I completed a BA in theatre two decades ago, and this is one of the very few books on theatre that I've read since then -- and it was an utter joy. Prof. Moseley explains why a more in-depth understanding of Elizabethan attitudes and beliefs about cosmology, religion, community, politics, and language itself are essential to understanding these four plays in particular, and then proceeds to give the reader the gift of that deeper understanding in a very accessible way.

I picked up this book because I started watching the recent BBC production of "The Hollow Crown" and was utterly mystified -- and fascinated -- by the character of Richard II and his decision to hand over the crown to Henry Bolingbroke. This book helped me understand the characterization inherent in much of the language that I had simply accepted as "poetic" without understanding the deeper significance.

While this book focuses on "the Ricardian tetrology" (a designation I'd never heard before), I think it would be valuable to anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Shakespeare's cultural context, leading to a deeper appreciation of his art and the experience of reading or watching his plays.

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