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Shakespeare’s Musical Imagery

Professor Christopher R Wilson author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:3rd Nov '11

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Shakespeare’s Musical Imagery cover

A study of the meaning of Shakespeare's musical imagery in his plays and poems.

Music pervades Shakespeare's work. In addition to vocal songs and numerous instrumental cues there are thousands of references to music throughout the plays and many of the poems. This book discusses Shakespeare's musical imagery according to categories defined by occurrence in the plays and poems.Music pervades Shakespeare's work. In addition to vocal songs and numerous instrumental cues there are thousands of references to music throughout the plays and many of the poems. This book discusses Shakespeare's musical imagery according to categories defined by occurrence in the plays and poems. In turn, these categories depend on their early modern usage and significance. Thus, instruments such as lute and viol deserve special attention just as Renaissance ideas relating to musical philosophy and pedagogical theory need contextual explanation. The objective is to locate Shakespeare's musical imagery, reference and metaphor in its immediate context in a play or poem and explain its meaning. Discussion and explanation of the musical imagery suggests a range of possible dramatic and poetic purposes these musical references serve.

‘Wilson's contribution is to catalog the "over 200 references to music and nearly 400 musical terms in Shakespeare's works"; he explains their meanings and explores their possible dramatic, poetic, and symbolic functions...This well-grounded study includes 414 notes and more than 15 pages of bibliography.'—Choice Magazine

ISBN: 9781847064950

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 554g

272 pages