Voices of Shakespeare's England: Contemporary Accounts of Elizabethan Daily Life

(Hardback)

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Description

Voices of Shakespeare's England offers students and public library patrons over 50 primary documents that illuminate the character, personalities, and events of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Voices of Shakespeare's England: Contemporary Accounts of Elizabethan Daily Life helps readers explore the era that produced, among other things, the world's greatest playwright. It brings together excerpts from over 50 primary documents written in William Shakespeare's lifetime, including letters, literature, speeches and polemics, official reports, and descriptive narratives. Voices of Shakespeare's England includes the works of Shakespeare himself, as well as other poets and playwrights, but it also expands beyond the literary world to cover politics, religion, economics, social change, and the royal court. By allowing Shakespeare's contemporaries to speak in their own voices, it offers an illuminating look at the breadth of Elizabethan society, including major historic events in England as well as Scotland, Ireland, the European continent, and even the new world of America.

Reviews

. . .unique because it not only presents original documents but also teaches high-school students, undergraduates, and general readers how to read and interpret the documents. . . . Voices of Shakespeare's England is an outstanding reference book that will be very helpful to anyone researching the era. Teachers will find the work useful in teaching students how to read and understand primary documents. Recommended for high-school, college, and public libraries. * Booklist *
This valuable volume comprises excerpts from and analysis of 51 documentsfrom letters and diaries to public records and polemicsproviding a detailed look into the era. . . . Excellent for large libraries. * School Library Journal *

Author Bio

John A. Wagner, PhD, has taught British and U.S. history at Phoenix College and Arizona State University.