Research Catalog

Title

The Artistic Links Between William Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More : Radically Different Richards / Charles A. Hallett, Elaine S. Hallett.

Author

Hallett, Charles A.

Publication

New York, New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

Hallett, Elaine S., 1935-

Description

293 p.; 22 cm.

Summary

"The Halletts' investigation differs from anything that has been written about the relationship between Thomas More and William Shakespeare in that it approaches the subject from a dramaturgical point of view. What was Shakespeare the artist looking for that made him seize upon More's History per se and base Richard III entirely on the brief four-month period covered in More's book, compressing time rather than telescoping it? What did Shakespeare find in More that resulted in his amazing new ability to create dramatic scenes of the sort that one finds in Richard's wooing of the Citizens at Baynard's Castle, which More himself did not dramatize but harshly denigrated? What was the imaginative process that enabled Shakespeare to create the scenes in which Richard woos first Lady Anne and later Queen Elizabeth (neither of which are in More) on the model of what he learned from writing the Baynard's Castle scene? How was Shakespeare able to separate out More's negative and disparaging view of Richard's thespian abilities (which, More assures his readers, everyone instantly saw through) from the buoyant and positive view that Shakespeare's Richard offers of his own powers as dramatist, presenter, actor, and would-be king? All of these questions need to be answered. No book has yet attempted to define in specific terms either what Shakespeare learned from his study of More's History or how he learned it. This book, we hope, is unique. Shakespeare's newly discovered dramatic techniques are explicated in the various chapters with clarity and strength in a way that can benefit future generations of artists"--

Subject

• Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
• More, Thomas, Saint, 1478-1535
• Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. > Sources
• Richard III, King of England, 1452-1485 > In literature
• Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 > Technique
• LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama
• LITERARY CRITICISM / Renaissance
• LITERARY CRITICISM / Shakespeare
• British literature
• Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800
• Literature, Modern
• Literature
• Literature
• Poetry
• Shakespeare studies & criticism

Genre/Form

Sources

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages [275]-280) and indexes.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

"More virtually does Shakespeare's work for him":€Dogmas of the More Myth * PART I: SHAKESPEARE'S ATTEMPTS TO CREATE DE CASIBUS REVERSALS * "Then York, be still awhile, till time do serve": Shakespeare's dependence upon narrative techniques. * Exploiting the Ricardian shock:€Hastings, Clarence, and Edward * Crafting the "Rusty Armor" Charade (3.5.1-109) the insurrection that hoodwinks the Mayor * PART II: SHAKESPEARE'S DISCOVERY OF THE DRAMATIC POTENTIALS OF THE PERSUADING SCENE * "For on that ground I'll make a holy descant -- "€ Two con men show how their thespian skills brought Richard's cause "to a happy issue" * "Was ever woman in this humor woo'd?": Richard's€ boast of his prowess as lover and playwright * "The most arch act of piteous massacre / That ever yet this land was guilty of":€ How Shakespeare's method of exposing Richard differs from More's. * "To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer" -- again! A Re-evaluation of the Second Wooing Scene in 4.4.199-431 * PART III: CLOSURE AND CONCLUSIONS * "Meanwhile, back at the tetralogy" .€€. €. €Reversal and Retribution at Bosworth Field: Closure in Act 5.

ISBN

• 9780230113671 (hardback)
• 0230113672 (hardback)

LCCN

^^2010049888

OCLC

• 682891253
• SCSB-11925208

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library