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King Richard III

By William Shakespeare
Series: The Arden Shakespeare Fourth Series
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Brief Description
King Richard III provides a portrait of Shakespeare’s most enduring arch-villain, a man who plots against his brothers, nephews, friends, and the powerful women in his life, including Lady Anne, Queen Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth. This influential history play almost displaces the original historical figure it... Read More
Format: Hardback
$22000
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Releases 10th December 2026 (Approx. Date) Pre-order  "King Richard III" now to secure your copy from our first shipment

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A critical new edition of King Richard III by a leading Shakespeare scholar which explores the play’s textual, cultural and performance history and shares new insights into gender, sexuality and race.

A critical new edition of King Richard III by a leading Shakespeare scholar which explores the play’s textual, cultural and performance history and shares new insights into gender, sexuality and race.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

King Richard III provides a portrait of Shakespeare’s most enduring arch-villain, a man who plots against his brothers, nephews, friends, and the powerful women in his life, including Lady Anne, Queen Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth.

This influential history play almost displaces the original historical figure it represents as it traces Richard’s rise to the throne in 15th century England. Disability and masculine villainy characterise nearly all performances of Richard III, spotlighting early modern and contemporary prejudice about their equivalence. This edition challenges the centrality of Richard as an absolute villain who casts all others in his shadow, making space for the formidable women who oppose him.

Exploring overlooked sources of influence, from Tacitus to St Paul, witchcraft to racialisation, and the possibility of Queen Elizabeth I watching a courtly performance of Richard III, this edition highlights what endures and what transforms in a play about the ruthlessness of narcissistic despotism.

The Arden Shakespeare Fourth Series King Richard III provides:

  • A critical introduction to the play's textual, cultural, and performance history
  • An edition that reassesses the complex textual history of the Quarto and Folio texts
  • Detailed on-the-page notes explaining language, character, and performance
  • A clear page layout with an easy-to-read font and single-column notes
  • Images of relevant productions, paintings, and texts

The Arden Shakespeare Fourth Series includes a new edition of every Shakespeare play, the poems, and sonnets. Each volume is edited afresh by a leading scholar specialising in cutting-edge research on performance, gender, sexuality, and race. These editions cover everything you need to know as a student, teacher, researcher, theatre-maker, and performer of Shakespeare’s works today.

Series: The Arden Shakespeare Fourth Series

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  • King Richard III
    Pre-order
    King Richard III
    King Richard III provides a portrait of Shakespeare’s most enduring arch-villain, a man who plots against his brothers, nephews, friends and the powerful women in his life, including Lady Anne, Queen Margaret and Queen Elizabeth. This influential history play almost displaces the original historical figure it represents as it traces Richard’s rise to the throne in 15th century England. Disability...
    By William Shakespeare
    Paperback
    $2299
    Pre-order
    Out 10 Dec 2026
  • King Richard III
    Pre-order
    King Richard III
    King Richard III provides a portrait of Shakespeare’s most enduring arch-villain, a man who plots against his brothers, nephews, friends, and the powerful women in his life, including Lady Anne, Queen Margaret, and Queen Elizabeth. This influential history play almost displaces the original historical figure it represents as it traces Richard’s rise to the throne in 15th century England. Disability...
    By William Shakespeare
    Hardback
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    Out 10 Dec 2026
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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781350046740

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 December 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: The Arden Shakespeare

Illustration: 20 bw illus

Contributors:

  • Volume editor Professor Sonia Massai

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 0g

Pages: 432

Collections

Arts & Culture Classic Poetry Non-Fiction Non-Fiction Pre-Orders Pre-order Books Pre-orders Pre-orders by Release Date Series: The Arden Shakespeare Fourth Series William Shakespeare William Shakespeare

About the Author

Sonia Massai is Professor of Shakespeare Studies at King's College London, UK.

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