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Critical Approaches

The depth and diversity of Shakespeare's writing lends itself to a range of critical approaches. Explore his plays through the eyes of feminism, race or political ideology and improve your critical understanding of Shakespeare.
Introducing Women in Shakespeare
Discover how women are presented in Shakespeare's plays and what this says about the Bard's view of women and their status in Elizabethan and Jacobean society.
Types of Female Characters in Shakespeare
This guide looks at the most common types of female characters in Shakespeare's plays from the "bawdy woman" to the "scheming femme fatal"
Introducing Critical Approaches
A great introduction to the range of critical approaches possible in your study of Shakespeare. This slideshow is condensed from Michael Ryan's book, Literary Theory: A Practical Introduction.
Shakespeare and Feminism
What is Shakespeare saying about women? These notes guide you through how to make a feminist reading of Shakespeare's plays.
Shakespeare and Marxism
Is it really possible to make a Marxist interpretation of Shakespeare's plays? If you contextualize his work with the political situation in Elizabethan and Jacobean England, his revolutionary streak soon shines through.

Explore Shakespeare

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