King Lear – Cambridge School Shakespeare | Cambridge University Press

This edition of Shakespeare’s towering tragedy is part of the acclaimed Cambridge School Shakespeare series, built on the Rex Gibson active approach — a methodology that enables students to inhabit Shakespeare’s imaginative world in accessible and creative ways, sharing his love of language, interest in character, and sense of theatre.

Substantially revised and extended, this edition brings King Lear to life through structured activities, rich visual material, and comprehensive study support.

What This Edition Includes

• Thematically organised classroom activities — activities structured around distinctive Stagecraft, Write about it, Language in the play, Characters, and Themes features to support active engagement with the text
• Expanded endnotes with essay-writing guidance — extensive guidance for writing essays on King Lear and Shakespeare more broadly
• Extended glossaries — aligned with the play text for easy reference, helping students understand Shakespeare’s language in context
• Rich colour photos of global performances — exciting full-colour photographs of productions of King Lear from around the world, bringing the play’s theatrical life to the classroom

Benefits for Students

• Accessible and creative engagement — the active approach makes Shakespeare approachable and enjoyable for all students, not just confident readers
• Deeper understanding — structured activities develop genuine understanding of language, character, and theme rather than passive reading
• Exam readiness — essay-writing guidance and extended glossaries prepare students for assessments and examinations
• A trusted classroom resource — the Cambridge School Shakespeare series is used in schools worldwide and is a trusted companion for English literature study

King Lear is one of Shakespeare’s most profound and emotionally powerful tragedies — and this edition gives every student the tools to explore its themes of power, family, loyalty, and madness with confidence and depth.

Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9781107615380