Shakespeares Prose

by Milton Crane

Shakespearean characters from Hamlet to Much Ado about Nothing contrast prose and verse in a variety of ways and for a variety of reasons that can be very revealing of certain aspects of their personalities. First published in 1951, this book assesses the use of prose in Shakespeare's plays and, in doing so, asks larger questions about the playwright's technique and aims. Crane's investigation will be of value to anyone with an interest in Shakespeare's methods and work.

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading and re-reading Shakespeare for most of my life. I am overwhelmed by the amount of scholarship and the great variety of topics to delve into. I found this book lying on a table in the mail room of my building and of course had to read it. Who had ever thought about a study of Shakespeare's prose (as opposed to his poetry). A very thoughtful and provocative study. Like so many books on Shakespeare, this one goes through the canon of plays to propose and support the thesis. Interesting chapters on the use of prose by Shakespeare's predecessors and successors. I always realized that a big chunk of Shakespeare's prose was assiged to his clowns, but what of Hamlet's 'What a piece of work is a man....' speech and the sublime rantings of Lear on the moor?