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Taking seriously the commonplace that a man is known by the company
he keeps—and particularly by the company he keeps over his
lifetime—one can learn more about just about anyone by learning
more about his friends. By applying this notion to Shakespeare,
this book offers insight into the life of the most famous
playwright in history, and one of the most elusive figures in
literature. The book consists of sketches of Shakespeare's contact
and relationships with the people known to have been close friends
or acquaintances, revealing aspects of the poet's life by
emphasizing ways in which his life was intertwined with theirs.
Though it is difficult to get to know this most famous of
playwrights, through this work readers can gain insight into
aspects of his life and personality that may otherwise have been
hidden. Shakespeare, more than any other writer in the western
world, based much of his work on the consequences of friendship.
Given the value placed on friends in his writing, many readers have
wondered about the role friendship played in his own life. This
work gives readers the chance to learn more about Shakespeare's
friends, who they were and what they can tell us about Shakespeare
and his times. For instance, Richard Field was a boyhood friend
with whom Shakespeare went to school in Stratford. Field became a
well-known London printer. The details of Field's life illuminate
both the details of Shakespeare's boyhood education and the poet's
relationship with the printing, publishing, and book-selling world
in London. Francis Collins, a lawyer who represented Shakespeare in
a number of legal dealings, drafted both versions of Shakespeare's
will. This life-long friend was one of the last men eve to see
Shakespeare pick up a pen to write. Through these vivid and
animated sketches, readers will come to know about Shakespeare's
life and times. While the book has a lively, accessible narrative
tone within chapters, its organization and features make it highly
useful to the school library market as well as the academic world.
It contains cross references, a detailed Table of Contents and a
highly organized structure with uniformity across sections and
chapters. The writing is accessible and could be easily used by
upper-level high school students looking to augment school
assignments.
While many things about Shakespeare's life are unknown, certainly,
like everyone else, he had a family. This book gathers into a
single source as much information as possible concerning
Shakespeare's immediate family, from his grandfathers on the
maternal and paternal sides to his granddaughter, the last member
of his direct family line. But readers may ask, to what extent did
the relationships in the plays reflect the actual familial
structures of Shakespeare's day? To what extent did Shakespeare
experience personally the familial dynamics about which he wrote so
eloquently? And to what extent were Shakespeare's own family
experiences typical or atypical of other Elizabethan or Jacobean
families? These questions can be addressed because more is known of
Shakespeare's family than of the families of any of his fellow
writers and actors. For several generations members of
Shakespeare's family were important local figures in and around
Stratford-upon-Avon, and, fortunately, from the Middle Ages until
the present day, Stratford-upon-Avon has been one of the
best-documented towns in England. While many things about
Shakespeare's life are unknown, certainly, like everyone else, he
had a family. This book gathers into a single source as much
information as possible concerning Shakespeare's immediate family,
from his grandfathers on the maternal and paternal sides to his
granddaughter, the last member of his direct family line. But
readers may ask, to what extent did the relationships in the plays
reflect the actual familial structures of Shakespeare's day? To
what extent did Shakespeare experience personally the familial
dynamics about which he wrote so eloquently? And to what extent
were Shakespeare's own family experiences typical or atypical of
other Elizabethan or Jacobean families? These questions can be
addressed because more is known of Shakespeare's family than of the
families of any of his fellow writers and actors. For several
generations, members of Shakespeare's family were important local
figures in and around Stratford-upon-Avon, and, fortunately, from
the Middle Ages until the present day Stratford-upon-Avon has been
one of the best-documented towns in England. In vivid detail, Pogue
provides an overview of the various members of Shakespeare's family
and, where possible, draws conclusions concerning Shakespeare's
relationships with his various family members. Further, the author
notes to what extent Shakespeare's family experiences were typical
or atypical of the time, and includes at the end of each chapter a
discussion of scenes from Shakespeare's plays presenting the
relevant familial relationship, juxtaposing the relational scenes
he wrote with what we know of his own experience. Such a comparison
impresses us once again not just with his skill at holding the
mirror up to the nature of his time, but with the imaginative
insight into humanity that lay at the heart of his dramatic genius.
"Shakespeare's Figures of Speech provides a unique and vital
resource for the Shakespearean actor and director. We have long
needed such a reference."
Dr. Sidney Berger, Co-Founder Shakespeare Theatre Association of
America
"With this book, students, readers, and actors will above all
enhance their understanding of Shakespeare's verbal richness by
getting a grasp of the forms he used."
Dr. Ann Christensen, University of Houston
"Kate Pogue begins her book by boldly saying in the foreword,
'This book will change the way you read Shakespeare,' and so it
will."
Dr. Michael Dressman, University of Houston Downtown
While many things about Shakespeare's life are unknown, certainly,
like everyone else, he had a family. This book gathers into a
single source as much information as possible concerning
Shakespeare's immediate family, from his grandfathers on the
maternal and paternal sides to his granddaughter, the last member
of his direct family line. But readers may ask, to what extent did
the relationships in the plays reflect the actual familial
structures of Shakespeare's day? To what extent did Shakespeare
experience personally the familial dynamics about which he wrote so
eloquently? And to what extent were Shakespeare's own family
experiences typical or atypical of other Elizabethan or Jacobean
families? These questions can be addressed because more is known of
Shakespeare's family than of the families of any of his fellow
writers and actors. For several generations members of
Shakespeare's family were important local figures in and around
Stratford-upon-Avon, and, fortunately, from the Middle Ages until
the present day, Stratford-upon-Avon has been one of the
best-documented towns in England. While many things about
Shakespeare's life are unknown, certainly, like everyone else, he
had a family. This book gathers into a single source as much
information as possible concerning Shakespeare's immediate family,
from his grandfathers on the maternal and paternal sides to his
granddaughter, the last member of his direct family line. But
readers may ask, to what extent did the relationships in the plays
reflect the actual familial structures of Shakespeare's day? To
what extent did Shakespeare experience personally the familial
dynamics about which he wrote so eloquently? And to what extent
were Shakespeare's own family experiences typical or atypical of
other Elizabethan or Jacobean families? These questions can be
addressed because more is known of Shakespeare's family than of the
families of any of his fellow writers and actors. For several
generations, members of Shakespeare's family were important local
figures in and around Stratford-upon-Avon, and, fortunately, from
the Middle Ages until the present day Stratford-upon-Avon has been
one of the best-documented towns in England. In vivid detail, Pogue
provides an overview of the various members of Shakespeare's family
and, where possible, draws conclusions concerning Shakespeare's
relationships with his various family members. Further, the author
notes to what extent Shakespeare's family experiences were typical
or atypical of the time, and includes at the end of each chapter a
discussion of scenes from Shakespeare's plays presenting the
relevant familial relationship, juxtaposing the relational scenes
he wrote with what we know of his own experience. Such a comparison
impresses us once again not just with his skill at holding the
mirror up to the nature of his time, but with the imaginative
insight into humanity that lay at the heart of his dramatic genius.
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