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 29
... body was concerned . On the other hand , he would severely prosecute an alleged crime of treason , as he did in Raleigh's case , which jeopar- dized the king's natural body . Subjects swore allegiance not to the king's political body ...
... body was concerned . On the other hand , he would severely prosecute an alleged crime of treason , as he did in Raleigh's case , which jeopar- dized the king's natural body . Subjects swore allegiance not to the king's political body ...
Page 121
... body is killed by slander in civil law and by death in criminal law , both punishments being combined to form the basis of this tragedy . Coriolanus's demeanor ranges from tender to severe , like Othello's , but his actual theatrical ...
... body is killed by slander in civil law and by death in criminal law , both punishments being combined to form the basis of this tragedy . Coriolanus's demeanor ranges from tender to severe , like Othello's , but his actual theatrical ...
Page 183
... body vis- à - vis the corporation : For a corporation , being an invisible body , cannot manifest it's [ sic ] inten- tions by any personal act or oral discourse : it therefore acts and speaks only by it's common seal . For , though the ...
... body vis- à - vis the corporation : For a corporation , being an invisible body , cannot manifest it's [ sic ] inten- tions by any personal act or oral discourse : it therefore acts and speaks only by it's common seal . For , though the ...
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