For students and general readers, Hall (writing, U. of Colorado-Boulder) summarizes the critical debate and the spectrum of interpretations and theatrical responses to one of the Shakespeare's best loved but in many ways less accessible plays. She considers the textual history; 17th-century contexts including gender and race issues; literary sources; the mixture of tragedy, history, comedy, and irony; the sharply delineated supporting characters the two protagonists; themes such as the conflict between love and leadership; critical approaches; and the play in performance. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)