The Cambridge Introduction to Shakespeare (Cambridge Introductions to Literature)

This lively and innovative introduction to Shakespeare promotes active engagement with the plays, rather than recycling factual information. Covering a range of texts, it is divided into seven subject-based chapters: Character; Performance; Texts; Language; Structure; Sources and History, and it does not assume any prior knowledge. Instead, it develops ways of thinking and provides the reader with resources for independent research through the 'Where next?' sections at the end of each chapter. The book draws on up-to-date scholarship without being overwhelmed by it, and unlike other introductory guides to Shakespeare it emphasizes that there is space for new and fresh thinking by students and readers, even on the most-studied and familiar plays. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 4 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Tables......Page 10 Preface......Page 11 Juliet’s balcony, Verona......Page 13 Shakespeare’s realism?......Page 15 Shakespeare’s ‘unreal’ characters......Page 16 Reading Shakespeare’s characters on the page......Page 18 Embodying Shakespeare’s characters on stage......Page 19 Doubling on the early modern stage......Page 20 Writing for particular actors......Page 23 Naming and individuality......Page 24 Characters as individuals or as inter-relationships......Page 26 Character: interior or exterior?......Page 29 Character: where next?......Page 31 Measure for Measure: staging silence......Page 35 ‘Going back to the text’: the challenge of performance......Page 38 Performance interpretations: The Taming of the Shrew......Page 39 Topical performance: the plays in different theatrical contexts......Page 42 Citing performances......Page 44 Using film......Page 45 Using film comparatively: Macbeth......Page 47 Hamlet: ‘To be or not to be’......Page 51 Adaptations: Shakespearean enough?......Page 53 Performance: where next?......Page 54 Shakespeare’s hand......Page 58 So what did Shakespeare write?......Page 59 Stage to page......Page 60 Quartos and Folio......Page 61 Editing as interpretation......Page 62 The job of the editor: the example of Richard II......Page 65 Stage directions......Page 69 Speech prefixes......Page 72 The job of the editor: the example of King Lear......Page 73 Texts: where next?......Page 77 ‘In a double sense’ (Macbeth 5.7.50)......Page 83 Did anyone really talk like that?......Page 84 Playing with language......Page 89 Language of the play / language of the person......Page 91 Prose and verse......Page 93 Linguistic shifts: 1 Henry IV......Page 94 Shakespeare’s verse......Page 96 Linguistic variation: A Midsummer Night’s Dream......Page 97 Language: where next?......Page 99 Finding the heart of the play......Page 102 Shakespeare’s genres: dynamic, not static......Page 105 Tragedy and comedy......Page 106 Tragedy – expanding the genre......Page 107 Comedy – expanding the genre......Page 110 History: is this a fixed genre?......Page 113 Structuring scenes: Much Ado About Nothing......Page 115 Juxtaposing scenes, activating ironies: Henry V......Page 116 Showing v. telling......Page 118 Structure: where next?......Page 119 Tragedy......Page 120 Comedy......Page 121 Antony and Cleopatra and Plutarch......Page 125 Originality: was Shakespeare a plagiarist?......Page 128 Shakespeare at work: the intentional fallacy?......Page 130 The source bites back: Romeo and Juliet and The Winter’s Tale......Page 132 The strong poet? King Lear......Page 139 Sources: where next?......Page 143 Politic picklocks: interpreting topically......Page 146 History plays: political Shakespeare?......Page 148 History plays: Shakespeare as propagandist?......Page 150 Hamlet as history play?......Page 152 Jacobean patronage: King Lear and Macbeth......Page 154 Historical specificity: gender roles......Page 156 Race and Othello......Page 160 History: where next?......Page 165 Bibliography......Page 169 Index......Page 174 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series-title 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Figures and tables 10 Figures 10 Tables 10 Preface 11 Chapter 1 Character 13 Juliet’s balcony, Verona 13 Shakespeare’s realism? 15 Shakespeare’s ‘unreal’ characters 16 Reading Shakespeare’s characters on the page 18 Embodying Shakespeare’s characters on stage 19 Doubling on the early modern stage 20 Writing for particular actors 23 Falstaff: character as individual or type? 24 Naming and individuality 24 Characters as individuals or as inter-relationships 26 Character: interior or exterior? 29 Character: where next? 31 Chapter 2 Performance 35 Measure for Measure: staging silence 35 ‘Going back to the text’: the challenge of performance 38 Performance interpretations: The Taming of the Shrew 39 Topical performance: the plays in different theatrical contexts 42 Citing performances 44 Using film 45 Using film comparatively: Macbeth 47 Hamlet: ‘To be or not to be’ 51 Adaptations: Shakespearean enough? 53 Performance: where next? 54 Chapter 3 Texts 58 Shakespeare’s hand 58 So what did Shakespeare write? 59 Stage to page 60 Quartos and Folio 61 Editing as interpretation 62 The job of the editor: the example of Richard II 65 Stage directions 69 Speech prefixes 72 The job of the editor: the example of King Lear 73 Texts: where next? 77 Chapter 4 Language 83 ‘In a double sense’ (Macbeth 5.7.50) 83 Did anyone really talk like that? 84 Playing with language 89 Language of the play / language of the person 91 Prose and verse 93 Linguistic shifts: 1 Henry IV 94 Shakespeare’s verse 96 Linguistic variation: A Midsummer Night’s Dream 97 Language: where next? 99 Chapter 5 Structure 102 Finding the heart of the play 102 Shakespeare’s genres: dynamic, not static 105 Tragedy and comedy 106 Tragedy – expanding the genre 107 Comedy – expanding the genre 110 History: is this a fixed genre? 113 Structuring scenes: Much Ado About Nothing 115 Juxtaposing scenes, activating ironies: Henry V 116 Showing v. telling 118 Structure: where next? 119 Tragedy 120 Comedy 121 Chapter 6 Sources 125 Antony and Cleopatra and Plutarch 125 Originality: was Shakespeare a plagiarist? 128 Shakespeare at work: the intentional fallacy? 130 The source bites back: Romeo and Juliet and The Winter’s Tale 132 The strong poet? King Lear 139 Sources: where next? 143 Chapter 7 History 146 Politic picklocks: interpreting topically 146 History plays: political Shakespeare? 148 History plays: Shakespeare as propagandist? 150 Hamlet as history play? 152 Jacobean patronage: King Lear and Macbeth 154 Historical specificity: gender roles 156 Race and Othello 160 History: where next? 165 Bibliography 169 Index 174 This Introduction To Shakespeare Promotes Active Engagement With The Plays, Rather Than Recycling Factual Information. Covering A Range Of Texts, It Is Divided Into Seven Subject-based Chapters: Character, Performance, Texts, Language, Structure, Sources And History, And It Does Not Assume Any Prior Knowledge. Instead, It Develops Ways Of Thinking And Provides The Reader With Resources For Independent Research Through The 'where Next?' Sections At The End Of Each Chapter. The Book Draws On Up-to-date Scholarship Without Being Overwhelmed By It And, Unlike Other Introductory Guides To Shakespeare, It Emphasises That There Is Space For New And Fresh Thinking By Students And Readers, Even On The Most-studied And Familiar Plays.--jacket. Character -- Performance -- Texts -- Language -- Structure -- Sources -- History. Emma Smith. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 157-161) And Index. "This introduction to Shakespeare promotes active engagement with the plays, rather than recycling factual information. Covering a range of texts, it is divided into seven subject-based chapters: Character, Performance, Texts, Language, Structure, Sources and History, and it does not assume any prior knowledge. Instead, it develops ways of thinking and provides the reader with resources for independent research through the 'Where next?' sections at the end of each chapter. The book draws on up-to-date scholarship without being overwhelmed by it and, unlike other introductory guides to Shakespeare, it emphasises that there is space for new and fresh thinking by students and readers, even on the most-studied and familiar plays."-- Información editorial