Lady Macbeth in America: From the Stage to the White House (Palgrave Studies in Theatre and Performance History)

Lady Macbeth Has Haunted American History Since The Conflicts Of Shakespeare's England Spilled Over Into New England's Real Witch Hunts. To Reveal How Lady Macbeth Entered American Politics As An Icon For The First Lady, This Investigation Focuses On The Prominent Actresses In The Role, How They Performed, And Their Effect On Audiences Anxious About The Country's First Lady And Her Influence Over The President - Especially At Times Of War. Smith Ably Shows How The Various Lady Macbeths Have Both Reflected And Shaped The Image Their Contemporaries Have Of The Ambitious Political Wife, Producing Parallels That Converge Dramatically In Twentieth-century Witch Hunts. Lady Macbeth In The White House -- From Shakespeare's Stage To America's -- Politicianess -- Playing For Revolutionaries -- Yankee -- Hellcat -- Innocent Flower And Serpent Within -- Vampira -- Conclusion. Gay Smith. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [215]-226) And Index. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Previous Publications by the Author......Page 11 Introduction......Page 12 1 Lady Macbeth in the White House......Page 18 2 From Shakespeare's Stage to America's......Page 30 3 "Politicianess"......Page 54 4 Playing for Revolutionaries......Page 74 5 Yankee......Page 104 6 "Hellcat"......Page 126 7 "Innocent Flower" and "Serpent Within"......Page 148 8 Vampira......Page 170 Conclusion......Page 192 Notes......Page 198 Bibliography......Page 226 B......Page 238 C......Page 239 E......Page 241 G......Page 242 H......Page 243 K......Page 244 M......Page 245 R......Page 247 S......Page 248 V......Page 250 Y......Page 251 Lady Macbeth has haunted American history since the conflicts of Shakespeare s England spilled over into New England s real witch hunts. To reveal how Lady Macbeth entered American politics as an icon for the First Lady, this investigation focuses on the prominent actresses in the role, how they performed, and their effect on audiences anxious about the country s First Lady and her influence over the President - especially at times of war. Smith ably shows how the various Lady Macbeths have both reflected and shaped the image their contemporaries have of the ambitious political wife, producing parallels that converge dramatically in twentieth-century'witch hunts.' Cover 1 Contents 6 List of Illustrations 8 Acknowledgments 10 Previous Publications by the Author 11 Introduction 12 1 Lady Macbeth in the White House 18 2 From Shakespeare's Stage to America's 30 3 "Politicianess" 54 4 Playing for Revolutionaries 74 5 Yankee 104 6 "Hellcat" 126 7 "Innocent Flower" and "Serpent Within" 148 8 Vampira 170 Conclusion 192 Notes 198 Bibliography 226 Index 238 A 238 B 238 C 239 D 241 E 241 F 242 G 242 H 243 I 244 J 244 K 244 L 245 M 245 N 247 O 247 P 247 R 247 S 248 T 250 U 250 V 250 W 251 Y 251 9780230622883 Palgrave Macmillan