Sexality in the Comedies of Shakespeare

by Stephen P. Thompson (Editor)

Overview

This fascinating edition examines the comedies of playwright William Shakespeare through the lens of sexuality. Essays explore topics such as the ambiguity of Shakespeare's sonnets, Renaissance attitudes toward sexuality, themes of misogyny in Taming of the Shrew, and sexual anxiety in Much Ado About Nothing. Modern perspectives on sexuality and courtship are also presented, covering subjects such as social media and dating, modern mythology about the differences between genders, and a decline in American romantic comedies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780737769838
Publisher:	Greenhaven Publishing LLC
Publication date:	05/10/2014
Series:	Social Issues in Literature Series
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	15 - 17 Years

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chronology 12

Chapter 1 Background on William Shakespeare

1 The Life of Shakespeare David Scott Kastan 17

2 The Ambiguous Sexuality of Shakespeare's Sonnets Robert Matz 26

Chapter 2 Sexuality in Shakespeare's Comedies

1 Shakespeare's Ideas on Sex and Gender David Bevington 34

2 Love and Courtship Catherine Bates 45

3 Sexual Tension in The Taming of the Shrew Maurice Charney 55

4 The Power of Passionate Love in A Midsummer Night's Dream Alexander Leggatt 62

5 Sexual Anxiety in Much Ado About Nothing Carol Thomas Neely 75

6 Much Ado About Nothing Michael Mangan 90

7 Cross-Dressing and Courtship in As You Like It Penny Gay 102

8 Sexuality and the Law in Measure for Measure Bernice W. Kliman Laury Magnus 113

Chapter 3 Sexuality in the Twenty-First Century

1 Social Media and Choices in Relationships Jill Filipovic 122

2 The "Choice" Myth About Sexual Orientation Ryan C. Ebersole 127

3 The Decline of Romantic Comedies in American Film Christopher Orr 131

4 Modern Myths About Sex Differences Agustin Fuentes 136

For Further Discussion 141

For Further Reading 142

Bibliography 143

Index 147