The Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative texts from leading scholars in editions designed to interpret and illuminate the plays for modern readers — a new, modern-spelling text, based on the Quarto text of 1608 — on-page commentary and notes explain meaning, staging, allusions and much else — detailed introduction considers composition, sources, performances and changing critical attitudes to the play — illustrated with production photographs and related art — includes 'The Ballad of King Lear' and related offshoots — full index to introduction and commentary — durable sewn binding for lasting use 'not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship.'