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Poor Naked Wretches
Shakespeare’s Working People
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Check link for latest rating. ( 12 ratings, 1 reviews)
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for Shakespeare enthusiasts, theatre practitioners, and readers interested in cultural and social history within literature. It suits those looking to deepen their understanding of Shakespeare's characters beyond the traditional elite focus.
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See moreShows how Shakespeare portrayed working people with insight, compassion and purpose.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Was Shakespeare a snob? Poor Naked Wretches challenges the idea that our greatest writer despised working people, and shows that he portrayed them with as much insight, compassion, and purpose as the rich and powerful. Moreover, they play an important role in his dramatic method.
Stephen Unwin reads Shakespeare anew, exploring the astonishing variety of working people in his plays, as well as the vast range of cultural sources from which they were drawn. Unwin argues that the robust realism of these characters, their independence of mind and their engagement in the great issues of the day, makes them much more than mere 'comic relief'.
Compassionate, cogent, and wry, Poor Naked Wretches grants these often-overlooked figures the dignity and respect they deserve.
'Aiming to upend the notion that Shakespeare was a snobbish playwright with contempt for the poor... This original spin on Shakespearean studies delivers.' - Publishers Weekly
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Publishers Weekly praised the book for upending traditional Shakespearean views. Choice described it as a compelling read that values all stage figures equally, emphasizing performance reading. The Times Literary Supplement noted Unwin’s directorial perspective and the book’s enjoyable focus on overlooked roles. The work is recommended for those who appreciate Shakespeare and seek a fresh insight into his working-class characters.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781789146615
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 11 July 2022
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Illustration: 14 illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 352
Collections
About the Author
Stephen Unwin is a London-based theater and opera director, who founded English Touring Theatre in 1993 and opened the Rose Theatre, Kingston in 2008. His books include (with Kenneth McLeish) The Faber Pocket Guide to Shakespeare's Plays, and his original plays include All Our Children.
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