King Richard II in the Arden Third Series presents a densely annotated, scholarship-driven reading of Shakespeare’s history play. Editor Forker places the drama within its political and theatrical contexts, offering close attention to how power, legitimacy and monarchy are staged.

The volume traces why Shakespeare selected particular sources, how the play encountered censorship amid comparisons with Elizabeth I, and how Bolingbroke’s rebellion resonated with contemporary uprisings. Essays foreground competing theories of kingship and the play’s shifting political meanings.

Practical for students, actors and scholars, the edition also surveys performance history and interpretive traditions, showing how language, character and structure serve political effect.

Key features

• Comprehensive annotations and textual notes
• Contextual essays on politics and censorship
• Source analysis and editorial commentary
• Discussion of performance and interpretive history

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