For Dr. Brackshaw, this book has been a life-long labor of love that began in 1966 when he was first introduced to Shakespeare's work.  From that moment, these plays spoke to him in a way that no other literature could.  After writing a dissertation on the tragedies and earning a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, he taught at several eastern and mid-western colleges and universities.  This book is the culmination of those years of teaching, researching, and learning about the rich insights available in the major plays.  He is pictured here with his wife, Maureen.