Shakespeare and South Africa is a lively and topical study of the teaching and criticism of Shakespeare in South Africa from the early nineteenth century to the present day. David Johnson's work makes a valuable contribution to the well-established historical and theoretical debates focused on the colonial and neo-colonial use of Shakespeare.

Johnson's wide range of source materials - including old Cape Department of Education examination papers and exam reports, as well as newspaper articles and essays - provides detailed and original research into the formulation of a literary education policy in South Africa. The perceptive insights into pedagogical and cultural issues in the South African colonial 'periphery' make for fascinating reading, and a significant resource for Southern African cultural studies.