Arguably Shakespeare's most famous play, Hamlet is studied widely at universities internationally. Approaching the play through an analysis of its key characters is particularly useful as there are few plays which have commanded so much critical attention in relation to "character" as Hamlet. The guide includes: an introductory overview of the text, including a brief discussion of the background to the play including its sources, reception and critical tradition; an overview of the narrative structure; chapters discussing in detail the representation of the key characters including Hamlet, Gertrude and Ophelia as well as the more minor characters; a conclusion reminding students of the links between the characters and the key themes and issues and a guide to further reading.

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (1899) is one of the most important literary works of the early twentieth century. It has provoked much critical debate, on issues such as fin de siècle doubt and pessimism, European colonialism, racism, and misogyny. Engaging with the novel's characters is crucial to understanding its complexity and its criticalhistory.This study includes: an overview of the novel, including an account of its late nineteenthcentury context discussions of the narrative structure and the narrators; chapters analyzing in detail the key characters in relation to the text's themes, issues and historical context; engagement with a range of literary criticism and theory; a conclusion reminding students of the potential of detailed character analysis and close critical reading; a guide to secondary texts and a comprehensive bibliography.

"Othello" is a major Shakespearean text, studied widely and often adapted for film and TV and especially challenging for a multicultural society. "Othello" lends itself to criticism through discussion of the major characters although this study will also focus on recent criticism's analysis of the characters as 'signifiers'. The study of the key characters takes the discussion of the text immediately into the central issues of 'otherness', gender, race and power. The guide includes: an introductory overview of the text, including a brief discussion of the background to the play including its publishing and reception history; an overview of the narrative structure; chapters discussing in detail the representation of the key characters including Othello, Iago and Desdemona as well as the more minor characters; a conclusion reminding students of the links between the characters and the key themes and issues and a guide to further reading."Character Studies" aims to promote sophisticated literary analysis through the concept of character.It demonstrates the necessity of linking character analysis to texts' themes, issues and ideas, and encourages students to embrace the complexity of literary characters and the texts in which they appear. The series thus fosters close critical reading and evidence-based discussion, as well as an engagement with historical context, and with literary criticism and theory.