Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought

By David Armitage,Conal Condren,Andrew Fitzmaurice | Publisher: Cambridge University Press

About the book

This is the first collaborative volume to place Shakespeare's works within the landscape of early modern political thought. Until recently, literary scholars have not generally treated Shakespeare as a participant in the political thought of his time, unlike his contemporaries Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser and Philip Sidney. At the same time, historians of political thought have rarely turned their attention to major works of poetry and drama. A distinguished international and interdisciplinary team of contributors examines the full range of Shakespeare's writings in order to challenge conventional interpretations of plays central to the canon, such as Hamlet; open up novel perspectives on works rarely considered to be political, such as the Sonnets; and focus on those that have been largely neglected, such as The Merry Wives of Windsor. The result is a coherent and challenging portrait of Shakespeare's distinctive engagement with the characteristic questions of early modern political thought.

Editions of Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought

Hardcover
ISBN 9780521768085
Paperback
ISBN 9781107692503

Read an Excerpt

This is the first collaborative volume to place Shakespeare's works within the landscape of early modern political thought. Until recently, literary scholars have not generally treated Shakespeare as a participant in the political thought of his time, unlike his contemporaries Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser and Philip Sidney. At the same time, historians of political thought have rarely turned their attention to major works of poetry and drama. A distinguished international and interdisciplinary team of contributors examines the full range of Shakespeare's writings in order to challenge conventional interpretations of plays central to the canon, such as Hamlet; open up novel perspectives on works rarely considered to be political, such as the Sonnets; and focus on those that have been largely neglected, such as The Merry Wives of Windsor. The result is a coherent and challenging portrait of Shakespeare's distinctive engagement with the characteristic questions of early modern political thought.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought about?

This is the first collaborative volume to place Shakespeare's works within the landscape of early modern political thought. Until recently, literary scholars have not generally treated Shakespeare as a participant in the political thought of his time, unlike his contemporaries Ben Jonson, Edmund Spenser and Philip Sidney. At the same time, historians of political thought have rarely turned their attention to major works of poetry and drama. A distinguished international and interdisciplinary team of contributors examines the full range of Shakespeare's writings in order to challenge conventional interpretations of plays central to the canon, such as Hamlet; open up novel perspectives on works rarely considered to be political, such as the Sonnets; and focus on those that have been largely neglected, such as The Merry Wives of Windsor. The result is a coherent and challenging portrait of Shakespeare's distinctive engagement with the characteristic questions of early modern political thought.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought?

Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: plays and playwrights

Where can I read a sample of Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780521768085

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought?

David Armitage,Conal Condren,Andrew Fitzmaurice

Who is the Publisher of the book Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought?

Cambridge University Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Shakespeare and Early Modern Political Thought is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780521768085) and paperback(ISBN 9781107692503)