Categories

Shakespeare in a Divided America

Shakespeare in a Divided America

By James Shapiro

Shakespeare in a Divided America. Penguin Books, 2021.

0.0 / 0

13 mins read

12 Key insights

A brief summary of Shakespeare in a Divided America

A wide-ranging account of how Shakespeare’s works became a cultural battleground for America across its history, his plays igniting debates around race, class, and gender while inspiring presidents, activists, and assassins.

Key insights in Shakespeare in a Divided America

1
What do you get from this book? The story of how an English dramatist became America’s most important writer
2
Shakespeare’s works were a foundational text for the United States, second only to the Bible in importance
3
Shakespeare’s work posed an understated challenge to eighteenth-century American gender norms, as Ulysses S. Grant experienced with Othello
4
The 1849 Astor Place Riot in NYC demonstrated the growing inequality and resentment in America’s apparently “classless” society
5
The lives of both Abraham Lincoln and his assassin, the accomplished actor John Wilkes Booth, were defined by Shakespeare
6
Immigration was a hot-button issue in early-20th-century America, as the country’s response to Shakespeare’s The Tempest demonstrates
7
When The Taming of the Shrew became Kiss Me, Kate it showed America’s anxieties about marriage and women’s rights
8
Shakespeare in Love was a huge hit, but was rewritten to avoid serious examination of same-sex love and adultery
9
A Trump-like Caesar in a modern production of Julius Caesar drew lost sponsors, media misrepresentation and popular fury
10
Summary of the key insights
11
Selected critiques in brief
12
Final word

Who should read Shakespeare in a Divided America

Literature nerds • historians • those interested in politics • theatergoers • artists

About the author of Shakespeare in a Divided America

James Shapiro is a Columbia University professor of literature who is also a fellow at the Globe Theater in London. His specialization in Shakespeare is reflected in his other publications, including The Year of Lear and Shakespeare and the Jews.

author avatar

James Shapiro

Books similar to Shakespeare in a Divided America

Related books that discuss topics similar to the book Shakespeare in a Divided America

Political Tribes

Political Tribes

Amy Chua

Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations. Penguin Books, 2018.

13 mins read

3 reads

Wagnerism

Wagnerism

Alex Ross

Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020.

18 mins read

2 reads

You Never Forget Your First

You Never Forget Your First

Alexis Coe

A Biography of George Washington. Viking, 2020.

19 mins read

23 reads

Written in History

Written in History

Simon Sebag Montefiore

Letters that Changed the World. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2018.

19 mins read

0 reads

Songs of America

Songs of America

Jon Meacham

Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation. Random House, 2019.

18 mins read

1 reads

The End of the Myth

The End of the Myth

Greg Grandin

From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America. Metropolitan Books, 2019.

20 mins read

0 reads

You might be interested in

Related books discuss other topics that are not necessarily similar to the topics of the book Shakespeare in a Divided America

Acting

Acting

How to Get Started. Lexington Avenue Press. 2023

18 mins read

3 reads

Why Is Sex Fun?

Why Is Sex Fun?

The Evolution of Human Sexuality. Basic Books, 1998.

12 mins read

3 reads

The Code

The Code

Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. Penguin Press, 2019.

21 mins read

1 reads

The Man Who Knew Too Much

The Man Who Knew Too Much

Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer. Atlas Books, 2006.

18 mins read

2 reads

How to Lie with Statistics

How to Lie with Statistics

How to Lie with Statistics. W.W. Norton & Company, 1982 edition.

14 mins read

2 reads

Fooling Houdini

Fooling Houdini

Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Powers of the Mind. HarperCollins, 2012.

13 mins read

0 reads

Shakespeare in a Divided America

Shakespeare in a Divided America

Shakespeare in a Divided America. Penguin Books, 2021.

13 mins read

0 reads

From Strength to Strength

From Strength to Strength

Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life. Portfolio, 2022.

17 mins read

6 reads

The Lincoln Conspiracy

The Lincoln Conspiracy

The Secret Plot to Kill America's 16th President-and Why It Failed. Flatiron Books, 2020.

16 mins read

0 reads

Range

Range

Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. Riverhead Books, 2019.

16 mins read

3 reads

See all books in Arts & Entertainment

Explore more in these categories

Discover other books in various fields that contain the topics of Shakespeare in a Divided America

What Lobab users are saying

Not sure if Lobab e-book and audiobook summaries are for you? Take a look at what a few of our satisfied users are saying about our powerful platform.

Ramogh

Lobab is a standout in the world of book summary apps, offering concise, insightful summaries of a wide range of books. Its user-friendly interface and well-crafted summaries allow users to quickly grasp the essence of complex works, making it an invaluable tool for those looking to learn more in less time. Whether for personal growth or professional development, Lobab is a game changer for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge efficiently. Highly recommended!

Benjamin Roche

Top quality app with plenty of brilliant summaries!

Nedal Ahmed

I found a really great book app that has made reading even more enjoyable ⭐️📚. It is super easy to use, has a lot of books to choose from, gives personalized recommendations, works well with e-readers, has an active community, and is accessible to everyone. I highly recommend it to all book enthusiasts!

Shaabi12A

I really liked the idea of the combination between the facts of the book and the issues of it in one summary. Well done.

iiMaan18ii

High quality and standards, the dark mode is good idea and good experience. So excited about the new books you’re going to add.

Eyad

Excellent experience, I can read and listen to a book within 15 mins. I appreciate the ease of use as well.

Fahad

Unique experience of book summaries delivering high quality, bestseller books, and very well-designed app. Highly recommend 👍👍

Understand books and audiobooks in 15 minutes - with Lobab!

books