Shakespeare's history plays have been performed more in recent years than ever before, in Britain, North America, and in Europe. This volume provides an accessible, wide-ranging and informed introduction to Shakespeare's history and Roman plays. It offers chapters on the individual plays as well as accounts of the genre of the history play, of Renaissance theories of history, and of masques and pageants. There are also comparisons with other European history plays, and an account of women's roles, as well as genealogical tables and a list of principal and recurrent characters.