Shakespeare in the present : political lessons under Biden

Bibliographic Information

Shakespeare in the present : political lessons under Biden

Philip Goldfarb Styrt

(Routledge focus on literature)(Routledge focus)

Routledge, 2023

  • : hbk

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Note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Shakespeare in the Present: Political Lessons under Biden is the first case study in applying the lessons of Shakespeare's plays to post-Trump America. It looks at American politics through the lens of Shakespeare, not simply equating figures in the contemporary world to Shakespearean characters, but showing how the broader conditions of Shakespeare's imagined worlds reflect and inform our own. Clearly written, in a direct and engaging style, it shows that reading Shakespeare with our contemporary Washington in mind can enrich our understanding of both his works and our world. Shakespeare wrote for his own time, but we always read him in our present. As such, the way we read him now is always affected by our own understanding of our own political world. This book provides quick critical analyses of Shakespeare's plays and contemporary American politics while serving as an introduction for undergraduates and general readers to this kind of topical, presentist criticism of Shakespeare.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Shakespeare and Biden Partisan Polarization Polarization in late Republican Rome Caesar and Antony beyond Trump Partisanship closer to home The American War of the Roses Pretextual Insurrections and Unpunished Crimes Henry Bolingbroke's inheritance and Richard II's throne 1399 and 2021 Elections, disputes, and danger to the state The importance of consequences The Tyranny of Expectations From Hal to Harry "Nothing can come of nothing" Senator Joe and President Biden Public negotiations Inconstant Coalitions Powerful allies Wavering commitments My 80% friend Illegitimate Justice The Queen and the Jew Court-packing Catering to self-interest Lost France and Lost Afghanistan France forever lost The Hundred Years War and the "forever war" Conclusion: Shakespeare and Presentism

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