Richard II

Crowned as a child, Richard II only knows power. The Kings court tire of his fickle, greedy reign, but it is only when he exiles his own cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, and attempts to steal his inheritance that they are pushed to act. What follows threatens Richards crown and with it his sense of self. Shakespeares most tragic history play uses the rich and messy familial web of monarchy to explore what it means to crave power, to hold it, to fight to take it, and to lose it. Richard II is Shakespeares most human and tragic history play, a story about the ways power distorts a rulers sense of self.

The New Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative editions of Shakespeares works with introductory materials designed to encourage new interpretations of the plays and poems. Using the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works: Modern Critical Edition, these volumes offer readers the latest thinking on the authentic texts (collated from all surviving original versions of Shakespeares work) alongside innovative introductions from leading scholars. The texts are accompanied by a comprehensive set of critical apparatus to give readers the best resources to help understand and enjoy Shakespeares work.