Edward III is a major addition to the Shakespearean canon, being
included for the first time in an authoritative edition of Shakespeare's
works. Melchiori claims that Shakespeare is the author of a significant
part of the play, the extent of which is discussed in detail. The
introduction explores the play's historical background and its
relationship to the early cycle of history plays. The commentary
examines in depth the play's linguistic and poetical features, while an
extensive appendix on the use of sources explains the stages of its
composition.