Godless Shakespeare

by Eric Scott Mallin, Ewan Fernie (Series Editor), Simon Palfrey (Series Editor)

Godless Shakespeare is the first book to discuss Shakespeare's plays from an atheist perspective.   Although it is clear that Shakespeare engaged with and deployed much of his culture's broadly religious interests - his language is shot through with biblical quotations, priestly sermonizing and Christian imagery - Mallin argues that there is a profound absence of or hostility to God in his plays.

Following Dante's three part structure for The Divine Comedy - Hell represents expressions of religious faith in Shakespeare's plays, Purgatory sets out more sceptical positions, and Heaven shows articulations of godlessness - Mallin traces a spiritual ascent from the unthinkingly devout to the atheistically spiritual. This polemical, vigorous account focuses on the moral and spiritual dilemmas of major characters, developing the often subtle transitions between belief, scepticism and atheism. Finally, Godless Shakespeare argues for the liberating potential of unbelief.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

The “Shakespeare Now” series was marketed as being readable scholarship for laymen. This is the only book in the series that I have read and I definitely didn’t find it overly readable or accessible. Interesting, thorough, and well-argued? Yes. But also opaque and full of academic jargon.

Overall, it was fascinating with a few quotable passages, but definitely not meant for a general audience. Reads more like a Masters thesis than a book for the average Shakespeare lover.