Shakespeare's ideas : more things in heaven and earth /
David Bevington.
- Chichester, West Sussex ; Malden, MA : Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.
- ix, 234 pages ; 23 cm.
- Blackwell great minds ; 7 .
Includes bibliographical references (pages [218]-226) and index.
A natural philosopher -- Lust in action: Shakespeare's ideas on sex and gender -- What is honour?: Shakespeare's ideas on politics and political theory -- Hold the mirror up to nature: Shakespeare's ideas on writing and acting -- What form of prayer can serve my turn?: Shakespeare's ideas on religious controversy and issues of faith -- Is man no more than this?: Shakespeare's ideas on scepticism, doubt, stoicism, pessimism, misanthropy -- Here our play has ending: ideas of closure in the late plays -- Credo.
Written by a leading Shakespearean scholar, this book is an in-depth exploration, through his plays and poems, of the philosophy of Shakespeare as a great poet, a great dramatist and a "great mind". The author discusses an array of topics, including sex and gender, politics and political theory, writing and acting, religious controversy and issues of faith, skepticism and misanthropy, and closure