Reviews the background, contexts, themes, dramatic art, critical reception, and performance history of Shakespeare's play. "Twelfth Night" is one of the most accessible yet elusive of Shakespeare's plays. It has enjoyed enormous popularity in performance, but it continues to challenge students. It has experienced numerous revivals and has provoked some of the most brilliant critical responses from Shakespeare's critics. Written for students and general readers, this guide is a comprehensive introduction to Shakespeare's play. The volume begins with a look at the play's textual history. This is followed by an exploration of its historical and cultural contexts and its sources and analogues. The book next turns to Shakespeare's dramatic art and then examines his themes of identity, sexuality, and madness. The final chapters look at the critical response to the play and give special attention to the play's performance history. The guide closes with a bibliography. Part of the "Greenwood Guides to Shakespeare" series, this book overviews the play's textual history and background. It explores the play's historical and cultural contexts, and discusses the play's themes and dramatic art. It also reviews the play's critical and scholarly reception and surveys the play's performance history.