The Moral Universe of Shakespeare's Problem PlaysWhat is it that makes Shakespeare’s problem plays problematic? Many critics have sought for the underlying vision or message of these puzzling and disturbing dramas. Originally published in 1987, the key to Viv Thomas’s new synthesis of the plays is the idea of fracture and dissolution in the universe. From the collapse of ‘degree’ in Troilus and Cressida to the corruption at the heart of innocence in Measure for Measure, to the puzzling status of virtue and valour in All’s Well, the most obvious feature of these plays in their capacity to prompt new questions. In a detailed discussion of each play in turn, the author traces the dominant themes that both distinguish and unite them, and provides numerous insights into the sources, background, texture and morality of the plays. |
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... express the essential division within the group: There are at least two kinds of problem child: first the genuinely abnormal child, whom no efforts will ever bring back to normality; and second the child who is interesting and complex ...
... expresses the hope that Bertram will prove worthy of his inheritance: honour derived from ancestry has to be reaffirmed by the behaviour of the recipient. Moreover, honour can be attained in different ways, but different kinds of honour ...
... express disbelief that this code can be discarded by Achilles. Helen thinks of Bertram as godlike ('my idolatrous fancy/Must sanctify his relics' (I.i.95–6)) but has to adjust to a reality that is very different. However, she moves from ...
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Contents
Wholeness and Division in Troilus and Cressida | |
Virtue and Honour in Alls Well that Ends Well | |
Order and Authority in Measure for Measure | |
Conclusion | |
Bibliography | |