{"product_id":"shakespeares-political-realism-tim-spiekerman-9780791448687","title":"Shakespeare's Political Realism: The English History Plays","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExplores the continuing relevance of important political themes in five of Shakespeare's English History plays.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book provides fresh interpretations of five of Shakespeare's history plays (King John, Richard II, Henry IV, Parts I and II, and Henry V), each guided by the often criticized assumption that Shakespeare can teach us something about politics. In contrast to many contemporary political critics who treat Shakespeare's political dramas as narrow reflections of his time, the author maintains that Shakespeare's political vision is wide-ranging, compelling, and relevant to modern audiences. Paying close attention to character and context, as well as to Shakespeare's creative use of history, the author explores Shakespeare's views on perennially important political themes such as ambition, legitimacy, tradition, and political morality. Particular emphasis is placed on Shakespeare's relation to Machiavelli, turning repeatedly to the conflict between ambition and justice. In the end, Shakespeare's history plays point to the limits of politics even more pessimistically than Machiavelli's realism.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Tim Spiekerman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0791448681\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780791448687\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e State University of New York Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/25\/2001\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 218\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.68lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.95h x 5.92w x 0.47d","brand":"Tim Spiekerman","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48483695788287,"sku":"9780791448687","price":34.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_ee9adef0-5e9a-4a1a-8336-5c4fd4478d1e.jpg?v=1778040063","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/shakespeares-political-realism-tim-spiekerman-9780791448687","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}