Plays haven't always been classified according to the traditional genres of comedy, tragedy and history. The categorisation arose during the early seventeenth century when readers of Shakespeare's plays began to view them in terms of their similarities as well as their distinctions.

In this seminar, Cambridge University Press author Susan Snyder outlines the three genres of comedy, tragedy and history. Based on one chapter from the The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare, the seminar categorises the major work of Shakespeare in each genre. Drawing on traditions stretching back to classical times, she shows how the divisions were shaped and styled. The author offers an explanation of the role Shakespeare played in developing each genre, and shows how the categories of comedy, tragedy and history evolved and blended.

Students will obviously benefit most from this seminar by reading it conjunction with other chapters from The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare, which is available through Fathom.

• Describe the generic characteristics of Shakespeare's plays.
• Recognise the defining features of the genres of comedy, tragedy and history.
• List the major work which contributed to the development of each genre.
• Describe the boundaries and relationships between the genres.

This book offers a comprehensive, readable and authoritative introduction to the study of Shakespeare, by means of nineteen newly commissioned essays. An international team of prominent scholars provide a broadly cultural approach to the chief literary, performative and historical aspects of Shakespeare{A146}s work. They bring the latest scholarship to bear on traditional subjects of Shakespeare study, such as biography, the transmission of the texts, the main dramatic and poetic genres, the stage in Shakespeare{A146}s time and the history of criticism and performance. In addition, authors engage with more recently defined topics: gender and sexuality, Shakespeare on film, the presence of foreigners in Shakespeare{A146}s England and his impact on other cultures. Helpful reference features include chronologies of the life and works, illustrations, detailed reading lists and a bibliographical essay.

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