The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: Asps amidst the Figs by William F. Zak (Eng

Description: The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra by William F. Zak Zak argues that Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra represents the manner in which unwitting narcissism fails the genuine love that would have elevated the lovers above the tragedy they instead merely endure—both privileging "easy ways to die" to the "strenuous labor" required to deliver a birth of richer life into their passion. FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description This revaluation of Shakespeares most seductive tragedy, Antony and Cleopatra, allies itself with neither George Bernard Shaw and Philos Roman judgment of the lovers as "strumpet and fool"—premised on the idle sensuality and feckless self-regard ever evident in the regal pair—nor with the many at the opposite critical pole who have found themselves swept up, to some extent at least, in the "grand illusion" of the lovers themselves as peerless figures transcending the very deaths to which Caesars heartless predation drives them. Nor does it seek some middle way, settling into a comfortable agnosticism that claims the poets view of the pair remains too ambiguous to resolve. Instead, by mining a wealth of metaphoric cross-references and ironical, mirroring figurations provided by the tragedys subsidiary characterizations, this new analysis argues that Shakespeares assessment of the lovers is in fact unambiguous: Antony and Cleopatra unknowingly settle for functioning merely as two more of the plays eunuchs fanning the flames of their self-destructive passions for one another when they could have realized the new heaven and new earth Antony promised his queen had their "intercourse" with one another been more vigorously complete. Not alone their deaths, but their entire experience is this play is but a search for "easy ways to die" rather than the quest is should have been to live more richly yet and generate new life beyond their respective notorieties as separate individuals to be celebrated. Author Biography William F. Zak is emeritus professor of English at Salisbury University in Maryland and author of A Mirror for Lovers: Shake-speares Sonnets as Curious Perspective. Table of Contents Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsChapter 1. IntroductionChapter 2. The Immortal Worm: Caesar AugustusChapter 3. A Wounded Chance: Marc AntonyChapter 4. An Honoured Gash: CleopatraWorks CitedAbout the Author Review William Zaks new book on Antony and Cleopatra begins where his most recent study, A Mirror for Lovers, left off: with a discussion of the sonnets. This is a natural move since he regards these two texts as the second and third installments in a Shakespearean sequence on love, lust, and narcissism that began with Venus and Adonis. Love is not love if it constitutes a cunningly hidden self-absorption or an imperious desire for possession, but can we always trust ourselves to tell the difference between them?… Toward the end of his book, Zak formulates the normative framework of temperate love that seems to form the backbone of his argument (and against which the shortcomings of the protagonists have been measured). True lovers, he argues, are capable of commingling love and strife.... There is something to be said for this piece of practical wisdom, as for many other arguments in this interesting and illuminating book. * Renaissance Quarterly * Long Description This revaluation of Shakespeares most seductive tragedy, Antony and Cleopatra, allies itself with neither George Bernard Shaw and Philos Roman judgment of the lovers as "strumpet and fool"-premised on the idle sensuality and feckless self-regard ever evident in the regal pair-nor with the many at the opposite critical pole who have found themselves swept up, to some extent at least, in the "grand illusion" of the lovers themselves as peerless figures transcending the very deaths to which Caesars heartless predation drives them. Nor does it seek some middle way, settling into a comfortable agnosticism that claims the poets view of the pair remains too ambiguous to resolve. Instead, by mining a wealth of metaphoric cross-references and ironical, mirroring figurations provided by the tragedys subsidiary characterizations, this new analysis argues that Shakespeares assessment of the lovers is in fact unambiguous: Antony and Cleopatra unknowingly settle for functioning merely as two more of the plays eunuchs fanning the flames of their self-destructive passions for one another when they could have realized the new heaven and new earth Antony promised his queen had their "intercourse" with one another been more vigorously complete. Not alone their deaths, but their entire experience is this play is but a search for "easy ways to die" rather than the quest is should have been to live more richly yet and generate new life beyond their respective notorieties as separate individuals to be celebrated. Review Quote William Zaks new book on Antony and Cleopatra begins where his most recent study, A Mirror for Lovers, left off: with a discussion of the sonnets. This is a natural move since he regards these two texts as the second and third installments in a Shakespearean sequence on love, lust, and narcissism that began with Venus and Adonis. Love is not love if it constitutes a cunningly hidden self-absorption or an imperious desire for possession, but can we always trust ourselves to tell the difference between them... Toward the end of his book, Zak formulates the normative framework of temperate love that seems to form the backbone of his argument (and against which the shortcomings of the protagonists have been measured). True lovers, he argues, are capable of commingling love and strife.... There is something to be said for this piece of practical wisdom, as for many other arguments in this interesting and illuminating book. Description for Reader This book analyzes textual cross-references and mirroring figurations in Shakespeares Antony and Cleopatra. Zak argues that the play represents the manner in which unwitting narcissism fails the genuine love that would have elevated the lovers above the tragedy they instead merely endure--both privileging "easy ways to die" to the "strenuous labor" required to deliver a birth of richer life into their passion. Details ISBN1498510361 Author William F. Zak Publisher Lexington Books Year 2015 ISBN-10 1498510361 ISBN-13 9781498510363 Format Hardcover Imprint Lexington Books Place of Publication Lanham, MD Country of Publication United States DEWEY 822.33 Birth 1945 Pages 172 Short Title TRAGEDY OF ANTONY & CLEOPATRA Language English Media Book Publication Date 2015-03-25 Subtitle Asps amidst the Figs UK Release Date 2015-03-25 NZ Release Date 2015-03-25 US Release Date 2015-03-25 Audience Professional & Vocational AU Release Date 2015-03-14 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:92889514;

Price: 49.84 AUD

Location: Melbourne

End Time: 2024-12-08T09:08:52.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 AUD