Shakespeare in Our Time - (Hardcover)

About the Book

Marking the 400th anniversary of his death, leading Shakespeareans reflect back on key developments in criticism and look forward to new areas of study

Book Synopsis

This volume marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death by reflecting on the unrivalled work of the Shakespeare Association of America and offering a unique collection of leading Shakespeare scholars outlining key developments in Shakespeare studies over the last two decades. These essays are complemented by younger scholars who respond and look forward to new fields of study and debate. As such the book offers a "state of the nation" look at Shakespeare criticism, covering all the key areas of research and study including gender, text, performance, the body, history, religion and biography. This is a must-read, comprehensive introduction to the key critical ideas surrounding Shakespeare's work and a stimulating exploration of where Shakespeare studies will go next.

Review Quotes

"Shakespeare in Our Time is an invaluable source in presenting illuminating and intriguing approaches to Shakespeare's plays. In its twenty articles it is ultimately a challenging conversation among distinguished scholars of the early modern period. The chapters raise interesting and innovative concerns, such as American appropriation, social context, Shakespeare's sources, and text, and cover a wide range of critical approaches from feminism to ecocriticism, from sexuality to morality, from media to race and class systems, and from historicism to globalization. Each section includes three or four articles from various critical approaches that both broaden the reader's understanding and approach the matter with new perspectives ... Shakespeare in Our Time enriches and broadens the understanding of students and instructors with clear guidance of Shakespeare studies. All chapters, but particularly chapters on teaching, editing, and biography, are informative and beneficial for pedagogical interests. In each chapter, authors present interesting, innovative, and challenging approaches to help students understand their world by learning from Shakespeare's language, characters, and messages. The book provides professors, students, and readers with eye-opening analyses that will help extend their horizons." - Sixteenth Century Journal

About the Author

Dympna Callaghan is William L. Safire Professor of Modern Letters at Syracuse University, USA. Suzanne Gossett is Emeritus Professor of Literature at Loyola University, Chicago, USA.