Shakespeare and Accentism

This collection explores the consequences of accentism in the Shakespeare industry across languages and cultures, focusing on how accents operate as metasigns reinforcing ethno-racial stereotypes and social hierarchies. It adopts a transmedia and transhistorical approach, attending to foreign speech patterns in both the early modern and post-modern periods, and embracing new methodologies to reorient attention away from the visual and onto the aural dimensions of performance.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This collection delves into the profound implications of accentism, a relatively understudied phenomenon that intersects with racism and classism within the Shakespearean industry across languages and cultures, both past and present. Rather than limiting itself to the study of Original Pronunciation, which has traditionally dominated the field, the OP project takes a transmedia and transhistorical approach to this subject. By avoiding the inclusion of linguistically foreign characters such as Othello due to the complexities they introduce to the reconstruction process, the project seeks to transcend linguistic barriers and explore the broader cultural and social implications of accents.

Furthermore, the collection eschews discussions of contemporary global practices, instead focusing on the pursuit of an aural purity that may be more myth than reality. In contrast, this collection takes a comprehensive approach, examining foreign speech patterns in both the early modern and post-modern periods. It explores how accents function as metasigns that reinforce ethno-racial stereotypes and social hierarchies, shaping the ways in which individuals and groups are perceived and understood within different societies.

To achieve this, the collection embraces new methodologies, shifting the focus away from the visual aspects of performance and towards the aural dimensions. By employing techniques such as audio analysis, dialectology, and performance studies, the authors aim to provide a deeper understanding of the ways in which accents shape and influence the interpretation and reception of Shakespearean works.

In conclusion, this collection offers a groundbreaking exploration of accentism, shedding light on its complex and multifaceted consequences within the Shakespearean industry across languages and cultures. By adopting a transmedia and transhistorical approach, the project challenges traditional paradigms and encourages a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of Shakespearean performance. Through its attention to foreign speech patterns and its exploration of the ways in which accents reinforce social hierarchies, the collection contributes to our understanding of the enduring power of language and the role of accents in shaping our collective identity.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367676766