Nine Lives of William Shakespeare

by Holderness, Graham

• ISBN13: 9781441151858
• ISBN10: 1441151850
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-12-08
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

We know relatively little about Shakespeare's life, and yet it continues to fascinate us. This new biography of Shakespeare identifies and expounds the many possible 'lives' that can reasonably be drawn around the basic facts, traditions and literary remains of his legacy. Graham Holderness takes a hard and fresh look at the facts, the traditions, and the possible relations between a life and the works that life created. He offers nine possible short 'lives' of Shakespeare, each based on specific facts and traditions, drawn from the documentary record and from biographical interpretation and each supported by a body of critical and biographical work.

Author Biography

Graham Holderness is Professor of English at the University of Hertfordshire, author or editor of numerous studies in early modern and modern literature and drama, and General Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Critical Survey. He is also a creative writer, novelist and award-winning poet.

Table of Contents

General Editors Preface to the Second-Wave of the Series	p. viii
General Editors' Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
Shakespeare the Writer	p. 24
Story: 'The Shakespeare Code	p. 34
Shakespeare the Player	p. 45
Memoir: 'Master Shakespeare's Instructions to the Actors'	p. 56
Shakespeare the Butcher Boy	p. 62
Memoir: 'Some further account of the life &c. of Mr William Shakespear'	p. 70
Shakespeare the Businessman	p. 76
Story: 'Best for Winter'	p. 90
Shakespeare in Love: 'Husband, I come'	p. 96
Memoir: 'Shakespeare's Ring: First Circle'	p. 106
Shakespeare in Love: 'Fair Friend'	p. 111
Story: 'The Adventure of Shakespeare's Ring'	p. 122
Shakespeare in Love: 'A female evil	p. 141
Story: "Shakespeare's Ring: Full Circle'	p. 152
Shakespeare the Catholic	p. 164
Story: 'He dyed a papist	p. 172
Shakespeare's Face: 'The mind's construction'	p. l79
Fable: 'An Account of a Voyage to Bardolo'	p. 192
Notes	p. 207
Index	p. 213
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