Serial Shakespeare

An Infinite Variety of Appropriations in American Tv Drama

Elisabeth Bronfen author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Manchester University Press

Published:27th Oct '20

Should be back in stock very soon

Serial Shakespeare cover

Shakespeare is everywhere in contemporary media culture.This book explores the reasons for this dissemination and reassemblage. Ranging widely over American TV drama, it discusses the use of citations in Westworld and The Wire, demonstrating how they tap into but also transform Shakespeare’s preferred themes and concerns. It then examines the presentation of female presidents in shows such as Commander in Chief and House of Cards, revealing how they are modelled on figures of female sovereignty from his plays. Finally, it analyses the specifically Shakespearean dramaturgy of Deadwood and The Americans. Ultimately, the book brings into focus the way serial TV drama appropriates Shakespeare in order to give voice to the unfinished business of the American cultural imaginary.

'This is a very intelligent and well-written book.'
Modern Language Review

'...it will delight readers who find pleasure in the rich and diverse world of serial drama available on quality television in the twenty-first century.'
Cahiers Elisabethains

ISBN: 9781526142313

Dimensions: 234mm x 156mm x 16mm

Weight: 540g

256 pages