Shakespeare’s Representation of Weather, Climate and Environment: The Early Modern ‘Fated Sky’

Sophie Chiari

book: Shakespeare’s Representation of Weather, Climate and Environment

Open Access Published by Edinburgh University Press 2018

Shakespeare’s Representation of Weather, Climate and Environment

The Early Modern ‘Fated Sky’

Sophie Chiari

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781474442541

Overview
Contents

About this book

The first in-depth exploration of Shakespeare’s representations of climate and the sky　While ecocritical approaches to literary texts receive more and more attention, climate-related issues remain fairly neglected, particularly in the field of Shakespeare studies. This monograph explores the importance of weather and changing skies in early modern England while acknowledging the fact that traditional representations and religious beliefs still fashioned people’s relations to meteorological phenomena. At the same time, a growing number of literati stood against determinism and defended free will, thereby insisting on the ability to act upon celestial forces. Sophie Chiari argues that Shakespeare reconciles the scholarly approaches of his time with popular views rooted in superstition and promotes a sensitive, pragmatic understanding of climatic events. Taking into account the influence of classical thought, each of the book’s seven chapters addresses a different play where sky-related topics are crucial and considers the way climatic phenomena were presented on stage and how they came to shape the production and reception of Shakespeare’s drama. Key Features Offers an all-encompassing approach on early modern climate in ShakespeareRedefines the notion of ‘climate’ as Shakespeare’s contemporaries understood itSuggests new hermeneutic tracks to understand Shakespeare’s major comedies and tragediesProbes environmental issues in Shakespeare’s plays and, in doing so, echoes major concerns of the present time

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Illustrations Publicly Available Download PDF	vi
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
Textual Note Publicly Available Download PDF	x
Introduction Open Access Download PDF	1
Chapter 1 ‘We see / The seasons alter’: Climate Change in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Open Access Download PDF	31
Chapter 2 ‘[T]he fire is grown too hot!’: Romeo and Juliet and the Dog Days Open Access Download PDF	57
Chapter 3 ‘Winter and rough weather’: Arden’s Sterile Climate Open Access Download PDF	80
Chapter 4 Othello: Shakespeare’s À bout de souffle Open Access Download PDF	111
Chapter 5 ‘The pelting of [a] pitiless storm’: Thunder and Lightning in King Lear Open Access Download PDF	150
Chapter 6 Clime and Slime in Anthony and Cleopatra Open Access Download PDF	176
Chapter 7 The I/Eye of the Storm: Prospero’s Tempest Open Access Download PDF	217
Conclusion: ‘Under heaven’s eye’ Open Access Download PDF	256
Bibliography Open Access Download PDF	267
Index Open Access Download PDF	298

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 320
Illustrations
- Other: 11 black and white illustrations
Keywords: Literary Studies

eBook

Published: November 23, 2018
ISBN: 9781474442541