Deadly Thought: Hamlet and the Human SoulThe human soul is for pre-modern philosophers the cause of both thinking and life. This double aspect of the soul, which makes man a rational animal, expresses itself above all in human action. Deadly Thought: "Hamlet" and the Human Soul traces Hamlet's famous inability to act to his inability to hold together these twin aspects of the soul. Combining careful attention to detail and interpretive breadth, noted scholar Jan H. Blits deftly illustrates how Hamlet collapses life into thought, and moral action into stage acting, and ultimately comes to see his own life as a stage play. Hamlet, the book demonstrates, epitomizes the intellectualism of the Renaissance and the modern age it began, and so becomes tragedy's first self-conscious protagonist, signaling the end of ancient tragedy. Erudite, innovative, and lively, Deadly Thought is a ground-breaking contribution that will appeal to Shakespeare scholars, political theorists, historians of philosophy, literary theorists and anyone interested in a truly fresh interpretation of this classic work. |
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Page 7
... noble action in Denmark . Instead of duels of single combat ( 1.1.83-98 ; 5.1.139-40 ) , we find battles of competing theatrical tastes ( 2.2.328-58 ) , gentlemanly contests of horseman- ship ( 4.7.70-101 ) , fencing matches in which ...
... noble action in Denmark . Instead of duels of single combat ( 1.1.83-98 ; 5.1.139-40 ) , we find battles of competing theatrical tastes ( 2.2.328-58 ) , gentlemanly contests of horseman- ship ( 4.7.70-101 ) , fencing matches in which ...
Page 8
... noble titles . Polonius is not a duke or a baron , but an " assistant for a state . " As his position is an official function , not a hereditary power , his title is conferred by the king ( the " state " ) and held only during the ...
... noble titles . Polonius is not a duke or a baron , but an " assistant for a state . " As his position is an official function , not a hereditary power , his title is conferred by the king ( the " state " ) and held only during the ...
Page 9
... noble action , the drossy age of Denmark closely mirrors the drossy age of Rome . The Renaissance , as Shakespeare shows , is a rediscovery or imi- tation of neoclassical Rome , which is itself an imitation of classical Greece . Having ...
... noble action , the drossy age of Denmark closely mirrors the drossy age of Rome . The Renaissance , as Shakespeare shows , is a rediscovery or imi- tation of neoclassical Rome , which is itself an imitation of classical Greece . Having ...
Page 17
... noble deeds . As we see most especially with Hamlet himself , the- ory and practice , art and life , become exchanged or confused . Hamlet not only consciously turns stage - acting into action and ac- tion into stage - acting . He also ...
... noble deeds . As we see most especially with Hamlet himself , the- ory and practice , art and life , become exchanged or confused . Hamlet not only consciously turns stage - acting into action and ac- tion into stage - acting . He also ...
Page 18
... noble actions , Hamlet's — or the Renaissance's — intellectualism sets the two functions of the soul apart , leaving man a divided and diminished animal . NOTES 1. All references to Hamlet are to the Arden edition , ed . Harold Jen ...
... noble actions , Hamlet's — or the Renaissance's — intellectualism sets the two functions of the soul apart , leaving man a divided and diminished animal . NOTES 1. All references to Hamlet are to the Arden edition , ed . Harold Jen ...
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Common terms and phrases
accuses action actors answer appearance Aristotle asks Barnardo birth body cause Christian Cicero Clau Claudius Claudius's conscience corpse Dane Danish dead death deed Denmark describes despite Diogenes Laertius dius double emphasizes explicitly father fear final Fortinbras Fortinbras's fortune Gertrude Gertrude's Ghost God's Gonzago grave Grave-digger Grave-digger's guilt Hamlet says Hamlet seems hath hear heaven Hecuba Horatio imitation incest Jephthah kill King Hamlet King's Laertes Laertes's letter lines lonius lord man's Marcellus marriage means mentions metaphor moral mother murder nature never noble old Hamlet once one's Ophelia Osric play play's Player King Player Queen Plutarch political Polonius Polonius's praise question Quintilian reason refers revenge rhetoric Rosencrantz and Guildenstern royal scene sense Shakespeare silent soliloquy soul speaks speech Stoic Stoicism suggests tell theatrical thee thing thou thought tion tragedy turns twice virtue vows warning words