Shakespeare's Politic Histories

ISBN-13: 9781032523088 / Twarda / 2023 / 296 str.

John H. Cameron

Opis

This book argues that close readings of Shakespeare’s early English History plays informed by the Italian ‘politic histories’ of the early modern period, that sought to explore the machinations of power politics in governance and in the shaping of historical events; will greatly aid our understanding of the ‘politic’ qualities dramatized

Spis treści

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 Shakespeare’s Politic Histories: The Italian Connection

Politic Histories, Politic Stratagems

The Prince: A Prolegomena

Gracing my stratagems: Politic Drama

2 ‘Do but think how sweet a thing it is to wear a crown’: The First

Tetralogy, Shakespeare’s Politic History

Things Not as They Ought to Be, but as They Truly Are

Might vs. Right

Trust and Distrust

The Fox and the Lion

With silence, be politic: Waiting for the Right Moment

Weakness and Cruelty

3 ‘Made I him king for this?’: Buckingham and the Choice of Ministers

Choosing the Right Minister, Choosing the Right Prince

Give us notice of his inclinations: The Use of Spies

Playing the Orator, Playing the Crowd

Stops he now for breath? The Limits of Politic Stratagems

4 ‘With best advantage will [I] deceive the time’: Stanley, the True

Machiavellian of Richard III

Stanley, the Quiet Machiavellian

What think’st thou, then, of Stanley? Hiding One’s Intentions

Look unto it: Failing to See Past the Surface

What says Lord Stanley? Choosing the Right Moment

5 ‘For few men right temper with the stars’: Fortuna and Virtù

Tempering with the stars: Fortuna and Virtù

The Nature of Virtù

Fortune Favours the Bold

Fortuna vs. Virtù, or Fortuna and Virtù?

Conclusion ‘My kingdom for a horse!’: The Hollow Crown

My kingdom for a horse! The Hollow Crown

For one commanding all, obey’d by none: Some Closing Thoughts

Bibliography

Index

O autorze

John H. Cameron teaches English Literature at Saint Mary’s University as well as German and Russian Literature at Dalhousie University. He is the editor of Narrative is the Essence of History (CSP) and co-editor (with Goran Stanivukovic) of a special issue of Forum for Modern Language Studies (Oxford UP) that explores the development of comedy across different theatrical traditions (July 2022). He is the co-author (with Goran Stanivukovic) of Tragedies of the English Renaissance (Edinburgh UP).