Description
Book SynopsisCriticism of Shakespeare's comedies has shifted from stressing their light-hearted qualities to giving a stronger sense of their dark aspects and social resonances. This work introduces key debates under the following headings: genre, history and politics, gender and sexuality, language and performance.
Trade Review"clearly designed to make friendly that enormous and daunting edifice of Shakespeare criticism. [...] extremely helful historical and generic overviews"
THES [and talking about all three books together:]
"Altogether, either as the source of critical thinking or as reference guides and bibliographies, these volumes will prove convenient and interesting as auhtoritatively conducted tours of their domains." THES
Table of ContentsPreface.
Acknowledgements.
1 The Development of Criticism of Shakespeare's Comedies.
2 Genre.
Marriage as Comic Closure.
False Immortality in Measure for Measure.
3 Language.
Here Follows Prose.
Transfer of Title in Love's Labour's Lost.
4 Gender and Sexuality.
Helena's Bed-trick.
The Homoerotics of Shakespearian.
Comedy.
5 History and Politics.
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?.
Bottom's Up.
6 Performance.
Kate: Interpreting the Silence.
As You Like It.
Index
