Postcolonial Shakespeares is an exciting step forward in the dialogue between postcolonial studies and Shakespearean criticism. This unique volume features original work by some of the leading critics within the growing field of Shakespeare studies and is the most authoritative collection on this topic to date. This study explores: * the colonial and racial discourses emerging in early modern Britain * how the Shakespearean text later became a colonial battlefield * how Shakespeare circulates in our post- and neo-colonial world today This collection of new essays traces the connections between early modern and contemporary vocabularies of colonization, 'race' and nationhood.