Title: Shakespeare's monarchies
First published: 1997
Description: Constance Jordan looks at how Shakespeare, through his romances, contributed to the cultural debates over the nature of monarchy in Jacobean England. Stressing the differences between absolutist and constitutionalist principles of rule, Jordan reveals Shakespeare's investment in the idea that a head of state should be responsive to law, and not be governed by his unbridled will.

Conflicts within royal courts which occur in the romances show wives, daughters, and servants resisting tyrannical husbands, fathers, masters, and monarchs by relying on the authority of conscience. Shakespeare's Monarchies recognizes the romances as politically inflected texts and confirms Shakespeare's involvement in the public discourse of the period.
Subjects: Characters, English Political plays, History, History and criticism, Kings and rulers, Kings and rulers in literature, Monarchy in literature, Political plays, English, Politics and literature, Tragicomedies, Tragicomedy, Tragikomödie, Recht, Motiv (Literatur), Drama, Politiek, Romanzen, König, Untertan, Herrscher, Koningen (vorsten), Leiders, Politik und Gesellschaft, Motiv, Monarchie, English drama, history and criticism, early modern and elizabethan, 1500-1600, Shakespeare, william, 1564-1616, tragicomedies, Shakespeare, william, 1564-1616, political and social views
Places: Great Britain
People: William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Time periods: 17th century
LC classification: PR2981.5 .J67 1997