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 37
... audience to signify what it wishes , but signify it will . Like being told not to imagine a pink elephant , an audi- ence would find it cognitively impossible not to signify something , if only Macbeth's presentational greatness as a ...
... audience to signify what it wishes , but signify it will . Like being told not to imagine a pink elephant , an audi- ence would find it cognitively impossible not to signify something , if only Macbeth's presentational greatness as a ...
Page 48
... audience and a jury hearing the evidence . The audience sees the dramatic action in a given theatrical space and time much like a jury and with similar privations : " By the law of En- gland a Jury after their Evidence given upon the ...
... audience and a jury hearing the evidence . The audience sees the dramatic action in a given theatrical space and time much like a jury and with similar privations : " By the law of En- gland a Jury after their Evidence given upon the ...
Page 75
... audience to prejudge the lovers . First , for Cleopatra and Antony to be dismissive of empire - building is antithetical to the broad course of Shakespearean criticism if not the audience's better judgment.1 Attacks on Antony's military ...
... audience to prejudge the lovers . First , for Cleopatra and Antony to be dismissive of empire - building is antithetical to the broad course of Shakespearean criticism if not the audience's better judgment.1 Attacks on Antony's military ...
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