Shakespeare from the Margins: Language, Culture, ContextUniversity of Chicago Press, 1996 - 392 pages In the interpretation of Shakespeare, wordplay has often been considered inconsequential, frequently reduced to a decorative "quibble." But in Shakespeare from the Margins: Language, Culture, Context, Patricia Parker, one of the most original interpreters of Shakespeare, argues that attention to Shakespearean wordplay reveals unexpected linkages, not only within and between plays but also between the plays and their contemporary culture. Combining feminist and historical approaches with attention to the "matter" of language as well as of race and gender, Parker's brilliant "edification from the margins" illuminates much that has been overlooked, both in Shakespeare and in early modern culture. This book, a reexamination of popular and less familiar texts, will be indispensable to all students of Shakespeare and the early modern period. |
Contents
PREPOSTEROUS ESTATES PREPOSTEROUS EVENTS FROM LATE TO EARLY SHAKESPEARE | 20 |
THE BIBLE AND THE MARKETPLACE THE COMEDY OF ERRORS | 56 |
RUDE MECHANICALS A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM AND SHAKESPEAREAN JOINERY | 83 |
ILLEGITIMATE CONSTRUCTION TRANSLATION ADULTERY AND MECHANICAL REPRODUCTION IN THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR | 116 |
CONVEYERS ARE You ALL TRANSLATING CONVEYING REPRESENTING AND SECONDING IN THE HISTORIES AND HAMLET | 149 |
Common terms and phrases
adulteration All's Antipholus appears aristocratic artisanal associated Bertram's biblical breaching called Cambridge chap chapter Chicago cites Claudius's close dilations Comedy of Errors contemporary context conveyance conveying counterfeit cozening culture delation Desdemona dilation discourse discussion double dramatic Dromio early modern echoes England English Ephesian evocation evokes example Falstaff father female figure finally gender go-between Hamlet Helena Henry Henry IV Henry's histories Iago's increase inflation iteration John joining king language Latin lines London Love's Labor's Lost marginal matter Merry Wives Midsummer Night's Dream Mistress mother narrative opening Othello Oxford Parolles play play's players plot preposterous punning recalls reference relation Renaissance reproduction resonances rhetoric Richard Richard III rude mechanicals secret sense sexual Shakespeare Quarterly Shakespearean histories speech stage Stephen Greenblatt Stephen Orgel suggest term theater Thomas thou tion translation transvestite Troilus and Cressida twin verbal virginity Winter's Tale woman women wordplay words York