Early Shakespeare, 1588–1594

Early Shakespeare, 1588?1594 draws together leading scholars of text, performance, and theatre history to offer a rigorous re-appraisal of Shakespeare's early career. The contributors offer rich new critical insights into the theatrical and poetic context in which Shakespeare first wrote and his emergence as an author of note, while challenging traditional readings of his beginnings in the burgeoning theatre industry. Shakespeare's earliest works are treated on their own merit and in their own time without looking forward to Shakespeare's later achievements; contributors situate Shakespeare, in his twenties, in a very specific time, place, and cultural moment. The volume features essays about Shakespeare's early style, characterisation, and dramaturgy, together with analysis of his early co-authors, rivals, and influences (including Lyly, Spenser and Marlowe). This collection provides essential entry points to, and original readings of, the poet-dramatist's earliest extant writings and shines new light on his first activities as a professional author.

Introduction. Beginning with Shakespeare Rory Loughnane and Andrew J. Power; 1. Shakespeare and the idea of early authorship Rory Loughnane; 2. Collaboration and Shakespeare's early career Will Sharpe; 3. The language and style of early Shakespeare Goran Stanivokuvic; 4. Shakespeare's early verse style: Titus Andronicus, Venus and Adonis, Arden of Faversham MacDonald P. Jackson; 5. Early Shakespeare, Chaucer, and narrative theory: Arden of Faversham and (the) Franklin's Tale Laurie Maguire; 6. Poetry, counsel and coercion in Shakespeare's early history plays Harriet Archer; 7. John Lyly and Shakespeare's early career Andy Kesson; 8. Spenser and Shakespeare: bards of a feather? Willy Maley; 9. Arden of Faversham, Richard Burbage, and the early Shakespeare canon Terri Bourus; 10. Boy parts in early Shakespeare Andrew J. Power; 11. The origins of Richard Duke of York John Jowett; 12. Early Shakespeare and the authorship of The Taming of the Shrew John V. Nance; 13. Who read what when? Gary Taylor; Appendices; Select bibliography; Index.

Rory Loughnane is Senior Lecturer in Early Modern Studies at the University of Kent. Recent studies include The Memory Arts in Renaissance England (Cambridge, 2016). He is an Associate Editor of the New Oxford Shakespeare, editor of the Works of Cyril Tourneur for Revels Plays, and General Editor of the forthcoming Oxford Marlowe.
Andrew J. Power is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. He is the editor of Late Shakespeare, 1608–1613 (2012) and of The Yearbook of English Studies (2014) special issue on 'Caroline Literature'. His forthcoming monograph is entitled Stages of Madness: Sin, Sickness and Seneca in Shakespearean Drama.