Allegorising Thought on the Shakespearean Stage: The Discovery of the Mind

Description

Explores Shakespeare’s use of allegory as a privileged tool for making visible the inner workings of his characters’ minds Discusses the variety of ways in which Shakespearean allegory makes the thoughts and emotions of his characters perceptible and intelligible to his audiencesShows how the recourse to allegory allows Shakespeare to engage with classical and early modern theories of mindOffers new readings of such purple patch" passages as Mark Antony’s inflammatory speech to the Plebeians in Julius Caesar and Shylock’s "do we not bleed" speech in The Merchant of VeniceExpands and revitalizes the concept of ‘stage allegory’ beyond its association with medieval morality plays by showing how the parameters of theatrical production (scenery, props, actors’ bodies and gestures, audience) are invested with multiple layers of significationGives a new twist to the recent mind-body debate in early modern studies by relating it to stage semiotics and poetics This book argues that Shakespeare turned staging problems into opportunities for complex characterization by mobilizing the semiotic potential of playhouse architecture, stage space, gestures, stage properties, performance style and audience participation. These features of production result in allegorical projections of the characters’ thoughts, in a way that reflects early modern fascination with the hidden workings of the human mind.