Shakespeare's 'Whores' studies each use of the word 'whore' in Shakespeare's canon, focusing especially on the positive personal and social effects of female sexuality, as represented in several major female characters, from the goddess Venus, to the queen Cleopatra, to the cross-dressing Rosalind, and many others.

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: 'Am I that name'? 2. 'Made to write 'whore' upon?': Male and Female Use of the Word 'Whore' 3. 'Enough to make a whore forswear her trade': Prostitution as Woman's 'Oldest Profession' 4. The Heroic Tragedy of Cleopatra, the 'Prostitute Queen' 5. Female Erotic Passion: Toward Sex As You Like It 6. Venus: Mother of All 'Whores' 7. Stripping Shakespeare's 'Whores' Bibliography Index

Kay Stanton is Professor of English at California State University, Fullerton, USA. A Shakespeare specialist, she has presented papers at over 90 professional conferences, in 12 countries, and has authored over 30 articles and book chapters, published in leading reference works such as The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare and A Feminist Companion to Shakespeare.