Shakespeare and emotions

R. S. White, Mark Houlahan, Katrina O'Loughlin

"This collection of original essays by established and emerging scholars approaches the works of Shakespeare from the topical perspective of the History of Emotions. What emerges is not a single paradigm or 'grand narrative', but a variety of approaches, ranging from the historical to the interpretive, illuminating the primacy of emotions in Shakespearean scholarship and theatre. The section 'Emotional Inheritances' looks back to Shakespeare's sources and cultural backgrounds, showing that some aspects of his representations of emotions come from the classics and medieval world; 'Shakespearean Enactments' presents essays that analyse a range of emotional states and issues in the plays themselves; while 'Legacies and Re-Enactments' traces aspects of his influence through later times and down to the present day. Taken together these diverse but related essays present a kaleidoscope of...