Charismatic Authority in Early Modern English TragedyCharismatic groups form around a leader who displays extraordinary abilities in times of social distress and who is often thought to have supernatural or magical powers. Raphael Falco demonstrates that English tragedies are full of such figures, including Marlowe's Tamburlaine; Shakespeare's Richard II, Hamlet, and Othello; Milton's Samson; and the various dramatic representations of Cleopatra. Most charisma is at first revolutionary, challenging traditional or bureaucratic forms of authority. But sooner or later groups that depend on the pure or personal charisma of a central figure begin to change, even to break down. Tragedies often focus on this difficult process of charismatic transformation--a process, Falco argues, that is best understood not in terms of a single tragic figure but as a group experience. Charismatic Authority in Early Modern English Tragedy reassesses the force of group experience in tragedy by combining literary analysis with research in sociological theory, particularly the theories of Max Weber. Chapters address such manifestations of authority as pure charisma, lineage charisma, office charisma, and erotic charisma. This is a genuinely interdisciplinary critical study that will interest scholars of drama as well as critics attracted to sociological approaches to literature. |
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Page 83
... less a king merely by becoming more a man . Rather , he becomes less a king by relying too much on himself as a symbolic figure - by seeing himself too exclusively as a product of chrism - asserting for instance that " For every man ...
... less a king merely by becoming more a man . Rather , he becomes less a king by relying too much on himself as a symbolic figure - by seeing himself too exclusively as a product of chrism - asserting for instance that " For every man ...
Page 98
... less in joy Than hope enjoy'd . ( 2.3.8-16 ) These words seem uncharacteristically effusive for Northumberland . His hyperbole echoes the language of courtly love : he " protest [ s ] " that Bolingbroke's company has " beguil'd / The ...
... less in joy Than hope enjoy'd . ( 2.3.8-16 ) These words seem uncharacteristically effusive for Northumberland . His hyperbole echoes the language of courtly love : he " protest [ s ] " that Bolingbroke's company has " beguil'd / The ...
Page 221
... less rigorous symbolic timetable . Consequently there may be , for group members , a less symbol- ically dependent period during which the recognition of a charisma is possible . In contrast , the mutuality of the erotic experience is a ...
... less rigorous symbolic timetable . Consequently there may be , for group members , a less symbol- ically dependent period during which the recognition of a charisma is possible . In contrast , the mutuality of the erotic experience is a ...
Contents
Revolution to Routinization | 27 |
Charismas in Conflict | 65 |
THREE | 78 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
action Antony and Cleopatra Antony's asceticism becomes blood body natural body politic Bolingbroke bond Brabantio calls Cassio charis charisma hunger charismatic authority charismatic claim charismatic experience charismatic group charismatic leader charismatic movement charismatic status charismatic symbols chorus Claudius conflict Coriolanus Cosroe crown Danites deliverer Desdemona disruptive dissipative structure divine dynastic early modern emotional erotic charisma erotic sacrament eroticism extraordinary father followers force Geneva Bible gifts grace group function group ideal group members Hamlet honor Iago Iago's individual irrational ismatic Israelite judge king kingship Laertes leadership libidinal lineage charisma manipulation martial matic means metanoia mission mutuality myth Nazarite notion Othello's personal charisma Philistines play pure charisma rational recognize relationship revenge revolutionary Richard Richard II Roman routinization royal rulership sacred Samson scene seems sexual Shakespeare shared experience shofet social speech strength suggests supernatural Tamburlaine Tamburlainian Theridamas thou tion traditional tragedy tragic violence warrior Weber Zenocrate