Shakespeare's Tragic SkepticismReaders of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies have long noted the absence of readily explainable motivations for some of Shakespeare's greatest characters: why does Hamlet delay his revenge for so long? Why does King Lear choose to renounce his power? Why is Othello so vulnerable to Iago's malice? But while many critics have chosen to overlook these omissions or explain them away, Millicent Bell demonstrates that they are essential elements of Shakespeare's philosophy of doubt. Examining the major tragedies, Millicent Bell reveals the persistent strain of philosophical skepticism. Like his contemporary, Montaigne, Shakespeare repeatedly calls attention to the essential unknowability of our world. In a period of social, political, and religious upheaval, uncertainty hovered over matters great and small--the succession of the crown, the death of loved ones from plague, the failure of a harvest. Tumultuous social conditions raised ultimate questions for Shakespeare, Bell argues, and ultimately provoked in him a skepticism which casts shadows of existential doubt over his greatest masterpieces. |
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Page x
... sometimes come upon a denial of denial itself . The result is a contest of feelings and ideas . Contradicting effects come into view as we discover the theatricality of life in Hamlet , epistemological anguish in Othello , the view that ...
... sometimes come upon a denial of denial itself . The result is a contest of feelings and ideas . Contradicting effects come into view as we discover the theatricality of life in Hamlet , epistemological anguish in Othello , the view that ...
Page xvi
... sometimes dissenting readings be attributed . Speaking of editions , I should point out that though I have resorted to editions of Shakespeare that generally " modernize " his original text somewhat , I have not followed the same ...
... sometimes dissenting readings be attributed . Speaking of editions , I should point out that though I have resorted to editions of Shakespeare that generally " modernize " his original text somewhat , I have not followed the same ...
Page 2
... sometimes suggest , be so elusive and variable as to bring its very existence into question . Though Shakespeare makes character so vivid that it survives all inconsistency and seems almost to require no proof of itself , I shall argue ...
... sometimes suggest , be so elusive and variable as to bring its very existence into question . Though Shakespeare makes character so vivid that it survives all inconsistency and seems almost to require no proof of itself , I shall argue ...
Page 7
... sometimes given for the slaughter of the city's dogs and cats , though these animals were the population's safeguards against the London rat , the real vector . The secret causes of things were hidden from sight . The Elizabethan ...
... sometimes given for the slaughter of the city's dogs and cats , though these animals were the population's safeguards against the London rat , the real vector . The secret causes of things were hidden from sight . The Elizabethan ...
Page 13
... sometimes suspected of atheism , too . One of the judges at Raleigh's treason trial warned him not to let " Harriot , nor any such Doctor , persuade you there is no eternity in Heaven , lest you find an eternity in hell Introduction 13.
... sometimes suspected of atheism , too . One of the judges at Raleigh's treason trial warned him not to let " Harriot , nor any such Doctor , persuade you there is no eternity in Heaven , lest you find an eternity in hell Introduction 13.
Contents
Hamlet Revenge | 29 |
Othellos Jealousy | 80 |
Unaccommodated Lear | 138 |
Macbeths Deeds | 191 |
The Roman Frame | 241 |
Selected Bibliography | 279 |
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action actor ambiguous ambition Antony and Cleopatra Antony's appears asks audience Banquo blood Brabantio Brutus called Cassio cause character Claudius Cordelia crime daughters death deed denies Desdemona doubt dramatic Duncan Edgar Edmund Emilia expressed faith false father feel fideism Florio Folio Fool Fortinbras fourth act ghost Gloucester Goneril Hamlet hath hear Holinshed Horatio human Iago Iago's idea identity imagination jealousy Julius Caesar Kent killed King Lear Lady Macbeth Laertes lago Lear's Macduff Machiavellian madness Malcolm marriage meaning mind Montaigne Montaigne's motive murder nature never observed Ophelia Othello philosophic skepticism play's playwright plot Plutarch Polonius prophecy Quarto reference Regan reminds revenge Roderigo role Roman royal says scene seems selfhood sense sexual Shake Shakespeare Shakespeare's play skepticism social soliloquy someone speaks speare's stage story suggested tells theater theatrical things thou thought tion tragedy tragic trial true truth witchcraft witches word