Shakespeare's Christian Dimension

the long version

There is a long history of commentary on the Christian dimensions in Shakespeare's works. Nineteenth-century commentators noticed biblical allusions and passages reminiscent of Bible themes in the plays. Some later critics found echoes of liturgical language and theological concepts, while others examined the relationship of the plays to medieval mystery and morality plays. Shakespeare's debt to the world-views of Augustine, Boethius, Aquinas, Dante, and Erasmus has been well documented, and there have been numerous interpretations of his works in light of Christian lore. This anthology reprints abridged versions of ninety-two critical commentaries on the influence of Shakespeare's Christian heritage on the shaping of his plays. It focuses attention on perspectives quite different from many now in fashion and makes accessible an important critical tradition. A supplementary bibliography of more than 250 additional items encourages interested readers to further exploration.