The Penguin Shakespeare Dictionary

The Penguin Shakespeare Dictionary is the ideal one-stop reference for students, scholars, play and movie-goers, and general readers who want to know more about Shakespeare's life and works. Organized in an easily-accessible A-to-Z form and making full use of the latest findings of scholars, it covers all the plays, sonnets, and narrative poems, including detailed plot summaries and accompanying critical discussion, information on relevant literary and historical figures, and the staging of Shakespeare's plays from Elizabethan times to the present. With an annotated bibliography and introductory essays on Shakespeare and on theater and play production in his time, The Penguin Shakespeare Dictionary is an indispensable reference to the most celebrated figure in world literature—a man whose words and phrases have become a part of our vocabulary.

The Penguin Shakespeare Dictionary contains over 1,000 entries listed alphabetically; a full lot synopsis of each play, list of characters, notes on the text and sources used by Shakespeare; a separate detailed entry for each character; entries on the major directors, actors, theatres and theatre companies associated with Shakespeare from Elizabethan times to the present day; an extensive bibliography; and an additional section of essays on the life of Shakespeare and on theatre and play production in his time.. "Aimed at the theatre-goer, student or general reader, this reference work will expand your enjoyment and understanding of the greatest playwright of the English language.

The author of many books on Shakespeare and English literature, Sandra Clark is a professor at Birbeck College, University of London.