Summary
William Shakespeare is defined by his tragedies. His unique ability to create a moral universe complete unto itself lends his characters not only their stamp of authenticity but their bid to eternity as well. This invaluable writing guide offers students strategies and perspectives on writing about the fated lives of King Lear, Julius Caesar. Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo, Juliet, and the other vibrantly flawed personages he introduced to the world stage. Bloom's How to Write about Shakespeare's Tragedies provides overviews of each discussed work, giving researchers the information they need to write effectively on the subject. Sample essay topics and an introduction from Shakespearean scholar Harold Bloom completes the volume.
About the Author(s)
Harold Bloom is Sterling Professor of the Humanities at Yale University. Educated at Cornell and Yale universities, he is the author of 30 books, including Shelley's Mythmaking (1959), The Visionary Company (1961), Blake's Apocalypse (1963), Yeats (1970), A Map of Misreading (1975), Kabbalah and Criticism (1975), Agon: Toward a Theory of Revisionism (1982), The American Religion (1992), The Western Canon (1994), Omens of Millennium: The Gnosis of Angels, Dreams, and Resurrection (1996), and Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human (1998), a 1998 National Book Award finalist. The Anxiety of Influence (1973) sets forth Professor Bloom's provocative theory of the literary relationships between the great writers and their predecessors. His most recent books include How to Read and Why (2000), Genius: A Mosaic of One Hundred Exemplary Creative Minds (2002), Hamlet: Poem Unlimited (2003), Where Shall Wisdom Be Found? (2004), and Jesus and Yahweh: The Names Divine (2005). In addition, he is the author of hundreds of articles, reviews, and editorial introductions. In 1999, Professor Bloom received the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Criticism. He has also received the International Prize of Catalonia, the Alfonso Reyes Prize of Mexico, and the Hans Christian Andersen Bicentennial Prize of Denmark.