First published 2002
Fintan O'Toole argues that modern students cannot understand Shakespeare because Victorian interpretations have obscured the original plays. Ireland's leading theater critic demonstrates how centuries of misreading have made Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth unintelligible to contemporary audiences. O'Toole contends that these interpretations focus more on Victorian values than on what Shakespeare actually wrote. He examines fundamental questions: Does madness belong to Hamlet or to his world? Does Othello's social position create his vulnerability rather than simple gullibility? Why must King Lear end in tragedy? O'Toole challenges conventional academic approaches to these four major tragedies. He offers fresh perspectives on their dramatic qualities while making his analysis accessible to general readers. The book provides students, teachers, and Shakespeare enthusiasts with new ways to understand the playwright's work.
Genres: literary-criticism, literary-fiction, non-fiction, criticism, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Period: Victorian
Hardcover