More Than a Play of Fancy: Spirit in the Works of William Shakespeare

The undisputed virtuosity of William Shakespeare's theatrical works--and their perennial relationship to the experience of being human--assures their continued importance in the cultural life of the twenty-first century. However, Shakespeare is a subject of interest beyond the theater; his life and work remain among the foremost themes of literary and historical scholarship.

Nonetheless, virtually every scholarly commentary on Shakespeare's dramas remains unsatisfying on a deeper level. Thi...