Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares: Queer Theory and American Kiddie Culture [Hardcover]

Prof. Richard Burt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0312213638 | ISBN-13: 978-0312213633 | Edition: 1st

Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares is a savvy look at the wide range of adaptations, spin-offs, and citations of Shakespeare’s plays in 1990s popular culture. The Bard has permeated contemporary film, television, video, and electronic media such as Internet Websites and CD-ROMs in direct translation, interpretation, and as a cultural icon. While we may be familiar with Laurence Olivier and Kenneth Branagh’s film adaptations of the plays, what does it say about our culture when Shakespearean references turn up in television episodes of The Brady Bunch and Gilligan’s Island, films like In and Out and My Own Private Idaho, and hardcore porn adaptations of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet? Instead of lamenting this unusual dissemination of Shakespeare from a position of literary authority, Burt reads the reception of these often quite bad replays in relation to contemporary youth culture and the "queering" of Shakespeare. Documenting a fascinating array of Shakespearean citations that are so far from their originals that they no longer count as interpretations of the plays, Burt considers what Shakespeare enables American popular culture to do that it couldn’t otherwise do without him and scrutinizes academic fantasies about fandom and stardom. This book puts Shakespeare studies on the front burner of popular culture.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“...Brilliant...A dazzling tour-de-force: one of the most original works to have appeared recently, be it in the field of Shakespeare studies or popular culture.” —Early Modern Literary Studies

“...his study is invaluable insofar as it challenges us to rethink our assumptions, whether affirmative or dismissive, about the value of attending to unspeakable Shakespeares.” —Theatre Journal

About the Author

Richard Burt is Professor of English and Film and Media Studies, University of Florida. He is the author of Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares: Queer Theory and American Kiddie Culture; Licensed by Authority: Ben Jonson and the Discourses of Censorship; and the editor of Shakespeare After Shakespeare; Shakespeare After Mass Media; and The Administration of Aesthetics. Burt also co-edited a special issue of Exemplaria on “Movie Medievalism” and held a Fulbright scholarship in Berlin, Germany from 1995–96.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1st edition (October 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312213638
• ISBN-13: 978-0312213633
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,270,553 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book everyone should have on his/her book shelves., October 27, 1999

By 

Sarah Hatchuel ([e-mail]) (France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares: Queer Theory and American Kiddie Culture (Hardcover)

This insightful book shows how Shakespeare has permeated the American popular culture, from the exportation of some quotes to the inspiration of whole porn film scripts. Richard Burt proves not only that a scholarly, cogent discourse can be held on pop (even trash) culture, but also that the line between the so-called 'high' and 'low' cultures is much more porous than it seems. 'Unspeakable Shaxxxspeares' is written in a style which is both highly rigorous and accessible, and should appeal to scholars as well as readers interested in Shakespeare, cinema or cultural studies in general.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An authoritative, inventive and fresh look at Willy Shakes, November 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares: Queer Theory and American Kiddie Culture (Hardcover)

Richard Burt - a gentleman, a scholar, possibly a visionary, but certainly a writer and theorist of some note. I base this solely on my experiences between the covers of this fine book.

This book is not just for Shakespeare junkies, although those strung out on Shakespeare will find a refreshing look at the Bard. Each page is filled with fresh insight into the Poet's oeuvre. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I was especially gratified to see mention of Lloyd Kaufman and Troma and their fine work in revivifying a Shakespeare classic in TROMEO & JULIET. It takes a true genius to recognize one.

This book is worth the pound of flesh it requires to buy it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not only about Shakespeare porn!, November 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares, Revised Edition: Queer Theory and American Kiddie Culture (Paperback)

I ran across this book while reading an essay in Lingua Franca about Shakespeare porn. Burt lists a whole series of Shakepseare porns on his personal website and he discusses many of them in a long chapter to his book. From his website, which I found very intriguing, I see that he will be publishing an another article on the same topic. While all this makes for extremely interesting criticism (and college courses to), the book also discusses a wide range of what Burt calls "replays" of Shakespeare in mostly 1990s mass culure. Burt is also the editor of a book I will buy called Shakespeare After Mass Media. Burt documents the many positive academic reviews and the extensive media coverage Unspeakable ShaXXXspeares has received on his website. After reading this excellent book, I can see why it has such a high profile and why Burt's work is getting so much positive attention.