Comprising dozens of primary source documents, this book explores Early Modern historical issues reflected in four of the Bard's most commonly taught: Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, and Macbeth. Documents relating to Romeo and Juliet deal with subjects such as dueling, breast-feeding, and the Black Plague; those for Julius Caesar address the influence of Roman culture on Renaissance England; the nature of monarchy; and warfare in Renaissance England. The backdrop for Hamlet includes the nature of spirits; heaven, hell, and purgatory; the history of revenge tragedy beginning with ancient Greece; and debates over the theater in Shakespeare's time. Macbeth brings the reader into the reign of King James and examines ongoing debates over the dangers of witchcraft; the crime of the century, the Gunpowder Plot of 1605; and the curse
that has plagued productions of the Scottish Play since its premiere.