King John

King John, a history play by William Shakespeare, dramatises the reign of John, King of England (ruled 1199–1216), son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and father of Henry III of England. It is believed to have been written in the mid-1590s but was not published until it appeared in the First Folio in 1623.

Edited by the eminent A.R. Braunmuller, this thorough edition of King John–the first scholarly edition in almost fifteen years–makes a significant contribution to the study of Shakespeare’s works. Braunmuller offers a wide-ranging critical introduction, which focuses on the play’s political relevance in Elizabethan England, its relationship to legal issues of the day, its treatment of women and families, and its overall aesthetic importance in Shakespeare’s early career. He also provides a richly detailed stage history, full annotations that are especially sensitive to the play’s language and staging, and an ample bibliographical study of the Folio (1623) text. The most comprehensive and up-to-date edition of King John currently available, this book is an invaluable resource for Shakespearean scholars, students, and theatergoers alike.