The History of King Lear: The Oxford Shakespeare : Paperback : Oxford University Press : 9780199535828 : 0199535825 : 01 Sep 2008 : This new edition is based on the quarto, the version closest to the original manuscript. The introduction illminates the plays\' origins and practicalities of composition, its reception and influence. Detailed notes pay especial attention to language and staging, and the volume includes King Lear\'s first derivative, a contemporary ballad, and guides to appreciation of the play and its multiple offshoots.