Research Catalog

Shakespeare and platonic beauty / John Vyvyan.

Title
Shakespeare and platonic beauty / John Vyvyan.
Author
Vyvyan, John
Publication
London : Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd., c2013.

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Description
viii, 221 p.; 22 cm.
Summary
Looking at some of the Shakespearean comedies, author John Vyvyan suggests they express a consistent, profoundly Christian philosophy of life based on the Platonic ideas of beauty and love. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It, and All's Well That Ends Well, the heroines bring to life the idea of love as the force that is awakened in the world by beauty which then leads the soul to perfection. Vyvyan believes that for Shakespeare, love was preeminent over human ideas of justice, that self-discovery was a supreme human experience, and that breaking faith with the ideal--as Agamemnon, Cressida, and Hector all do in Troilus and Cressida --sowed the seeds of tragedy. The author's recognition of Shakespeare's use of allegory enables him to make sense of certain developments in these plays that seem weak or absurd from the psychological standpoint. He does not suggest that Shakespeare's philosophy is the most important thing about his plays; it is simply one thing about them that ought to be known. The recognition of this philosophy enhances enjoyment of the plays, giving them a new dimension and richness. This edition contains a list of the author's Shakespearean references and an enhanced index.
Subject
  • Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 > Social life and customs
  • Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
  • Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 > Philosophy
  • Platonic love in literature
  • Love in literature
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references and index.
Processing Action (note)
  • committed to retain
Contents
Theseus and Hippolyta -- The classical background -- Plato in Florence -- An introduction to the heroine as the heavenly Venus -- "A midsummer night's dream" -- "As you like it" -- "All's well that ends well" -- "Troilus annd Cressida" -- Conclusion -- Selected stanzas from "An hymne in honour of beautie" -- Passages from Marsilio Ficino's commentary on the "Symposium" -- Pico Della Mirandola's version of The ascent.
ISBN
  • 0856832944
  • 9780856832949
OCLC
  • 830368438
  • SCSB-12218083
Owning Institutions
Harvard Library