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The Resource Shakespeare's freedom, Stephen Greenblatt

Shakespeare's freedom, Stephen Greenblatt

Creator
Summary
Shakespeare lived in a world of absolutes, of claims for the absolute authority of scripture, monarch, and God, and the authority of fathers over wives and children, the old over the young, and the gentle over the baseborn. The author shows that Shakespeare was strikingly averse to such absolutes and constantly probed the possibility of freedom from them. Again and again, Shakespeare confounds the designs and pretensions of kings, generals, and churchmen. His aversion to absolutes even leads him to probe the exalted and seemingly limitless passions of his lovers. The author explores this rich theme by addressing four of Shakespeare's preoccupations across all the genres in which he worked. He first considers the idea of beauty in Shakespeare's works, specifically his challenge to the cult of featureless perfection and his interest in distinguishing marks. He then turns to Shakespeare's interest in murderous hatred, most famously embodied in Shylock but seen also in the character Bernardine in Measure for Measure. Next the author considers the idea of Shakespearean authority, that is, Shakespeare's deep sense of the ethical ambiguity of power, including his own. Ultimately, the auhor takes up Shakespearean autonomy, in particular the freedom of artists, guided by distinctive forms of perception, to live by their own laws and to claim that their creations are singularly unconstrained
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xiii, 144 p., 4 p. of plates
Contents
  • Absolute limits
  • Shakespearean beauty marks
  • The limits of hatred
  • Shakespeare and the ethics of authority
  • Shakespearean autonomy
Isbn
9780226306674
Instance
Label
Shakespeare's freedom
Title
Shakespeare's freedom
Statement of responsibility
Stephen Greenblatt
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
Shakespeare lived in a world of absolutes, of claims for the absolute authority of scripture, monarch, and God, and the authority of fathers over wives and children, the old over the young, and the gentle over the baseborn. The author shows that Shakespeare was strikingly averse to such absolutes and constantly probed the possibility of freedom from them. Again and again, Shakespeare confounds the designs and pretensions of kings, generals, and churchmen. His aversion to absolutes even leads him to probe the exalted and seemingly limitless passions of his lovers. The author explores this rich theme by addressing four of Shakespeare's preoccupations across all the genres in which he worked. He first considers the idea of beauty in Shakespeare's works, specifically his challenge to the cult of featureless perfection and his interest in distinguishing marks. He then turns to Shakespeare's interest in murderous hatred, most famously embodied in Shylock but seen also in the character Bernardine in Measure for Measure. Next the author considers the idea of Shakespearean authority, that is, Shakespeare's deep sense of the ethical ambiguity of power, including his own. Ultimately, the auhor takes up Shakespearean autonomy, in particular the freedom of artists, guided by distinctive forms of perception, to live by their own laws and to claim that their creations are singularly unconstrained
Cataloging source
ICU/DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1943-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Greenblatt, Stephen
Dewey number
822.33
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • plates
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
Series statement
The Rice University Campbell lectures
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Shakespeare, William
  • Shakespeare, William
  • Shakespeare, William
  • Authority
  • Intellectual freedom
  • Freedom of expression
Label
Shakespeare's freedom, Stephen Greenblatt
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Contents
Absolute limits -- Shakespearean beauty marks -- The limits of hatred -- Shakespeare and the ethics of authority -- Shakespearean autonomy
Control code
000045562813
Dimensions
23 cm.
Extent
xiii, 144 p., 4 p. of plates
Isbn
9780226306674
Lccn
2010018917
Other physical details
ill. (some col.)
System control number
(OCoLC)587209553
Label
Shakespeare's freedom, Stephen Greenblatt
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Contents
Absolute limits -- Shakespearean beauty marks -- The limits of hatred -- Shakespeare and the ethics of authority -- Shakespearean autonomy
Control code
000045562813
Dimensions
23 cm.
Extent
xiii, 144 p., 4 p. of plates
Isbn
9780226306674
Lccn
2010018917
Other physical details
ill. (some col.)
System control number
(OCoLC)587209553

Subject

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