Shakespeares Neighbors

Shakespeare's Neighbors focuses on what lay next door to Shakespeare- the theoretical context that, while partially lost on us, was quite likely to inform the perception that Shakespeare's contemporaries (his "neighbors") had of his works. In this series of alternative readings, the primacy of the literary text is set against the backdrop of unexpected or largely ignored theories whose enormous diffusion renders them inescapable terms of comparison. Rocco Coronato advocates the likely as a viable backdrop to literary analysis. The inference has it that the presence of such widely disseminated theories may allow for the study of the literary works through their own codes and imagery, without implying a rigidly ideological transmission between social and literary domains. While written with literary criticism in mind, Coronato manages to avoid convoluted jargon, striving in the process to translate the terms of otherwise esoteric discourses into a generally accessible language form, for the benefit of a non-specialist audience as well.

Though Coronato says his seven essays have no point to make, no thesis to defend, no relation to prove, he nevertheless revises them from earlier presentation or publication and offers them again. The matter with Barabas, the invention of Perdita, and the likes of Viola are among the topics. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

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Though Coronato says his seven essays have no point to make, no thesis to defend, no relation to prove, he nevertheless revises them from earlier presentation or publication and offers them again. The matter with Barabas, the invention of Perdita, and the likes of Viola are among the topics. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Rocco Coronato is Professor of English Language and Literature, University of Siena, Italy.