Introduction -- Introduction to the new edition -- 1. Commentary on King John, 1790 -- 2. Response to Malone, 1792 -- 3. Response to Malone, 1793 -- 4. On the date of King John, 1799 -- 5. Character and Characterization, 1808 -- 6. Personality and Politics, 1815 -- 7. Shakespeare's art of characterization, 1817 -- 8. History and Character, 1817 -- 9. Prefatory remarks on King John, 1819 -- 10. The Troublesome Raigne and King John, 1824 -- 11. Introduction to King John, 1826 -- 12. Prefatory remarks on King John, 1826 -- 13. Sarah Siddons as Constance, 1827 -- 14. The character of Constance, 1832 -- 15. Sarah Siddons on Constance, 1834 -- 16. General remarks on King John, 1838 -- 17. King John and history, 1838 -- 18. The Pictorial Edition of King John, 1838 -- 19. The female roles in King John, 1843 -- 20. Editorial corrections in King John, 1845 21. 'History', church and state in King John, 1846 -- 22. Critical remarks on King John, 1847 -- 23. Critical notes on King John, 1851 -- 24. History, art and character in King John, 1852 -- 25. Introduction to King John, 1852 -- 26. History and character, 1855 -- 27. King John and nationalism, 1856 -- 28. The madness of Constance, 1859 -- 29. Background and critical notes to King John, 1859 -- 30. Characterization, craft, and the philosophy of war, 1863 -- 31. Politics, ethics and character, 1863 -- 32. The politics of national interest, 1865 -- 33. The transcendent sorrow of Constance, 1868 -- 34. National interest and personal loyalty, 1871 -- 35. King John and contemporary politics, 1874 -- 36. The baseness of John, 1875 -- 37. Shakespeare's art of characterization, 1875-6 -- 38. Constance and the nature of woman, 1876 -- 39. King John, Richard III, and character, 1877 -- 40. The theme of nationality, 1877 -- 41. King John and Roman Catholicism, 1877 -- 42. Literary and historical background to King John, 1878 -- 43. Shakespeare's adaptation of The Troublesome Raigne, 1878 -- 44. High praise for King John, 1879 -- 45. On Pandulph and history, 1887 -- 46. On commodity, 1887 -- 47. A balanced assessment of King John, 1888 -- 48. On Constance and Arthur, 1889 -- 49. Kingship, personality, and the human condition, 1889 -- 50. The artistic excellence of King John, 1890 -- 51. The Troublesome Raigne and King John, 1892 -- 52. On Constance, Elinor and Blanch, 1894 -- 53. Historical character and dramatic character, 1894 -- 54. The oddities of King John, 1894 -- 55. On the principal characters, 1896 -- 56. Shakespeare's uneven artistry, 1898 -- 57. Shakespeare's Roman Catholicism, 1899 -- 58. Shakespeare's maturing artistry, 1899 -- 59. King John as a transitional play, 1900 -- 60. Weaknesses and strengths of King John, 1900 -- 61. The character of John, 1901 -- 62. Shakespeare and Davenport, 1902 -- 63. The pendulum of history in King John, 1903 -- 64. The formlessness of King John, 1906 -- 65. Shakespeare's dramatic development, 1907 -- 66. On the religion of Shakespeare, 1907 -- 67. Introduction to King John, 1907 -- 68. King John and Richard II, 1907 -- 69. The belittling of John, 1910 -- 70. Constance and Shakespeare's shrewish wife, 1911 -- 71. On treachery and ''Englishness', 1911 -- 72. On John, Faulconbidge, and Constance, 1913 -- 73. Shakespeare's use of The Troublesome Raigne, 1913 -- 74. The artistic flaws of King John, 1913 -- 75. On the Bastard, John and the play, 1919 -- Notes -- A Select Bibliography -- Index.
