Description
Book SynopsisAs the first major study of Shakespeare's Birthplace during the nineteenth century, Shakespeare's Shrine draws on extensive archival research to describe the invention of the Birthplace in the Victorian period, when the site was purchased for the nation, extensively restored, and transformed into a major tourist attraction.
Trade Review"A substantive discussion of the purchase and renovation of Shakespeare's birthplace and how Victorian values (e.g., regarding authenticity) affected the restoration efforts." *
Library Journal *
"Thomas is good company. . . . She has a nice sense of narrative development and pacing, and extracts drama and comedy from everything from guidebook conventions to local disputes. . . . A highly developed sense of irony is an asset in this field, and Thomas has it." *
TLS *
"
In Shakespeare's Shrine: The Bard's Birthplace and the Invention of Stratford-upon-Avon, Julia Thomas describes the origins, the fashioning and the influences of the house on Henley Street, and along the way, the often uneasy tension between a desire for archaeological and historical veracity and its frustration by more pressing commercial concerns. . . . A fascinating account of Stratfordian cultural tourism." *
Times Higher Education *
"This book is not only a delight to read, owing to the affectionate irony that tinges its prose, but also deeply instructive. Without renouncing the pleasure of storytelling, Thomas is always alert to implications and ready to increase our consciousness of cultural phenomena. She simultaneously constructs and deconstructs the fascination of the Birthplace, luring us into sharing the believers' gaze only to show how this aura of mysticism was created." *
Journal of British Studies *
Table of ContentsIntroduction. The Birthplace in Victorian Culture
Chapter 1. The Birth of "Shakespeare"
Chapter 2. Bidding for the Bard: The Auction of the Birthplace
Chapter 3. Bringing Down the House: Restoring the Birthplace
Chapter 4. Real Estate? Authenticating the Birthplace
Chapter 5. Eight Things to Do in Stratford-upon-Avon: A Guide for the Victorian Tourist
Conclusion: The Place and the Plays
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
