Restoration Shakespeare

This book explores the adaptations of Shakespeare's plays between 1660 and 1682, examining the era's views on dramatic poetry, analyzing visual and metaphorical effects, and assessing Shakespeare's reputation among audiences and readers.

Restoration Shakespeare: Viewing the Voice explores the adaptations of Shakespeare's plays during the Restoration period, specifically between 1660 and 1682, when public theatres in London were reopened. This work presents a fresh perspective on the motivations and methods behind these adaptations, divided into three insightful parts.

In the first part, the book delves into the seventeenth-century discourse surrounding the impact of dramatic poetry on the audience's mind. It examines how playwrights and critics of the time viewed the relationship between language and emotion, shedding light on the intellectual environment that influenced the adaptations. This exploration sets the stage for understanding the creative choices made by those who reinterpreted Shakespeare's works.

Part two provides a detailed analysis of each of Shakespeare's plays as they were adapted during this period, focusing on their visual and metaphorical elements. The author highlights how these adaptations transformed the original texts, emphasizing the importance of visual storytelling in the theatre of the time. Finally, the third part reviews Shakespeare's reputation during the Restoration, distinguishing between the knowledge and experiences of readers and theatre-goers. This examination reveals how public perception of Shakespeare evolved and how it influenced the adaptations of his plays, offering a comprehensive view of his enduring legacy in the context of Restoration theatre.