‘Cut out “into little stars”’: Shakespeare in Anthologies

This thesis argues that, as well as collecting extracts from Shakespeare, anthologists also create Shakespeares. <br/><br/>Extracts from Shakespeare’s texts have been included in printed anthologies since the end of the sixteenth century, yet a comprehensive study of this significant means of disseminating Shakespeare and its influence on what we understand by Shakespeare has not been undertaken. In filling this gap <br/>I argue that anthologies hav been and are important disseminators of Shakespeare. In this way anthologists have contributed to the creation of the icon we now call ‘Shakespeare’ by creating their own independent Shakespeares. These anthologists’ Shakespeares might reflect wha was understood by Shakespeare at any time or stand in opposition to it. Thus this thesis extends the <br/>work of previous critical studies that have argued that each age and culture appropriates and reinvents its own Shakespeare.<br/><br/>I examine the Shakespeare texts included in anthologies that collect from many writers and also those that collect exclusively from Shakespeare.<br/><br/>Anthologists create Shakespeares because an anthology is more than just a collection of texts; it reflects its compiler’s ideas and preoccupations through the work that s/he adds to the collected texts. I regard the anthologist as a kind of author and by considering the anthologist’s work - their choices, textual manipulation and paratexts - I discover the Shakespeare that the anthologist <br/>creates. Although this thesis is mainly concerned with printed anthologies, I define anthology widely to include texts and formats that may not have previously been considered to be anthologies.<br/><br/>Whereas previous studies of anthologies including Shakespeare’s texts have restricted themselves to particular examples or time periods, this thesis offers a diachronic study of the dissemination of Shakespeare by anthologies from Shakespeare’s lifetime through to the present day. This allows the opportunity to reveal the similarities and differences in the Shakespeare created by anthologists <br/>at different times – and finds remarkably consistent Shakespeares.<br/>

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

King's College London

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Isherwood, Anne

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Thompson, Ann Rhoda
• Massai, Sonia

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/91104f3f-e4bf-4485-8528-2757cbbbe539

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/91104f3f-e4bf-4485-8528-2757cbbbe539