Shakespeare and Happiness

Shakespeare and Happiness
Author: Kathleen French
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 168
Release: 2022-02-27
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1000541592

Shakespeare and Happiness is a study of attitudes to happiness in the early modern period and in Shakespeare’s plays. It considers the conflicting influences of religion and Aristotelian philosophy in shaping attitudes to the possibility of attaining happiness. By being the first book to focus specifically on the representation of happiness in Shakespeare’s plays, it contributes to feminist approaches to Shakespeare by foregrounding the important role of women in showing the right way to live and achieve happiness. timely criticism, as it considers Shakespeare in the current context of the #MeToo movement providing new insights to studies of the emotions by approaching them from the perspective of research conducted by positive psychologists. This book takes an interdisciplinary approach that combines methodologies from literature, psychology philosophy, religion and history, emphasizing the richness and complexity of Shakespeare’s exploration of the nature of happiness.

Disability, Health, and Happiness in the Shakespearean Body

Disability, Health, and Happiness in the Shakespearean Body
Author: Sujata Iyengar
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2014-12-05
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1317620089

This book considers early modern and postmodern ideals of health, vigor, ability, beauty, well-being, and happiness, uncovering and historicizing the complex negotiations among physical embodiment, emotional response, and communally-sanctioned behavior in Shakespeare's literary and material world. The volume visits a series of questions about the history of the body and how early modern cultures understand physical ability or vigor, emotional competence or satisfaction, and joy or self-fulfillment. Individual essays investigate the purported disabilities of the "crook-back" King Richard III or the "corpulent" Falstaff, the conflicts between different health-care belief-systems in The Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet, the power of figurative language to delineate or even instigate puberty in the Sonnets or Romeo and Juliet, and the ways in which the powerful or moneyed mediate the access of the poor and injured to cure or even to care. Integrating insights from Disability Studies, Health Studies, and Happiness Studies, this book develops both a detailed literary-historical analysis and a provocative cultural argument about the emphasis we place on popular notions of fitness and contentment today.

Shakespeare's Book of Wisdom

Shakespeare's Book of Wisdom
Author: Rob Crisell
Publisher: de Portola Press
Total Pages: 154
Release: 2018-12
Genre: Drama
ISBN: 9780692186732

Shakespeare's Book of Wisdom offers practical and profound advice for readers ages 15 to 115 from the writings of Shakespeare as well as from dozens of other philosophers, artists, saints, and sinners throughout history. Every entry consists of a practical piece of advice, illustrated by a quote from Shakespeare and a plain-English translation.

This Is Shakespeare

This Is Shakespeare
Author: Emma Smith
Publisher: Vintage
Total Pages: 263
Release: 2020-03-31
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1524748552

An electrifying new study that investigates the challenges of the Bard’s inconsistencies and flaws, and focuses on revealing—not resolving—the ambiguities of the plays and their changing topicality A genius and prophet whose timeless works encapsulate the human condition like no other. A writer who surpassed his contemporaries in vision, originality, and literary mastery. A man who wrote like an angel, putting it all so much better than anyone else. Is this Shakespeare? Well, sort of. But it doesn’t tell us the whole truth. So much of what we say about Shakespeare is either not true, or just not relevant. In This Is Shakespeare, Emma Smith—an intellectually, theatrically, and ethically exciting writer—takes us into a world of politicking and copycatting, as we watch Shakespeare emulating the blockbusters of Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd (the Spielberg and Tarantino of their day), flirting with and skirting around the cutthroat issues of succession politics, religious upheaval, and technological change. Smith writes in strikingly modern ways about individual agency, privacy, politics, celebrity, and sex. Instead of offering the answers, the Shakespeare she reveals poses awkward questions, always inviting the reader to ponder ambiguities.

The Renaissance of emotion

The Renaissance of emotion
Author: Richard Meek
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2015-08-01
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 0719098947

This collection of essays offers a major reassessment of the meaning and significance of emotional experience in the work of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Recent scholarship on early modern emotion has relied on a medical-historical approach, resulting in a picture of emotional experience that stresses the dominance of the material, humoral body. The Renaissance of emotion seeks to redress this balance by examining the ways in which early modern texts explore emotional experience from perspectives other than humoral medicine. The chapters in the book seek to demonstrate how open, creative and agency-ridden the experience and interpretation of emotion could be. Taken individually, the chapters offer much-needed investigations into previously overlooked areas of emotional experience and signification; taken together, they offer a thorough re-evaluation of the cultural priorities and phenomenological principles that shaped the understanding of the emotive self in the early modern period. The Renaissance of emotion will be of particular interest to students and scholars of Shakespeare and Renaissance literature, the history of emotion, theatre and cultural history, and the history of ideas.

Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare (Anniversary Edition)

Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare (Anniversary Edition)
Author: Stephen Greenblatt
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 441
Release: 2010-05-03
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0393079848

Named One of Esquire's 50 Best Biographies of All Time The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist, reissued with a new afterword for the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. A young man from a small provincial town moves to London in the late 1580s and, in a remarkably short time, becomes the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. How is an achievement of this magnitude to be explained? Stephen Greenblatt brings us down to earth to see, hear, and feel how an acutely sensitive and talented boy, surrounded by the rich tapestry of Elizabethan life, could have become the world’s greatest playwright.

Shakespeare and Emotion

Shakespeare and Emotion
Author: Katharine A. Craik
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 708
Release: 2020-10-22
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1108245153

Shakespeare and Emotion devotes sustained attention to the emotions as a novel way of exploring Shakespeare's works in their original contexts. A variety of disciplinary approaches drawn from literary, theatrical, historical, cultural and film studies brings the recent upsurge of interest in affect into conversation with some of the most urgent debates in Shakespeare studies. The volume provides both a comprehensive account of the current state of scholarship and a speculative forum for new research. Its chapters outline some important contexts for understanding Shakespeare's creativity through an emotional lens – from religion, rhetoric, and medicine, to language, acting and Bollywood – and offer a range of case studies which reveal particular emotions at work. Considering emotional and passionate experience as an animating and sometimes alienating force within the plays and poems, the volume highlights the continuing importance of Shakespeare today: for our sense of who we are and who we might become.

As You Like It

As You Like It
Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher: Prabhat Prakashan
Total Pages: 85
Release: 2021-01-01
Genre: Young Adult Nonfiction
ISBN:

Welcome to the enchanting world of "As You Like It" by William Shakespeare, a timeless comedy that celebrates the complexities of love, identity, and the human spirit. Follow the captivating adventures of Rosalind, Orlando, and a colorful cast of characters as they journey through the Forest of Arden in search of love and self-discovery. With its delightful blend of wit, romance, and mistaken identity, "As You Like It" invites readers to revel in the joyous chaos of Shakespearean comedy. Explore themes of love, friendship, and the transformative power of nature as Shakespeare weaves together a tapestry of laughter and longing. From the banter of the lovelorn courtiers to the wisdom of the exiled Duke, each character adds depth and nuance to the vibrant tapestry of the play. Through sparkling dialogue and memorable soliloquies, Shakespeare offers profound insights into the human condition, inviting readers to ponder the nature of love and the pursuit of happiness. With its timeless appeal and universal themes, "As You Like It" continues to captivate audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The overall tone of the play is one of mirth and celebration, as Shakespeare celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love. His lyrical language and vivid imagery transport readers to a world of whimsy and wonder, where anything is possible. Critically acclaimed for its wit, charm, and memorable characters, "As You Like It" has earned its place as one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies. Its enduring popularity speaks to its universal appeal and timeless relevance. Whether you're a lifelong fan of Shakespeare or discovering his work for the first time, "As You Like It" promises to delight and entertain. Don't miss your chance to experience the magic of Shakespearean comedy. Grab your copy now and immerse yourself in the laughter and romance of "As You Like It."

The World Book of Happiness

The World Book of Happiness
Author: Leo Bormans
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Limited
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2011-09
Genre: Happiness
ISBN: 9789814346320

"The knowledge and wisdom of 100 happiness professors from around the world. " It may be surprising to learn the amount of scientific research conducted on happiness and that there is a World Database of Happiness, a cumulative and continuous register of that research. In fact, the United States ranks higher than average in happiness, though not as high as the Nordic countries, including the happiest of nations, Denmark. So perhaps there is a lot to be learned about happiness and how to achieve it. "The World Book of Happiness" is a fascinating compilation of brief essays by 100 of the most prominent experts in positive psychology working in 50 countries. Writing from their own areas of expertise in language free of academic jargon, the contributors examine the principles of happiness, also known as subjective well-being, and how to achieve it. These expert recommendations are shown as "keys" to happiness. The book reveals many paths to happiness. From the founder of positive psychology, it is "other people matter." From Germany it is "pride, modesty and gratitude." In Malaysia it is "nourish the soul," and in Austria "fitness, friends and fun" bring happiness. And in Denmark, home to the happiest: "Believe in yourself." But what, too, of genetics, geography and health? The experts also consider these factors and recommend keys to happiness that address what we think we cannot control. Positive psychology may not be widely known, but the desire to be happy is universal. By transforming information into knowledge and knowledge into wisdom, "The World Book of Happiness" brings readers a hopeful and practical guide to that elusive state of being.