Shakespeare's Christian Dimension: An Anthology of Commentary [Abridged] [Hardcover]

Marian Battenhouse (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0253311225 | ISBN-13: 978-0253311221 | Publication Date: May 22, 1994 | Edition: abridged edition

"An impressive collection of ninety-two abridged essays identifying the Christian elements in Shakespeare's plays... a great feast of learning and beauty." —First Things

"This is an exceptionally valuable book... very highly recommended" —Sixteenth Century Journal

"... an exemplary work. In an age when footling matters often replace the great religious quandaries about what it means to live and die before God, Shakespeare's Christian Dimension helps restore our focus." —Pro Ecclesia

This anthology reprints abridged versions of 92 critical commentaries on the influence of Shakespeare's Christian heritage on the shaping of his plays. It does not attempt to be exhaustive in its coverage, but to provide a useful sampling of valuable work. A supplementary bibliography of more than 250 further items encourages interested readers to further exploration.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

ROY BATTENHOUSE was educated at Yale University and taught for nine years in theological schools before joining Indiana University's English department in 1950. His published books on Marlowe, on St. Augustine, and on Shakespeare, along with many articles, have made him widely known as a spokesman for the interrelations of religion and literature.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 536 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press; abridged edition edition (May 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253311225
• ISBN-13: 978-0253311221
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,917,868 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Did Shakespeare write from a Christian point of view?, February 12, 2001

By 

Larry R. Clarke (Delray Beach, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shakespeare's Christian Dimension: An Anthology of Commentary (Hardcover)

The authors of this anthology would answer that question with an emphatic "yes!" Battenhouse's anthology brings together writings from an important school of Shakespearean criticism which holds that the Bard's works exemplify traditional Christian teachings as mediated by such thinkers as Boethius and, especially, St. Augustine. It is sometimes called the Augustinian school. A critic's assumptions can greatly influence his or her interpretation of a work. For example, Romantic critics, such as Coleridge and Bradley, hold that the character Hamlet's main problem is his vacillation in carrying out his father's ghost's demand that Hamlet revenge his murder. The Augustinians disagree. They believe there are numerous signs in the play that the ghost is actually a demonic hallucination intent on deceiving Hamlet. Horatio and Marcellus suspect this and tell Hamlet not to follow the ghost. Hamlet's decision to follow the ghost anyway, say the Augustinians, is the first of many errors he makes which result in the "accidental judgments, casual slaughters" with which he ends so many lives, including his own. In fact, Hamlet's whole ethic of revenge is very dubious morally, as are the suicides of Romeo, Juliet, and Othello. Shakespeare's Christian Dimension challenges many widely-held assumptions about the meaning of the plays. These critics anchor their interpretations firmly in the moral and theological writing of Elizabethan and earlier times. Battenhouse has assembled a fine group of critics here. His book is well-organized and easy to use. One need not read the whole book to get the Augustinian view of a particular play. The book is a feast for lovers of Shakespeare.