Shakespeare and MarxMarxist cultural theory underlies much teaching and research in university departments of literature and has played a crucial role in the development of recent theoretical work. Feminism, New Historicism, cultural materialism, postcolonial theory, and queer theory all draw upon ideas about cultural production which can be traced to Marx, and significantly each also has a special relation with Renaissance literary studies. This book explores the past and continuing influence of Marx's ideas in work on Shakespeare. Marx's ideas about cultural production and its relation to economic production are clearly explained, together with the standard terminology and concepts such as base/superstructure, ideology, commodity fetishism, alienation, and reification. The influence of Marx's ideas on the theory and practice of Shakespeare criticism and performance is traced from the Victorian age to the present day. The continuing importance of these ideas is illustrated via new Marxist readings of King Lear, Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, Timon of Athens, The Comedy of Errors, All's Well that Ends Well, and The Winter's Tale. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 7 | |
2 Marxs Influence on Shakespeare Studies to 1968 | 46 |
3 Marxs Influence on Shakespeare Studies since 1968 | 69 |
4 Shakespeare and Marx Today | 98 |
Marx and Genetics | 138 |
Further Reading | 150 |
Works Cited | 153 |
Index | 163 |
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Common terms and phrases
action appears argued assertion audience base become bond Brecht called capitalism capitalist century characters claim comes commodity concern consciousness course created criticism culture determined dialectic distinction diVerent economic Elizabethan English entirely equal exchange existence feel followed forces future genes give given Henry human idealism ideas ideology important individual insists kind King labour language linguistics literary live Marx Marx’s Marxist material matter means mind nature necessary objects opposite particular past performance person philosophical play political practice present principle production progress reading reality reason rejection relations relationship represented Richard ruling seems sense Shakespeare Shaw Shylock social society stage structure studies superstructure theatre theory things thinking thought Tillyard Timon turn universal Venice workers writing Wrst York
Popular passages
Page 10 - The sum total of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society — the real foundation, on which rise legal and political superstructures and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness.
Page 48 - Is it possible Disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence.
Page 29 - A commodity is therefore a mysterious thing, simply because in it the social character of men's labour appears to them as an objective character stamped upon the product of that labour...
Page 120 - Seems, madam ! nay, it is ; I know not ' seems.' 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of...
Page 10 - The mode of production in material life determines the general character of the social, political and spiritual processes of life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but, on the contrary, their social existence determines their consciousness.
References to this book
Shakespeare and the Economic Imperative: "what's Aught But as 'tis Valued?" Peter F. Grav No preview available - 2008 |