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Serial Shakespeare

An infinite variety of appropriations in American TV drama

By Elisabeth Bronfen

Serial Shakespeare
Hardcover +
  • Price: £85.00
  • ISBN: 9781526142313
  • Publish Date: Oct 2020
  • Publisher: Manchester University Press
  • Buy Now

    eBook -
  • Price: £85.00
  • ISBN: 9781526142337
  • Publish Date: Oct 2020
  • Publisher: Manchester University Press
  • Buy Now

    Book Information

    • Format: eBook
    • Published Date: October 2020
    • Series: Manchester University Press

    Description

    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.

    Reviews

    '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

    Contents

    Introduction: appropriation, dislocation, and crossmapping
    1 Shakespeare's spectres: Westworld
    2 Wearing the crown: The Wire
    3 Choosing our queen: a series of first female presidents from Commander in Chief to House of Cards
    4 Rogue queens: Veep, Homeland, and Scandal
    5 All the frontier's a stage: Deadwood
    6 Carnival of spies: The Americans
    Bibliography
    Index

    Author

    Elisabeth Bronfen is Professor of English and American Studies at the University of Zurich and Global Distinguished Professor at New York University

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