Shakespeare and the Resistance: The Earl of Southampton, the Essex Rebellion, and the Poems that Challenged Tudor Tyranny

In the 1590s, when England was going through a political and religious crisis, William Shakespeare published a pair of politically charged allegories of Tudor tyranny, Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece, which spoke clearly to the wounded populace and disaffected nobility, and urged direct action against an unpopular regime. Shakespeare and the Resistance unearths Shakespeare's analysis of the crisis and resurrects the story of a bold bid for freedom of conscience and an end to corruption, which was erased from history by the men who suppressed it.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 288 pages
\n Publication date: 29 November 2018
\n Publisher: PublicAffairs,U.S.
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The 1590s marked a challenging period for England, characterized by the aging queen, an uncertain succession, and a depleted treasury resulting from decades of war. Tensions were on the rise, and amidst this volatile backdrop, William Shakespeare released two remarkable poems, Venus and Adonis in 1593 and The Rape of Lucrece a year later. While these works were immensely popular during Shakespeare's lifetime, they have proven to be somewhat enigmatic to modern readers. However, in her captivating new book, Shakespearean scholar Clare Asquith unveils their hidden depths, revealing two politically charged allegories that served to justify and even encourage direct action against an unpopular regime.

The poems, Shakespeare's bestselling works during his lifetime, resonated deeply with the wounded populace and disaffected nobility of England, particularly with their champion, the Earl of Essex. Shakespeare and the Resistance delves into Shakespeare's own analysis of a political and religious crisis that would soon culminate in armed rebellion on the streets of London. Through the use of the latest historical research, the book resurrects the story of a bold bid for freedom of conscience and an end to corruption that was erased from history by the forces that suppressed it.

This compelling reading places Shakespeare at the center of the resistance movement, accurately identifying the factors that would lead to the country's descent into civil war. By examining the poems through the lens of political and religious allegory, Asquith sheds light on Shakespeare's profound understanding of the times and his role in shaping the course. The 1590s were indeed black years for England, but through the works of Shakespeare, we gain a deeper appreciation of the complexities and challenges of that era, as well as the enduring power of literature to inspire and challenge us.

\n Weight: 510g\n
Dimension: 232 x 149 x 26 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781568588124\n \n