Emotional excess on the Shakespearean stage : passion's slaves / Bridget Escolme.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Escolme, Bridget, 1964-

Series:

Critical companions (Methuen Drama)

Critical companions

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616--Stage history.

Shakespeare, William.

Emotions in literature.

English drama--Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600--History and criticism.

English drama.

Theater--England--History--16th century.

Theater.

Theater--England--History--17th century.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (343 p.)

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Bloomsbury Arden Shakespeare, 2014.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Emotional Excess on the Shakespearean Stage demonstrates the links made between excess of emotion and madness in the early modern period. It argues that the ways in which today's popular and theatrical cultures judge how much is too much can distort our understanding of early modern drama and theatre. It argues that permitting the excesses of the early modern drama onto the contemporary stage might free actors and audiences alike from assumptions that in order to engage with the drama of the past, its characters must be just like us. The book deals with characters in the plays of Shakespeare a

Contents:

"A brain that leads my use of anger": choler and the politics of spatial production

"Do you mock old age, you rogues" : excessive laughter, cruelty and compassion

"Give me excess of it": love, virtue and excessive pleasure in All's well that ends well and Antony and Cleopatra

Stop your sobbing: grief, melancholy and moderation

Conclusion: emotional agendas.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

CC BY

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781408179697

1408179695

9781408179680

1408179687

Access Restriction:

Open access Unrestricted online access