Shakespeare in a divided America: what his plays tell us about our past and future
Description
"From leading Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro, a timely and insightful examination of what the world's greatest dramatist can teach us about life in an America riven by conflict. The United States has always been divided, but Americans from all walks oflife have also always shared a deep affinity for the plays William Shakespeare, even if their meaning has been fiercely contested. For well over two centuries now, Americans of all stripes--presidents and activists, writers and soldiers--have turned to his plays to prosecute the most intense and pivotal quarrels in the soul of the nation, a nation defined by its political and social pluralism. That prosecution dates back to pre-Revolutionary times, when Hamlet's famous soliloquy--"To be or not to be"--was appropriated both by defenders of British rule and those seeking to overthrow it. Shapiro traces Shakespeare's formative and crucial role in our nation's history, from the otherwise progressive John Quincy Adams's sinister opinions on race expressed via(and only via) his views on Othello; to the politically-charged rhetoric that gripped Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth; to the resounding American triumph of Shakespeare in Love, produced by Harvey Weinstein's then fledgling company, Miramax, whichexploded a debate about adultery at the time of President Clinton's Oval Office affair with Monica Lewinsky. But Shapiro also reports firsthand on Shakespeare's undeniable contemporary significance, after a production of Julius Caesar, which depicted theassassination of a President Trump-like Julius Caesar, was exploited calculatedly by Breitbart and Fox News to ignite outrage. With style and unmatched expertise, Shapiro contends brilliantly that few writers or artists can shed as much light on the hot-button issues of American life--such as immigration, same-sex love, political violence, and class warfare--and that by better understanding the role of Shakespeare's plays in American history we might take steps towards mending our bitterly divided land"--
Subjects
Subjects
Appreciation
Criticism and interpretation
History
Influence
Literature and society
Literature and society -- United States -- History
Politics and literature
Politics and literature -- United States -- History
Shakespeare, William
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Appreciation -- United States
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation -- History
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Influence -- United States
Theater and society
Theater and society -- United States -- History
Criticism and interpretation
History
Influence
Literature and society
Literature and society -- United States -- History
Politics and literature
Politics and literature -- United States -- History
Shakespeare, William
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Appreciation -- United States
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation -- History
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Influence -- United States
Theater and society
Theater and society -- United States -- History
More Details
ISBN:
9780525522317
9780525522294
9780525522294
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Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | 41b15125-8873-694e-e105-f7b102ba98c1 |
---|---|
Grouping Title | shakespeare in a divided america what his plays tell us about our past and future |
Grouping Author | james shapiro |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2024-09-18 22:18:19PM |
Last Indexed | 2024-09-18 22:35:57PM |
Solr Fields
accelerated_reader_point_value
0
accelerated_reader_reading_level
0
author
Shapiro, James, 1955-
author_display
Shapiro, James
available_at_hm
Hamden Public Libraries
detailed_location_hm
Hamden/Miller Adult Nonfiction 3rd Floor
display_description
"From leading Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro, a timely and insightful examination of what the world's greatest dramatist can teach us about life in an America riven by conflict. The United States has always been divided, but Americans from all walks oflife have also always shared a deep affinity for the plays William Shakespeare, even if their meaning has been fiercely contested. For well over two centuries now, Americans of all stripes--presidents and activists, writers and soldiers--have turned to his plays to prosecute the most intense and pivotal quarrels in the soul of the nation, a nation defined by its political and social pluralism. That prosecution dates back to pre-Revolutionary times, when Hamlet's famous soliloquy--"To be or not to be"--was appropriated both by defenders of British rule and those seeking to overthrow it. Shapiro traces Shakespeare's formative and crucial role in our nation's history, from the otherwise progressive John Quincy Adams's sinister opinions on race expressed via(and only via) his views on Othello; to the politically-charged rhetoric that gripped Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth; to the resounding American triumph of Shakespeare in Love, produced by Harvey Weinstein's then fledgling company, Miramax, whichexploded a debate about adultery at the time of President Clinton's Oval Office affair with Monica Lewinsky. But Shapiro also reports firsthand on Shakespeare's undeniable contemporary significance, after a production of Julius Caesar, which depicted theassassination of a President Trump-like Julius Caesar, was exploited calculatedly by Breitbart and Fox News to ignite outrage. With style and unmatched expertise, Shapiro contends brilliantly that few writers or artists can shed as much light on the hot-button issues of American life--such as immigration, same-sex love, political violence, and class warfare--and that by better understanding the role of Shakespeare's plays in American history we might take steps towards mending our bitterly divided land"--
format_category_hm
Books
format_hm
Book
id
41b15125-8873-694e-e105-f7b102ba98c1
isbn
9780525522294
9780525522317
9780525522317
itype_hm
ADULT BOOK
last_indexed
2024-09-19T04:35:57.809Z
lexile_score
-1
literary_form
Non Fiction
literary_form_full
Non Fiction
local_callnumber_hm
822.33/SHA
owning_library_hm
Hamden Public Libraries
owning_location_hm
Hamden Public Libraries
primary_isbn
9780525522317
publishDate
2020
publisher
Penguin Press
recordtype
grouped_work
subject_facet
Literature and society -- United States -- History
Politics and literature -- United States -- History
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Appreciation -- United States
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation -- History
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Influence -- United States
Theater and society -- United States -- History
Politics and literature -- United States -- History
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Appreciation -- United States
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation -- History
Shakespeare, William, -- 1564-1616 -- Influence -- United States
Theater and society -- United States -- History
title_display
Shakespeare in a divided America : what his plays tell us about our past and future
title_full
Shakespeare in a divided America : what his plays tell us about our past and future / James Shapiro
title_short
Shakespeare in a divided America
title_sub
what his plays tell us about our past and future
topic_facet
Appreciation
Criticism and interpretation
History
Influence
Literature and society
Politics and literature
Shakespeare, William
Theater and society
Criticism and interpretation
History
Influence
Literature and society
Politics and literature
Shakespeare, William
Theater and society
Solr Details Tables
item_details
Bib Id | Item Id | Shelf Location | Call Num | Format | Format Category | Num Copies | Is Order Item | Is eContent | eContent Source | eContent URL | Detailed Status | Last Checkin | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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ils:.b26387773 | .i64908823 | Norwich/Otis Adult Nonfiction | 822.33 SHA SH | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | nwan | |||||
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ils:.b26387773 | .i6539009x | Guilford Adult Non-Fiction | 822.3 SHAPIRO | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | guan | |||||
ils:.b26387773 | .i64967694 | Branford/Blackstone Adult Nonfiction | 822.33 SHA | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | bran | |||||
ils:.b26387773 | .i64667819 | Hamden/Miller Adult Nonfiction 3rd Floor | 822.33/SHA | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | hmanb | |||||
ils:.b26387773 | .i65130297 | Guilford Adult Non-Fiction | 822.3 SHAPIRO | 1 | false | false | Lost and Paid | guan | |||||
ils:.b26387773 | .i64864790 | Essex Adult Nonfiction | 822.3 SHA | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | exan | |||||
ils:.b26387773 | .i65022142 | Old Lyme A Non-Fiction 800 | 822.33 SHA | 1 | false | false | On Shelf | olan8 |
record_details
Bib Id | Format | Format Category | Edition | Language | Publisher | Publication Date | Physical Description | Abridged |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b26387773 | Book | Books | English | Penguin Press | 2020 | xxx, 286 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
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ils:.b26387773 | .i64282387 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b26387773 | .i65251714 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b26387773 | .i64031482 | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
ils:.b26387773 | .i6539009x | On Shelf | On Shelf | false | true | true | false | false | false | 9999 | ||
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