Shakespeare, Catholicism, and Romance [Hardcover]

This book assesses William Shakespeare in the context of political and religious crisis, paying particular attention to his Catholic connections, which have heretofore been underplayed by much Protestant interpretation. Bourgeois Richmond's most important contribution is to study the genre of romance in its guise as a 'cover' for recusant Catholicism, drawing on a long tradition of medieval-religious plays devoted to the propagation of Catholic religious faith.VelmaBourgeoisRichmondis a past Fulbright Scholar and recipient of an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. She is Emeritus Professor of English at the Holy Names College, Oakland, California and is the author of studies ofMuriel Spark and Geoffrey Chaucer,Laments for the Dead in Medieval Narrative,The Popularity of Middle English Romance, andThe Legend of Guy of Warwick.

Illustrations
Preface
Introduction

Part I The Christian Vision and Living in Shakespeare's World
1 Medieval Christendom
Seven Sacraments
The Romance Tradition
2 Reformation Changes and Lingering Images
Restoration and Reform under Queen Mary Tudor
Elizabeth and Enforced Protestantism
Puritans
Mysteries' End
The Romance Tradition
3 The Shakespeares of Stratford

Part 2 The Tradition of Romance
4 The Romance Mode: Medieval Origins and Some Reworkings
The Comedy of Errors(c. 1589-94)
Two Gentlemen in Verona(c. 1590-94)
A Midsummer Night's Dream(c. 1595)
The Merchant of Venice(c. 1596-97)
5 Understanding the Romance Mode
As You Like It(1598-1600)
Twelfth Night(1600-1602)
Anti-Romance: Chaucer Revisited
6 Lost Men and Women: Suffering and Transcendence
All's Well that Ends Well(c. 1601-5)
Pericles(1606-8)
Cymbeline(c. 1608-10)
The Tempest(c. 1611)
7 The Romance Mode Attained: Accused Wives and Queens
Hero inMuch Ado Abouló’