William Shakespeare: The History PlaysTwayne Publishers, 1992 - 192 pagini Though the acceptance of William Shakespeare as the primary author of the western canon is now a cultural fact, the Renaissance theatergoer could not have known with certainty that such a skilled chronicler of history would come to hold such a mighty place in that history himself. Recognized as the preeminent playwright and poet of England, Shakespeare spent the first third of his career dramatizing the exploits of past rulers of the kingdom. The enduring influence of Shakespeare is manifest in the continued staging of these history plays, which first came into vogue thanks to the post-Armada nationalism that swept Tudor England. Through historical dramas such as Henry IV and Richard III, Shakespeare addressed the political, social, and religious needs of an entire nation. In William Shakespeare: The History Plays, E. Pearlman provides an indispensable tool for identifying the source of the timeless excitement provided by Shakespeare's historical plays. Pearlman offers a discussion of the tradition of history plays in Renaissance England, cogently discussing Shakespeare's plays in the context of this genre. He makes it clear to the reader that however timeless the appeal of Shakespeare, he was also distinctly a man of his own age, contemporary minded and concerned with current events. This remarkable study contends that Shakespeare developed his own theories about kingship and succession to rule during the contemporary debates concerning republicanism versus monarchism. Pearlman usefully tailors his discussion in the unprecedented manner of approaching Shakespeare's work chronologically by reign of king to better illustrate genealogy and evolving political thought. He thereby opens upstartling new insights into the technique and ideological maturation of this literary master. Both first time readers and those already well acquainted with the seductive verse of Shakespeare will benefit from the wealth of information provided by this commentary, which includes a chronology and bibliography clear enough to ground the beginning student and thorough enough to satisfy the advanced scholar. |
Termeni și expresii frecvente
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Referințe la această carte
The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare's History Plays Michael Hattaway Previzualizare limitată - 2002 |