SHAKESPEARE STUDIES TODAY ROMANTICISM LOST COLERIDGE CONTEMPLATED BY THE BUST OF SHAKESPEARE Edward Pechter 米
Praise for Shakespeare Studies Today:Romanticism Lost "Shakespeare Studies Today is a rigorous critique of the 'Shakespeare Industry's'still- current sociological focus and a call for an aesthetics-based alternative.Considering the quantity of debunking necessarily involved in his project,Pechter is consistently and remarkably gracious.More remarkable still is Pechter's reader-friendly,jargon- free prose.I am surprised at how much I enjoyed reading his book." -Stephen Booth,Professor Emeritus, University of California,Berkeley "Shakespeare criticism isn't much fun anymore.It isn't a lot of fun to read,and it doesn't seem like it's all that much fun to write.Shakespeare Studies Today is Pechter's explanation for how this has come to pass.Pechter is not afraid to mix it up with people he disagrees with,but he is also a writer with admirable forbearance,a great sense of humour and a deep enthusiasm for Shakespeare.He wants to put Shakespeare back into the center of Shakespeare criticism and to restore a sense of appreciation for Shakespeare's greatness as a writer." -Michael Bristol,Greenshields Professor Emeritus, McGill University "Pechter's bold critique of current Shakespeare studies argues for a reappraisal of nine- teenth-century readings of the plays.Pechter pulls no punches about current interpre- tive practice,and his controversial arguments uncover dazzling insights that no one interested in Shakespeare can afford to ignore." -Dympna C.Callaghan,William Safire Professor of Modern Letters,Syracuse University
Praise for Shk d d a espeare Studies Today: Romanticism Lost “Shakespeare Studies Today is a rigorous critique of the ‘Shakespeare Industry’s’ stillcurrent sociological focus and a call for an aesthetics-based alternative. Considering the quantity of debunking necessarily involved in his project, Pechter is consistently and remarkably gracious. More remarkable still is Pechter’s reader-friendly, jargonfree prose. I am surprised at how much I enjoyed reading his book.” —Stephen Booth, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley “Shakespeare criticism isn’t much fun anymore. It isn’t a lot of fun to read, and it doesn’t seem like it’s all that much fun to write. Shakespeare Studies Today is Pechter’s explanation for how this has come to pass. Pechter is not afraid to mix it up with people he disagrees with, but he is also a writer with admirable forbearance, a great sense of humour and a deep enthusiasm for Shakespeare. He wants to put Shakespeare back into the center of Shakespeare criticism and to restore a sense of appreciation for Shakespeare’s greatness as a writer.” —Michael Bristol, Greenshields Professor Emeritus, McGill University “Pechter’s bold critique of current Shakespeare studies argues for a reappraisal of nineteenth-century readings of the plays. Pechter pulls no punches about current interpretive practice, and his controversial arguments uncover dazzling insights that no one interested in Shakespeare can afford to ignore.” —Dympna C. Callaghan, William Safire Professor of Modern Letters, Syracuse University
Also by Edward Pechter Dryden's Classical Theory of Literature. What Was Shakespeare?Renaissance Plays and Changing Critical Practice. Editor,Textual and Theatrical Shakespeare:Questions of Evidence. "Othello"and Interpretive Traditions. Editor,“Othello”:A Norton Critical Edition
Also by Edward Pechter Dryden’s Classical Theory of Literature. What Was Shakespeare? Renaissance Plays and Changing Critical Practice. Editor, Textual and Theatrical Shakespeare: Questions of Evidence. “Othello” and Interpretive Traditions. Editor, “Othello”: A Norton Critical Edition
SHAKESPEARE STUDIES TODAY Copyright Edward Pechter,2011. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2011978-0-230-11419-7 All rights reserved. First published in 2011 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN® in the United States-a division of St.Martin's Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue,New York,NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK,Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan,a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England,company number 785998,of Houndmills, Basingstoke,Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom,Europe and other countries. 1SBN978-1-349-29581-4 IsBN978-0-230-11936-9(eBook) D0110.1057/9780230119369 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pechter,Edward,1941- Shakespeare studies today:romanticism lost Edward Pechter. p.cm. Includes bibliographical references. 1.Shakespeare,William,1564-1616-Criticism and interpretation- History-20th century.2.Shakespeare,William,1564-1616-Criticism and interpretation-History-19th century.I.Title. PR2970.P422011 822.3'3-dc22 2010043217 A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library Design by Newgen Imaging Systems(P)Ltd.,Chennai,India. First edition:June 2011 10987654321
SHAKESPEARE STUDIES TODAY Copyright © Edward Pechter, 2011. All rights reserved. First published in 2011 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN® in the United States—a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pechter, Edward, 1941– Shakespeare studies today : romanticism lost / Edward Pechter. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. 1. Shakespeare, William, 1564–1616—Criticism and interpretation— History—20th century. 2. Shakespeare, William, 1564–1616—Criticism and interpretation—History—19th century. I. Title. PR2970.P42 2011 822.33—dc22 2010043217 A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Imaging Systems (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: June 2011 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 978-1-349-29581-4 ISBN 978-0-230-11936-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/9780230119369 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2011 978-0-230-11419-7
CONTENTS Preface ix Introduction 1 Part One Discipline and Desire Introduction:Discipline and Desire 15 1 Return of the Aesthetic? 21 2 Negative Desire:Materialism and Its Discontents 53 Part Two What's Wrong with Literature? Introduction:What's Wrong with Literature? 87 3 New Theatricalism and the Repudiation of Literary Interest 91 4 New Textualism and the Crisis in Editing 117 Part Three Romanticism Lost Introduction:Romanticism Lost 143 5 Romantic Antitheatricalism and Formalist Values 151 6 Romantic Authorship and Professional Values 177 Conclusion 201 Notes 207 Works Cited 215 Index 231
CONTENT S Preface ix Introduction 1 Part One Discipline and Desire Introduction: Discipline and Desire 15 1 Return of the Aesthetic? 21 2 Negative Desire: Materialism and Its Discontents 53 Part Two What’s Wrong with Literature? Introduction: What's Wrong with Literature? 87 3 New Theatricalism and the Repudiation of Literary Interest 91 4 New Textualism and the Crisis in Editing 117 Part Three Romanticism Lost Introduction: Romanticism Lost 143 5 Romantic Antitheatricalism and Formalist Values 151 6 Romantic Authorship and Professional Values 177 Conclusion 201 Notes 207 Works Cited 215 Index 231