Shakespeare As a Challenge for Literary Biography: A History of Biographies of Shakespeare Since 1898

This book argues that, despite the quantity of writing and record searching, Shakespearean biographies remain curiously unsatisfactory, even contradictory and their subject remains elusive. Part 1 analyzes the problems faced by all literary biographers, but with special reference to Shakespeare. Part 2 - the heart of the book - provides a critical survey and appraisal of the many and varied Shakespearean 'lives' since 1898, seeking to provide vigorous, but constructive and scholarly comment. This critical analysis includes a chapter on 'heretical' lives. The author then questions six major biographers directly in Part 3, before offering his conclusions. End notes elaborate on points made, and citations are given for books, articles and scholarly journals, items in newspapers, personal correspondence, and material held in specialist archive collections.