Page "Edward III (play)" Paragraph 51

In recent years, professional Shakespeare scholars have increasingly reviewed the work with a new eye, and have concluded that some passages are as sophisticated as any of Shakespeare's early histories, especially King John and the Henry VI plays.

In addition, passages in the play are direct quotes from Shakespeare's sonnets.

Stylistic analysis has also produced evidence that at least some scenes were written by Shakespeare.

In the Textual Companion to the Oxford Complete Works of Shakespeare, Gary Taylor states that " of all the non-canonical plays, III has the strongest claim to inclusion in the Complete Works " ( the play was subsequently edited by William Montgomery and included in the second edition of the Oxford Complete Works, 2005 ).

The first major publishing house to produce an edition of the play was Cambridge University Press as part of its New Cambridge Shakespeare series.

Since then, an edition of the Riverside Shakespeare has included the play, and plans are afoot for the Arden Shakespeare and Oxford Shakespeare series to publish editions.

Giorgio Melchiori, editor of the New Cambridge edition, asserts that the play's disappearance from the canon is probably due to a 1598 protest at the play's portrayal of the Scottish.

According to Melchiori, scholars have often assumed that this play, the title of which was not stated in the letter of 15 April 1598 from George Nicolson ( Elizabeth I's Edinburgh agent ) to Lord Burghley noting the public unrest, was a comedy ( one that does not survive ), but the play's portrayal of Scots is so virulent that it is likely that the play was, officially or unofficially, banned, and left forgotten by Heminges and Condell.

( Melchiori, 12 – 13 )