• List of illustrations; Foreword Sir Keith Thomas; Preface; Part I. Introduction: Festivity During the Elizabethan Age: 1. Festivity and popular beliefs in the Elizabethan age; 2. Festivity and society in Shakespeare's time; 3. The calendar; 4. The cycle of calendary festivals; 5. The non-calendary festivals; Part II. Introduction: Some Anthropological and Historical Perspectives on Literary Analysis: 6. Festivity and dramatic structure: methodological problems; 7. Festivity and time in Shakespeare's plays; 8. Festivity and society in Shakespeare's plays; 9. Festivity and its images in Shakespeare's plays; 10. Othello and the festive traditions; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Appendix I: Calendars; Appendix II: Iconography; Index.

'French scholarship teaches us ample European perspectives for Shakespeare's Renaissance art, and Francois Laroque has the rare ability to move gracefully between the ritual history of theatre and the fine detail of the plays.' Philip Brockbank

• List of illustrations; Foreword Sir Keith Thomas; Preface; Part I. Introduction: Festivity During the Elizabethan Age: 1. Festivity and popular beliefs in the Elizabethan age; 2. Festivity and society in Shakespeare's time; 3. The calendar; 4. The cycle of calendary festivals; 5. The non-calendary festivals; Part II. Introduction: Some Anthropological and Historical Perspectives on Literary Analysis: 6. Festivity and dramatic structure: methodological problems; 7. Festivity and time in Shakespeare's plays; 8. Festivity and society in Shakespeare's plays; 9. Festivity and its images in Shakespeare's plays; 10. Othello and the festive traditions; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Appendix I: Calendars; Appendix II: Iconography; Index.

'French scholarship teaches us ample European perspectives for Shakespeare's Renaissance art, and Francois Laroque has the rare ability to move gracefully between the ritual history of theatre and the fine detail of the plays.' Philip Brockbank

• List of illustrations; Foreword Sir Keith Thomas; Preface; Part I. Introduction: Festivity During the Elizabethan Age: 1. Festivity and popular beliefs in the Elizabethan age; 2. Festivity and society in Shakespeare's time; 3. The calendar; 4. The cycle of calendary festivals; 5. The non-calendary festivals; Part II. Introduction: Some Anthropological and Historical Perspectives on Literary Analysis: 6. Festivity and dramatic structure: methodological problems; 7. Festivity and time in Shakespeare's plays; 8. Festivity and society in Shakespeare's plays; 9. Festivity and its images in Shakespeare's plays; 10. Othello and the festive traditions; Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Appendix I: Calendars; Appendix II: Iconography; Index.

'French scholarship teaches us ample European perspectives for Shakespeare's Renaissance art, and Francois Laroque has the rare ability to move gracefully between the ritual history of theatre and the fine detail of the plays.' Philip Brockbank