Shakespeare: A Study Guide summarizes and analyzes the plays and poems of William Shakespeare. It lists themes, describes characters, identifies figures of speech and allusions, discusses writing techniques, and provides a wealth of other background information. What caused the feud between the families of Romeo and Juliet? Why didn�t Hamlet succeed to the thrones of Denmark after the murder of his father? What do the witches in Macbeth mean whey they say �fair is foul and foul is fair�? This guide answers all those questions. It also discusses in detail the format and meaning of Shakespeare�s sonnets and other poems.
After teaching English in public schools, Michael J. Cummings entered journalism in 1968, serving as a reporter, news editor, editorial writer, and managing editor of a national publication. In 1984, he became a freelance writer, publishing several thousand articles over the next two decades. While freelancing, Cummings also began teaching college English part time. Over the years, he has maintained a passionate interest n Shakespeare, reading and analyzing his complete works. To share his knowledge, he developed a free web site, Shakespeare, as a study guide. Its success led to publication of this book as a guide for students.