Shakespeare and the Body Politic

Edited by Bernard J. Dobski and Dustin A. Gish - Contributions by Joseph Alulis; George Anastaplo; Nasser Behnegar; Timothy Burns; Pamela Jensen; Peter Meilaender; Laurence D. Nee; David Nichols; Nalin Ranasinghe; Robert Schaefer and Timothy Spiekerman

The chapters in Shakespeare and the Body Politic examine the tensions between the passion and ambition of individuals and the limits of the political communities that encompass and inform them. Shakespeare provides his audiences and readers both timely and timeless political lessons through his diverse portraits of the body politic in his plays and poetry-from ancient city-states of Greece and Rome to the early modern cities and kingdoms of his own time.

AcknowledgmentsPrefaceChapter 1: Shakespeare and the Body PoliticBernard J. Dobski and Dustin GishPart One: The HeartChapter 2: "The Very Heart of Loss": Love and Politics in Antony and CleopatraJoseph AlulisChapter 3: Julius Caesar: The Problem of Classical RepublicanismTimothy BurnsChapter 4: Who is Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?Nasser BehnegarChapter 5: Love, Honor,and Community in Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and JulietPamela JensenPart Two: The LimbsChapter 6: At War 'Twixt Will and Will Not: Government, Marriage, and Gracein Measure for MeasurePeter MeilaenderChapter 7: Trojan Horse or Troilus' Whore? Pandering Statecraft and Political Stagecraftin Troilus and CressidaNalin RanasingheChapter 8: Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece: Honor and RepublicanismRobert SchaeferChapter 9: Hotspur and Falstaff vs. The Politicians: Shakespeare's View of HonorTimothy SpiekermanPart Three: The HeadChapter 10: Shakespeare, Timon of Athens, and Philosophy: A Preliminary InquiryGeorge AnastaploChapter 11: Taming the Shrew: Shakespeare, Machiavelli, and Political PhilosophyDustin GishChapter 12: The Education of Edgar in Shakespeare's King LearLaurence D. NeeChapter 13: Shakespeare and the Comedy and Tragedy of LiberalismDavid K. NicholsList of ContributorsIndex