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 5
... characters . My point is that seeing the plays in the context of English Renaissance law becomes a useful , if not indispensable , practice . Though punishment in Shakespearean tragedy is often brutal , such severity is not essential to ...
... characters . My point is that seeing the plays in the context of English Renaissance law becomes a useful , if not indispensable , practice . Though punishment in Shakespearean tragedy is often brutal , such severity is not essential to ...
Page 20
... characters die outright ; one , Cassio , is maimed for life ; and lago's fate is one few of us would wish to entertain . No one of any dramatic stature remains . The other mature tragedies allow us a sense of sober if unspectacular ...
... characters die outright ; one , Cassio , is maimed for life ; and lago's fate is one few of us would wish to entertain . No one of any dramatic stature remains . The other mature tragedies allow us a sense of sober if unspectacular ...
Page 167
... characters ' " joys to pain , their bliss to misery " ( 1.5.10 ) . Shakespeare remolds the genre with Titus's laughter in the depth of his despair : Marcus : Titus : Why dost thou laugh ? It fits not with this hour . Why , I have not ...
... characters ' " joys to pain , their bliss to misery " ( 1.5.10 ) . Shakespeare remolds the genre with Titus's laughter in the depth of his despair : Marcus : Titus : Why dost thou laugh ? It fits not with this hour . Why , I have not ...
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