{"product_id":"30-great-myths-about-shakespeare-paperback-softback-9780470658512","title":"30 Great Myths about Shakespeare (Paperback \/ softback) 9780470658512","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003e30 Great Myths about Shakespeare\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Learned and enjoyable (that rarest of combinations), \u003ci\u003e30 Great Myths\u003c\/i\u003e is a brilliant exploration of the truth behind popular assumptions about Shakespeare. Some of these myths turn out to be true, some false and some impossible to be decisive about. But these mini-essays are always at once fascinating, provoking and fun.”—\u003ci\u003ePeter Holland, University of Notre Dame\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e“This is a fresh, learned, thoughtful and generous-spirited review of the more-or-less received ideas we so often invoke when we talk about Shakespeare. Written with wit and verve by two outstanding experts in the field, it will entertain and inform experienced readers and playgoers  as well as those approaching the plays and poems for the first time.”—\u003ci\u003eRussell Jackson, University of Birmingham\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e30 Great Myths About Shakespeare\u003c\/i\u003e is superb.  Laurie Maguire and Emma Smith have written an incisive, witty, and open-minded book, one that uses popular myths as a point of entry into the profound and vexing questions raised by Shakespeare’s art. Scholars, actors, and general readers will find themselves in their debt.”—\u003ci\u003eJames Shapiro, Columbia University\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eLaurie Maguire (Author), Emma Smith (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9780470658512, Wiley\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 14 December 2012\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e224 pages\u003cbr\u003e22.9 x 15.2 x 1.1 cm, 0.295 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Laurie Maguire and Emma Smith's \u003ci\u003e30 Great Myths About Shakespeare\u003c\/i\u003e is a thought-provoking myth-buster ... It entertains the reader with new material and detective-like connections ... A huge amount of research, work and selection lies behind this book, and it pays off. Not just students, but every academic should take note.\" (\u003ci\u003eTimes Literary Supplement\u003c\/i\u003e, 29 November 2013)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Lively, enjoyable and sensible throughout.\" (\u003ci\u003eLondon Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e, 5 December 2013)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"The myth that Macbeth is jinxed in the theatre, is, says Maguire, a 'self-fulfilling prophecy based on a hoax.' And so it is, and delightfully so, but you’ll have to read the book to find out why.\"  (\u003ci\u003eIrish Examiner\u003c\/i\u003e, 5 June 2013). \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"This is a good book by trustworthy Shakespeareans ... The individual myths, structured into moderate-length essays (thus you do not have to read them in order), can be excellent for discussions in the classroom or lecture-room. Though the book obviously targets readership already into Shakespeare, every novice will enjoy finding satisfactory answers to the myths they are bothered with.\" (\u003ci\u003eHuffington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, 24  April 2013)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"The value of this little book lies in its ceaseless exploration.\" (\u003ci\u003eTimes Higher Education\u003c\/i\u003e, 7 March 2013)\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Even if you know Shakespeare well, this delightful book will offer thought-provoking new angles.\" (\u003ci\u003eThe Scotsman\u003c\/i\u003e, 2 March 2013)\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"A book that manages the rare feat of exercising scholarly caution...while still providing a highly entertaining portrait of the man himself.\" (\u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e, 24 February 2013)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eThink you know Shakespeare? Think again . . .\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cp\u003eWas a real skull used in the first performance of Hamlet? Were Shakespeare's plays Elizabethan blockbusters? How much do we really know about the playwright's life? And what of his notorious relationship with his wife? Exploring and exploding 30 popular myths about the great playwright, this illuminating new book evaluates all the evidence to show how historical material—or its absence—can be interpreted and misinterpreted, and what this reveals about our own personal investment in the stories we tell.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eIntroduction 1  \u003cp\u003eMyth 1 Shakespeare was the most popular writer of his time 6\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 2 Shakespeare was not well educated 11\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 3 Shakespeare’s plays should be performed in Elizabethan dress 18\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 4 Shakespeare was not interested in having his plays printed 26\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 5 Shakespeare never traveled 34\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 6 Shakespeare’s plays are politically incorrect 40\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 7 Shakespeare was a Catholic 47\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 8 Shakespeare’s plays had no scenery 54\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 9 Shakespeare’s tragedies are more serious than his comedies 60\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 10 Shakespeare hated his wife 66\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 11 Shakespeare wrote in the rhythms of everyday speech 72\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 12 Hamlet was named after Shakespeare’s son 80\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 13 The coarse bits of Shakespeare are for the groundlings; the philosophy is for the upper classes 86\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 14 Shakespeare was a Stratford playwright 94\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 15 Shakespeare was a plagiarist 99\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 16 We don’t know much about Shakespeare’s life 106\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 17 Shakespeare wrote alone 113\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 18 Shakespeare’s sonnets are autobiographical 119\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 19 If Shakespeare were writing now, he’d be writing forHollywood 125\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Myth 20 The Tempest was Shakespeare’s farewell to the stage 130\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 21 Shakespeare had a huge vocabulary 137\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 22 Shakespeare’s plays are timeless 143\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 23 Macbeth is jinxed in the theater 150\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 24 Shakespeare did not revise his plays 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 25 Boy actors played women’s roles 163\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 26 Shakespeare’s plays don’t work as movies 169\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 27 Yorick’s skull was real 175\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 28 Queen Elizabeth loved Shakespeare’s plays 183\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 29 Shakespeare’s characters are like real people 190\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMyth 30 Shakespeare didn’t write Shakespeare 196\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCoda 202\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurther Reading 207\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndex 211\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Literature: history \u0026amp; criticism [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Literature: history \u0026amp; criticism\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Literature:%20history%20\u0026amp;%20criticism%20%5BDS%5D%22\"\u003eDS\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Wiley-Blackwell","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52460686278936,"sku":"9780470658512","price":17.67,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9780470658512.jpg?v=1785458200","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/30-great-myths-about-shakespeare-paperback-softback-9780470658512","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}