Available in paperback for the first time, this comprehensive coursebook surveys the vast history of European drama from Greek tragedy to twentieth century theatre. Erika Fischer-Lichte marshals a wealth of source material, combining readings of important dramatic works, detailed historical background and information on contemporary social and aesthetic developments. The work's central theme is the different concepts of identity represented by drama throughout the ages, whether political, religious, national, ethnic, class-related, gendered or individual. Topics covered include: ancient Greek theatre Shakespeare and Elizabethan theatre by Corneilli, Racine, Moliere the Italian commedia dell'arte and its transformations into eighteenth century drama the German Enlightenment - Lessing, Schiller, Goethe, and Lenz Romanticism by Kleist, Byron, Shelley, Hugo, de Vigny, Musset, Buchner, and Nestroy the turn of the century - Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov, Stanislavski the twentieth century - Craig, Meyerhold, Artaud, O'Neill, Pirandello, Brecht, Beckett, Mnller. This will be an invaluable resource for students on History of Theatre and Drama courses.