Shakespearean Tragedy and the Common Law: The Art of PunishmentShakespearean Tragedy and the Common Law examines punishment in Shakespeare's tragedies from the perspective of English Renaissance common law cases and theory. William Shakespeare's work is grounded conceptually in the «artificial» reason of common law as embodied by the great jurist of the age, Sir Edward Coke. Coke's legal rationale is sufficiently distinct from our own to suggest that a reasonable spectator in Renaissance England would interpret key elements of Shakespeare's art differently than we do today. Punishment, the sine qua non of these plays, is treated via a spectrum of legal theories: retribution, restitution, deterrence, and reform. Dr. Hawley's close examination of all ten plays and some fifty cases reveals how law, art, and philosophy shape Shakespeare's tragic vision. |
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Page 115
... Rome . Because the emotional charge is legally insubstan- tial , the mob soon shifts its focus to the question of Volumnia's influ- ence on her son . During this extraordinarily well - ventilated debate on the character of one of Rome's ...
... Rome . Because the emotional charge is legally insubstan- tial , the mob soon shifts its focus to the question of Volumnia's influ- ence on her son . During this extraordinarily well - ventilated debate on the character of one of Rome's ...
Page 154
... Rome in this play . U.S. Chief Justice Marshall tells us that the corporation is " an artifi- cial being , invisible ... Rome , whose charter is too perme- able for the good of its members . Rome's defects predate Tamora's arrival ...
... Rome in this play . U.S. Chief Justice Marshall tells us that the corporation is " an artifi- cial being , invisible ... Rome , whose charter is too perme- able for the good of its members . Rome's defects predate Tamora's arrival ...
Page 169
... Rome has made a complete banquet of the banqueters . With the aid of the invading Goths , Lucius absorbs Rome , Aaron faces torture , and Tamora's remains will be devoured by birds of prey . In near - benedictory tones unusual in a ...
... Rome has made a complete banquet of the banqueters . With the aid of the invading Goths , Lucius absorbs Rome , Aaron faces torture , and Tamora's remains will be devoured by birds of prey . In near - benedictory tones unusual in a ...
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Complicity and Tragic Retribution | 11 |
Macbeth and the Reasonableness Standard in Law | 23 |
Copyright | |
12 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
accusers action Antony appear audience becomes body Caesar calls cause characters charge civil claim Cleopatra Coke Coke's committed common law complicated concerning contract Coriolanus corporation court crime criminal critics Croke death defendant effect element Eliz England English English common law evidence exists finds force give given guilty Hamlet Hegel hero human Institutes intent interest involved issue Judges justice Kant kill king king's land Lear letter London lovers Macbeth madness matter means mens mental metaphysical military moral murder nature Othello play play's political position present principle punishment question reason refers regards relationship remains remarks Renaissance Reports requires response restitution retribution revenge role Roman Rome Romeo rule seems sense Shakespeare slander social society stage standard statutes suggests theatrical theory Timon tion Titus tragedy tragic treat trial understanding vols witnesses