The law is a central theme in many of Shakespeare's plays and every play in the canon makes reference to legality or justice. Indeed, Shakespeare's use of legal language throughout his work shows he was clearly familiar with legal terminology and he shows considerable interest in the capacity of legal language to convey matters of social, moral, and intellectual substance. This encyclopedia-style dictionary explores early modern social life, legal thought, and the interaction of these within Shakespearean drama. Entries include: 'bond', 'divorce', 'impediments', 'slander', 'perpetuity', 'precedent', 'statute', 'treason', 'usury'.

Author Biography

B. J. Sokol is Professor at Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK Mary Sokol is Honorary Research Fellow withThe Bentham Project at University College London, UK. She is a qualified lawyer and the co-author of Shakespeare, Law and Marriage (CUP).