From Shakespeare to Obama : A Study in Language, Slavery and Place

From Shakespeare to Obama discusses language, slavery, and place from the Portuguese enslavement of African people, through slavery in Shakespeare's plays, to President Obama's 2012 speech on "modern slavery." Balancing close reading with context, this expansive book offers new insight into questions of otherness, rhetoric, and stereotyping. Front Matter....Pages i-xv Introduction....Pages 1-5 Representing Slaves....Pages 7-28 Shakespeare’s Sonnets....Pages 29-42 Dramatic Time in Shakespeare’s History....Pages 43-71 Walter Ralegh, England, America and the World....Pages 73-89 Vision....Pages 91-112 Theory....Pages 113-126 Eco, Story and History....Pages 127-138 Vassanji, Africa and America....Pages 139-158 Obama, America and Africa....Pages 159-184 Obama and Slavery....Pages 185-206 Conclusion....Pages 207-212 Back Matter....Pages 213-255 "From Shakespeare to Obama" discusses language, slavery, and place from the Portuguese enslavement of African people, through the public and private in Shakespeare's poems and plays, to President Obama's 2012 speech on "modern slavery." Balancing close reading with context, Jonathan Hart offers new insight into questions of otherness, rhetoric, and stereotyping. Ultimately, this expansive book contributes to the ongoing study of the relation between history and literature