Synopsis

This edition of King Lear is based on the first (1608) quarto and represents a significantly different version from that published in the Folio of 1623, which forms the basis of the standard New Cambridge Shakespeare edition. Most scholars now believe that the quarto derives from what was probably Shakespeare's own autograph draft of the play, whereas the Folio derives from a late, revised copy used as the prompt-book. Each has numerous unique passages and hundreds of variant readings, creating differences which affect the structure, characterisation and overall impact of the play. This volume contains a substantial introduction, the text of the first quarto and a collation of variant readings from the second quarto and the First Folio. Passages unique to the Folio are printed separately in an appendix.

About this title

Review

"...it provides editorial assistance of every imaginable kind, textual variants, glossing of unfamiliar language." Studies in English Literature

Book Description

This edition of Shakespeare's King Lear is based on the first (1608) quarto and represents a significantly different version from that published in the Folio of 1623. Each has numerous unique passages and hundreds of variant readings, creating differences which affect the structure, characterisation and overall impact of the play.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0521418119
• ISBN 13: 9780521418119
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 155
• Editor: Halio Jay L.