Shakespeare and Violence

Abstract

Relating this study to current anxieties about the problem of violence, R.A. Foakes reveals how similar concerns are central in Shakespeare's plays. At first Shakespeare exploited spectacular violence for its entertainment value, but in later plays he explored a range of issues relating to war, heroism, manliness, and violence in nature as well as in human beings. This book examines the development of Shakespeare's representations of violence and explains their importance in shaping his career as a dramatist.