Shakespeare's Macbeth Wills, Garry 1934- creator text bibliography nyu New York New York Public Library Oxford University Press 1995 monographic eng

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ix, 223 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm. In Witches and Jesuits, Wills focuses on a single document to open up a window on an entire society. He begins with a simple question: If Macbeth is such a great tragedy, why do performances of it so often fail? Wills maintains that the fault lies not in Shakespeare's play, but in ourselves. Drawing on his intimate knowledge of the vivid intrigue and drama of Jacobean England, Wills restores Macbeth's suspenseful tension by returning it to the context of its own time, recreating the burning theological and political crises of Shakespeare's era, such as the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when a small cell of Jesuits came within a hairsbreadth of successfully blowing up not only the king, but the prince his heir, and all members of the court and Parliament. Wills likens their shock to that endured by Americans following Pearl Harbour or the Kennedy assassination. In this new light, Macbeth is transformed. Wills presents a drama that is more than a well-scripted story of a murderer getting his just penalty, it is the struggle for the soul of a nation. Rich in insight and a joy to read, Witches and Jesuits is a tour de force of scholarship and imagination by one of our foremost writers, essential reading for anyone who loves the language. Introduction: The trouble with Macbeth Gunpowder Witches Male witch Lady Macbeth Jesuits Malcolm Macbeth Conclusion: The test of performance Appendix I: Date of the play Appendix II: Text of the play Key to brief citations Garry Wills. Based on a series of lectures. Includes bibliographical references (pages 167-202) and indexes. e-uk-en e-uk-st Shakespeare, William 1564-1616 Shakespeare, William 1564-1616 King of Scotland Macbeth active 11th century In literature Rey de Escocia Macbeth Siglo XI Jesuits In literature Jesuitas en la literatura Literature and history England History 17th century Literatura e historia Inglaterra Siglo XVII Gunpowder Plot, 1605 Historiography Witchcraft in literature Brujería en la literatura Tragedy Teatro inglés PR 2823 W741w 1995 822.3/3 0195088794 9780195088793 94014201 http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0640/94014201-d.html http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0726/94014201-b.html http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0640/94014201-d.html http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0726/94014201-b.html DLC 940315 20241202121342.0 2541044 eng