Experiencing Shakespeare Ii

"This is a collection of free-standing essays on Shakespeare. About half of them appear in scattered publications, some of them not readily accessible. The essays date from 1975 to 1985, and, in presenting them chronologically and (with minor exceptions) as originally worded, it is my purpose to expose some vectors in a critic's developing approaches to and assessments of Shakespearean criticism over the past decade. To me this is in part an exposure of mistakes and vulnerabilities (perhaps not wholly atypical ones) as well as, I hope, an exposure of insights and growth."--Preface.

Shakespearean Sensations explores the ways Shakespeare and his contemporaries imagined literature affecting audiences' bodies, minds and emotions.

This ground breaking collection of essays is the first to examine the phenomenon of how, in the twenty-first century, Shakespeare has been experienced as a 'live' or 'as-live' theatre broadcast by audiences around the world. Shakespeare and the 'Live' Theatre Broadcast Experience explores the precursors of this phenomenon and its role in Shakespeare's continuing globalization. It considers some of the most important companies that have produced such broadcasts since 2009, including NT Live, Globe on Screen, RSC Live from Stratford-upon-Avon, Stratford Festival HD, Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company Live, and Cheek by Jowl, and examines the impact these broadcasts have had on branding, ideology, style and access to Shakespeare for international audiences. Contributors from around the world reflect on how broadcasts impact on actors' performances, changing viewing practices, local and international Shakespearean fan cultures and the use of social media by audience members for whom “liveness” is increasingly tied up in the experience economy. The book tackles vexing questions regarding the 'presentness' and 'liveness' of performance in the 21st century, the reception of Shakespeare in a globally-connected environment, the challenges of sustaining an audience for stage Shakespeare, and the ideological implications of consuming theatre on screen. It will be crucial reading for scholars of the 'live' theatre broadcast, and enormously helpful for scholars of Shakespeare on screen and in performance more broadly.

William Shakespeare regarded men and women quite differently. In his early plays, the so-called masculine qualities of prowess, bravery, and individualism were accorded more respect than feminine attributes of mercy, compassion, and intuitiveness. Yet, in his later plays, there is evidence of a reversal in Shakespeare's attitudes, a new fear of the power of the masculine principle and new admiration for the feminine. Marilyn French, author of the acclaimed novels THE WOMEN'S ROOM and THE BLEEDING HEART, offers a feminist perspective on each of Shakespeare's plays. More than a brilliantly original literary interpretation, this fascinating volume provides penetrating insight into attitudes toward men, women, love, and power in Western culture. A feminist's view of William Shakespeare . . . Quite dazzling. -- The New York Times An ambitious work . . . conveys the fresh excitement of interpretative discovery . . . insightful . . . seductive and nutritive. -- The Washington Post Book World