Godless Shakespeare (Paperback)

Eric S. Mallin

ISBN 10: 0826490425 / ISBN 13: 9780826490421

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London, 2007

About this Item

Paperback. Godless Shakespeare is the first book to discuss Shakespeare's plays from an atheist perspective. Although it is clear that Shakespeare engaged with and deployed much of his culture's broadly religious interests - his language is shot through with biblical quotations, priestly sermonizing and Christian imagery - Mallin argues that there is a profound absence of or hostility to God in his plays.Following Dante's three part structure for The Divine Comedy - Hell represents expressions of religious faith in Shakespeare's plays, Purgatory sets out more sceptical positions, and Heaven shows articulations of godlessness - Mallin traces a spiritual ascent from the unthinkingly devout to the atheistically spiritual. This polemical, vigorous account focuses on the moral and spiritual dilemmas of major characters, developing the often subtle transitions between belief, scepticism and atheism. Finally, Godless Shakespeare argues for the liberating potential of unbelief. Part of the "Shakespeare Now!" series, this book presents an account of the absence of God and belief in Shakespeare's plays. Following Dante's three-part structure for the "Divine Comedy", the first part represents expressions of religious faith, the second sets out more sceptical positions, and the last presents articulations of godlessness. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780826490421

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Godless Shakespeare (Paperback)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, London
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0826490425
• ISBN 13: 9780826490421
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Godless Shakespeare is the first book to discuss Shakespeare's plays from an atheist perspective. Although it is clear that Shakespeare engaged with and deployed much of his culture's broadly religious interests - his language is shot through with biblical quotations, priestly sermonizing and Christian imagery - Mallin argues that there is a profound absence of or hostility to God in his plays.

Following Dante's three part structure for The Divine Comedy - Hell represents expressions of religious faith in Shakespeare's plays, Purgatory sets out more sceptical positions, and Heaven shows articulations of godlessness - Mallin traces a spiritual ascent from the unthinkingly devout to the atheistically spiritual. This polemical, vigorous account focuses on the moral and spiritual dilemmas of major characters, developing the often subtle transitions between belief, scepticism and atheism. Finally, Godless Shakespeare argues for the liberating potential of unbelief.

About the Authors

Eric S. Mallin is Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin, USA. He is the author of Reading Shakespeare in the Movies: Non-Adaptations and Their Meaning (2019).

Ewan Fernie is Chair, Professor and Fellow at The Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham, UK. His latest book, The Demonic: Literature and Experience, gives considerable attention to Shakespeare and Mann.

Simon Palfrey is a Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford University. His books include Late Shakespeare: A New World of Words (Oxford, 1997); Shakespeare in Parts (Oxford, 2007), written with Tiffany Stern and awarded the Medieval and Renaissance Drama Society's David Bevington Prize for best new book; Romeo and Juliet (Short Books, 2011); and the novel Dunsinane, written with Ewan Fernie. He is the founding editor (with Fernie) of Continuum's innovative series of 'minigraphs', Shakespeare Now! His new work includes a book on possible worlds in early modern drama and philosophy, and a play inspired by Spenser's Faerie Queen. His book Doing Shakespeare was published by Arden Shakespeare in 2005, reissued 2011.