Faith and Folly in Shakespeare's Romantic Comedies

Download or read book Faith and Folly in Shakespeare's Romantic Comedies written by R. Chris Hassel, Jr. and published by University of Georgia Press. This book was released on 2011-05-01 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An enduring debate among scholars has focused on the degree to which Shakespeare's plays are indebted to the Christian culture in which they were created and the manner of demonstrating that indebtedness. R. Chris Hassel, Jr. points out informed allusions to familiar Pauline and Erasmian Christian passages and themes present in Love's Labor's Lost, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado about Nothing, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and The Merchant of Venice. He argues that not only did Shakespeare's audience understand these allusions but also that these allusions led the audience to recognize their pertinence to the playwright's uniquely Christian comic vision. Furthermore, Hassel feels this understanding of the relationship between Shakespeare's comic artistry and Christianity leads to a greater appreciation of the plays.