King John: Shakespeare: The Critical Tradition(Shakespeare: The Critical Tradition)

This new volume in Shakespeare: The Critical Tradition increases our knowledge of how Shakespeare’s plays were received and understood by critics, editors and general readers. Updated with a new introduction providing a survey of critical responses to the plays since the late 1930s to the present day, the volume offers, in separate sections, both critical opinions about the play across the centuries and an evaluation of their positions within and their impact on the reception of the play. The chronological arrangement of the text-excerpts engages the readers in a direct and unbiased dialogue, whereas the introduction offers a critical evaluation from a current stance, including modern theories and methods. Thus the volume makes a major contribution to our understanding of the play and of the traditions of Shakespearean criticism surrounding it as they have developed from century to century.

Table of Contents:
General Editor's Preface Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Introduction to the new edition 1. Commentary on King John, 1790 2. Response to Malone, 1792 3. Response to Malone, 1793 4. On the date of King John, 1799 5. Character and Characterization, 1808 6. Personality and Politics, 1815 7. Shakespeare's art of characterization, 1817 8. History and Character, 1817 9. Prefatory remarks on King John, 1819 10. The Troublesome Raigne and King John, 1824 11. Introduction to King John, 1826 12. Prefatory remarks on King John, 1826 13. Sarah Siddons as Constance, 1827 14. The character of Constance, 1832 15. Sarah Siddons on Constance, 1834 16. General remarks on King John, 1838 17. King John and history, 1838 18. The Pictorial Edition of King John, 1838 19. The female roles in King John, 1843 20. Editorial corrections in King John, 1845 21. 'History', church and state in King John, 1846 22. Critical remarks on King John, 1847 23. Critical notes on King John, 1851 24. History, art and character in King John, 1852 25. Introduction to King John, 1852 26. History and character, 1855 27. King John and nationalism, 1856 28. The madness of Constance, 1859 29. Background and critical notes to King John, 1859 30. Characterization, craft, and the philosophy of war, 1863 31. Politics, ethics and character, 1863 32. The politics of national interest, 1865 33. The transcendent sorrow of Constance, 1868 34. National interest and personal loyalty, 1871 35. King John and contemporary politics, 1874 36. The baseness of John, 1875 37. Shakespeare's art of characterization, 1875-6 38. Constance and the nature of woman, 1876 39. King John, Richard III, and character, 1877 40. The theme of nationality, 1877 41. King John and Roman Catholicism, 1877 42. Literary and historical background to King John, 1878 43. Shakespeare's adaptation of The Troublesome Raigne, 1878 44. High praise for King John, 1879 45. On Pandulph and history, 1887 46. On commodity, 1887 47. A balanced assessment of King John, 1888 48. On Constance and Arthur, 1889 49. Kingship, personality, and the human condition, 1889 50. The artistic excellence of King John, 1890 51. The Troublesome Raigne and King John, 1892 52. On Constance, Elinor and Blanch, 1894 53. Historical character and dramatic character, 1894 54. The oddities of King John, 1894 55. On the principal characters, 1896 56. Shakespeare's uneven artistry, 1898 57. Shakespeare's Roman Catholicism, 1899 58. Shakespeare's maturing artistry, 1899 59. King John as a transitional play, 1900 60. Weaknesses and strengths of King John, 1900 61. The character of John, 1901 62. Shakespeare and Davenport, 1902 63. The pendulum of history in King John, 1903 64. The formlessness of King John, 1906 65. Shakespeare's dramatic development, 1907 66. On the religion of Shakespeare, 1907 67. Introduction to King John, 1907 68. King John and Richard II, 1907 69. The belittling of John, 1910 70. Constance and Shakespeare's shrewish wife, 1911 71. On treachery and 'Englishness', 1911 72. On John, Faulconbidge, and Constance, 1913 73. Shakespeare's use of The Troublesome Raigne, 1913 74. The artistic flaws of King John, 1913 75. On the Bastard, John and the play, 1919 Notes A Select Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Joseph Candido is Professor of English at the University of Arkansas, USA.