Shakespeare's political wisdom
By: Timothy W. Burns
Edition: First Edition
Series: Recovering Political Philosophy
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2013
Place of publication: New York, New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 234
ISBN-13: 9781137320858
Subjects: Justice in literature; Nobility in literature; Political and social views
Description: "Shakespeare's Political Wisdom offers careful interpretations of five Shakespearean plays--Julius Caesar, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, and The Tempest--with a view to the enduring guidance those plays can provide to human, political life. The plays have been chosen for their relentless attention to the questions that, for Shakespeare, form the heart and soul of politics: Who should rule, and what is justice? Burns provides an original reading of the plays through the lens of political philosophy rather than Theatre or Renaissance Studies. Shakespeare's wisdom found in these five plays, Burns concludes, provides a deeply relevant critique of our contemporary civic culture."--Publisher's website.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages [219]-224) and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction: Shakespeare's political wisdom; title: Julius Caesar: the problem of classical republicanism; title: Macbeth: ambition driven into darkness; title: The Merchant of Venice: Roman virtue in a Christian commercial republic; title: King Lear: the question of divine justice; title: The Tempest: a philosopher-poet educating citizens.