Shakespeare and Contemporary Theory Ne Historicism and Cultural Materialism [Paperback]

In the thirty years since the
publication of Stephen Greenblatt'sRenaissance Self-Fashioning
overthrew traditional modes of Shakespeare criticism, New Historicism and Cultural
Materialism have rapidly become the dominant modes for studying and writing
about the Bard. This comprehensive guide introduces students to the key
writers, texts and ideas of contemporary Shakespeare criticism and alternatives
to new historicist and cultural materialist approaches suggested by a range of
dissenters including evolutionary critics, historical formalists and advocates
of 'the new aestheticism', and the more politically active presentists.

Shakespeare and Contemporary Theorycovers such topics as:
The key theoretical
influences on new historicism including Michel Foucault and Louis Althusser.

The major critics, from Stephen Greenblatt to Jonathan Dollimore and Alan
Sinfield.

Dissenting views from traditional critics and contemporary theorists.

Chapter summaries and questions for discussion throughout encourage students to
critically engage with contemporary Shakespeare theory for themselves. The book
includes a 'Who's Who' of major critics, a timeline of key publications and a
glossary of essential critical terms to give students and teachers easy access
to essential information.

Acknowledgements\ A Note on Texts \ Timeline ofTheoretical and Critical Developments\ Who's Who of NewHistoricism and Cultural Materialism \ 1.Introduction\ 2. Before NewHistoricism and Cultural Materialism \i. Thefirst half of the twentieth century: Traditional scholarship from A.C. Bradleyto Moody E. Prior \ ii. The 1950s tothe 1970s: Formalism, structuralism and deconstruction\ 3. Theory inFocus \i. CliffordGeertz \ii. AntonioGramsci\ iii. LouisAlthusser\ iv. MichelFoucault\ 4. NewHistoricism \ 5. CulturalMaterialism\ 6. Alternativeviews in New Historicism and Cultural Materialism\ 7. Conclusion\ Glossary ofIls¦