Introduction. Beginning with Shakespeare Rory Loughnane and Andrew J. Power; 1. Shakespeare and the idea of early authorship Rory Loughnane; 2. Collaboration and Shakespeare's early career Will Sharpe; 3. The language and style of early Shakespeare Goran Stanivokuvic; 4. Shakespeare's early verse style: Titus Andronicus, Venus and Adonis, Arden of Faversham MacDonald P. Jackson; 5. Early Shakespeare, Chaucer, and narrative theory: Arden of Faversham and (the) Franklin's Tale Laurie Maguire; 6. Poetry, counsel and coercion in Shakespeare's early history plays Harriet Archer; 7. John Lyly and Shakespeare's early career Andy Kesson; 8. Spenser and Shakespeare: bards of a feather? Willy Maley; 9. Arden of Faversham, Richard Burbage, and the early Shakespeare canon Terri Bourus; 10. Boy parts in early Shakespeare Andrew J. Power; 11. The origins of Richard Duke of York John Jowett; 12. Early Shakespeare and the authorship of The Taming of the Shrew John V. Nance; 13. Who read what when? Gary Taylor; Appendices; Select bibliography; Index.