The Cambridge Introduction to Shakespeare's Tragedies

Macbeth clutches an imaginary dagger; Hamlet holds up Yorick's skull; Lear enters with Cordelia in his arms. Do these memorable and iconic moments have anything to tell us about the definition of Shakespearean tragedy? Is it in fact helpful to talk about 'Shakespearean tragedy' as a concept, or are there only Shakespearean tragedies? What kind of figure is the tragic hero? Is there always such a figure? What makes some plays more tragic than others? Beginning with a discussion of tragedy before Shakespeare and considering Shakespeare's tragedies chronologically one by one, this 2007 book seeks to investigate such questions in a way that highlights both the distinctiveness and shared concerns of each play within the broad trajectory of Shakespeare's developing exploration of tragic form.

Author: Janette Dillon
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 03/08/2007
Pages: 176
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 9.01h x 6.53w x 0.70d
ISBN: 9780521858175

About the Author
Dillon, Janette: - Janette Dillon is Professor of Drama at the School of English, University of Nottingham.

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