Shakespeare was acutely aware of our intimate struggles with aging. His dramatic characters either prosper or suffer according to their relationship with maturity; and his sonnets eloquently explore times ravaging effects. "Wrinkled deep in time" is how the queen describes herself in Antony and Cleopatra; and at the end of King Lear; there is a tragic sense that both the king and Gloucester have acquired a wisdom they otherwise lacked at the beginning of the play. Even Juliet matures considerably before she drinks Friar Lawrences potion; and Macbeth and his wife prematurely grow old from their murderous schemes.Drawing on historical documents and the dramatists own complex depictions; Maurice Charney conducts an original investigation into patterns of aging in Shakespeare; exploring the fulfillment or distress of Shakespeares characters in combination with their mental and physical decline. Comparing the characterizations of elderly kings and queens; older lovers; patriarchal men; matriarchal women; and the senex mdash;the stereotypical old man of Roman comedy mdash;with the history of life expectancy in Shakespeares England; Charney uncovers similarities and differences between our contemporary attitudes toward aging and aging as it was understood more than four hundred years ago. From this dynamic examination; a new perspective on Shakespeare emerges; one that celebrates and deepens our knowledge of his subtler themes and characters.
#1569807 in eBooks 1997-12-01 1997-12-01File Name: B006ISDDA2
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy JasonFor someone who questions green design. this book has opened my eyes.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy BarbaraLiked!!4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A good primer but not a best practice handbookBy Chen ChenThe scholarly work in this area has evolved a lot during the ten years since this book was published. If you are interested in the early history and development. this is a good choice. If you want to learn what can be done to improve your communitys sustainability. however. this is not it -youll be disappointed. Read "Taking sustainable cities seriously" by Portney (2004) instead. More inspiring and useful examples in there.
