Like most of Shakespearersquo;s history plays; King John presents a struggle for the English crown. The struggle this time; however; is strikingly cold-blooded and brutal. John; the younger brother of the late Richard I; is the king; and a savage one. His opponent is a boy; his nephew Arthur; supported by the King of France and the Duke of Austria. After Arthur falls into Johnrsquo;s hands; John plots to torture him. Arthurrsquo;s capture gives Louis; the Dauphin of France; the opportunity to lay claim to Johnrsquo;s crown. Johnrsquo;s nobles support Louis; but he schemes to betray them. The play finds its hero in another figure: the Bastard; Sir Richard Plantagenet; an illegitimate son of Richard I. Although he has an appetite for war; he also has a strong conscience and speaks with trenchant irony. The authoritative edition of King John from The Folger Shakespeare Library; the trusted and widely used Shakespeare series for students and general readers; includes: -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the playrsquo;s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespearersquo;s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Libraryrsquo;s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Deborah T. Curren-Aquino The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington; DC; is home to the worldrsquo;s largest collection of Shakespearersquo;s printed works; and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year; the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information; visit Folger.edu.
#2557143 in eBooks 2016-03-03 2016-03-03File Name: B01CKX3R04
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