Shakespeare belonged to a talented and influential group of writers, poets and dramatists, all of whom are illustrated throughout with portraits, engravings and documents, showing how these writers saw themselves, and how Elizabethan society valued literary talent as well

This book is an account of a public seminar held in honour of Jan Kott's influential study, Shakespeare Our Contemporary. Attracting international contributors, the seminar focused on the relevance of her study for Shakespearian theatre today.

This Companion is devoted to the life and works of Shakespeare and contemporary playwrights in early modern London.