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 5
... seems to think , can supersede birth . But if Shakespeare's Danes seem to feel quite at home in foreign times and places , their new cosmopolitan worldly outwardness is matched by a new moral inwardness . Some commentators say that Hamlet's ...
... seems to think , can supersede birth . But if Shakespeare's Danes seem to feel quite at home in foreign times and places , their new cosmopolitan worldly outwardness is matched by a new moral inwardness . Some commentators say that Hamlet's ...
Page 7
Hamlet and the Human Soul Jan H. Blits. Seems , madam ? Nay , it is . I know not " seems . " These indeed seem For they are actions that a man might play ; But I have that within which passes show . ( 1.2.76 , 83-85 ) Only " that within ...
Hamlet and the Human Soul Jan H. Blits. Seems , madam ? Nay , it is . I know not " seems . " These indeed seem For they are actions that a man might play ; But I have that within which passes show . ( 1.2.76 , 83-85 ) Only " that within ...
Page 10
... Hamlet's lips.19 Hamlet , Shakespeare's most theatrical character , is at various times a play- wright , actor ... seems to think , contains a " womb " ( 1.1.140 ) . Laertes is Horatio's opposite number . Named after the famous 10 ...
... Hamlet's lips.19 Hamlet , Shakespeare's most theatrical character , is at various times a play- wright , actor ... seems to think , contains a " womb " ( 1.1.140 ) . Laertes is Horatio's opposite number . Named after the famous 10 ...
Page 27
... Hamlet " our King " and to his being introduced by Marcellus as a " liegeman to the Dane , " Horatio , whom Marcellus and Barnardo appeal to as one who knew the former King well ( 1.1.46 , 61 ) , seems to know not only what the King ...
... Hamlet " our King " and to his being introduced by Marcellus as a " liegeman to the Dane , " Horatio , whom Marcellus and Barnardo appeal to as one who knew the former King well ( 1.1.46 , 61 ) , seems to know not only what the King ...
Page 28
... Hamlet's death and more than half the lines in scene 1 , he has only about ... seems to be merely indulging Barnardo and Mar- cellus by his presence on the ... Hamlet will call it ( 1.5.175 ) , teaches him to trust only what his senses ...
... Hamlet's death and more than half the lines in scene 1 , he has only about ... seems to be merely indulging Barnardo and Mar- cellus by his presence on the ... Hamlet will call it ( 1.5.175 ) , teaches him to trust only what his senses ...
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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 hendiadys 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