Synopses & Reviews
Approaching the subject from a dramaturgical point of view, this investigation differs from anything that has been written about the relationship between Thomas More and William Shakespeare. Charles A. Hallett and Elaine S. Hallett define, in specific terms, what Shakespeare learned from his study of Mores History and how he exploited that knowledge to heighten the drama in his enduring masterpiece Richard III.
Review
"One of the strengths of this book is the way it takes the craft of characterization seriously. The majority of its pages are taken up by careful comparison of passages and an analysis of the way Shakespeare 'removes', 'binds', 'substitutes' and 'transforms' elements that are there in his source text, creating, first a complicity between the audience and his protagonist and then removing it suddenly as the play draws to its close. The authors pour constant praise on the artistic judgement of the dramatist as he 'deftly', 'brilliantly', 'marvellously' works towards 'the peak of his power', taking not More but Richard himself as the 'mentor' by whose aid he makes the breakthrough to a mature theatrical style." - Times Literary Supplement
"This wonderfully erudite study should be of great interest to all lovers of Shakespeare in particular and the theatre in general. I found it very easy to read and very hard to put down." - Frederick Pyne, actor and former president of the British Actor's Equity
"The relevance of More to Richard III is familiar enough, but the script's transformation of his details has never been so comprehensively reviewed. The book proceeds through the play scene by scene, ingeniously stressing the cumulative effect of Shakespeare's development of Richard's perspective as the key to the success of the script. Many of the detailed observations are thoughtful and clarify the exact working of theatrical effects in the scenes, which should be of interest to actors as well as critics." - Hugh Richmond, Professor Emeritus of English, University of California Berkeley and Director of "Shakespeare's Staging"
"This study offers a focused analysis of the dramatic structure of Richard III and a compelling answer to the question of how Shakespeare became Shakespeare. Those who thought they knew Richard III will be startled by the insights the Halletts offer." - June Schlueter, Charles A. Dana Professor Emerita of English, Lafayette College
Review
"One of the strengths of this book is the way it takes the craft of characterization seriously. The majority of its pages are taken up by careful comparison of passages and an analysis of the way Shakespeare 'removes', 'binds', 'substitutes' and 'transforms' elements that are there in his source text, creating, first a complicity between the audience and his protagonist and then removing it suddenly as the play draws to its close. The authors pour constant praise on the artistic judgement of the dramatist as he 'deftly', 'brilliantly', 'marvellously' works towards 'the peak of his power', taking not More but Richard himself as the 'mentor' by whose aid he makes the breakthrough to a mature theatrical style." - Times Literary Supplement
"This wonderfully erudite study should be of great interest to all lovers of Shakespeare in particular and the theatre in general. I found it very easy to read and very hard to put down." - Frederick Pyne, actor and former president of the British Actor's Equity
"The relevance of More to Richard III is familiar enough, but the script's transformation of his details has never been so comprehensively reviewed. The book proceeds through the play scene by scene, ingeniously stressing the cumulative effect of Shakespeare's development of Richard's perspective as the key to the success of the script. Many of the detailed observations are thoughtful and clarify the exact working of theatrical effects in the scenes, which should be of interest to actors as well as critics." - Hugh Richmond, Professor Emeritus of English, University of California Berkeley and Director of "Shakespeare's Staging"
"This study offers a focused analysis of the dramatic structure of Richard III and a compelling answer to the question of how Shakespeare became Shakespeare. Those who thought they knew Richard III will be startled by the insights the Halletts offer." - June Schlueter, Charles A. Dana Professor Emerita of English, Lafayette College
Synopsis
The Halletts' investigation differs from anything that has been written about the relationship between Thomas More and William Shakespeare in that it approaches the subject from a dramaturgical point of view. This book defines, in specific terms, what Shakespeare learned from his study of More's History and how he learned it.
About the Author
Charles A. Hallett is Emeritus Professor of English at Fordham University and a Visiting Scholar at Dartmouth College. He is the author of Middletons Cynics: The Moral Psychology of the Mediocre Mind and his essays on Shakespeare, Jonson, Middleton, Wycherley, and Ibsen have appeared in journals such as Shakespeare Quarterly, Shakespeare Bulletin, Studies in Philology, JEGP, Comparative Drama, and Philosophical Quarterly.
Elaine S. Hallett is a former editor of Theatre Arts Books and her reviews and essays have appeared in the New Oxford Review.
Charles A. Hallett and Elaine S. Hallett are the co-authors of The Revengers Madness: A Study of Revenge Tragedy Motifs and Analyzing Shakespeares Action: Scene Versus Sequence.