James O’Rourke is a Professor in the Department of English, Florida State University, US. His previous books include Sex,Lies and Autobiography: The Ethics of Confession and Keats’s Odes and Contemporary Criticism.

"His chapters combine local readings and nuanced theoretical insights with attentive close readings to suggest the myriad ways in which Shakespeare’s theater not only resists but also revises dominant political and cultural structures. O’Rourke sees a Shakespeare who is not merely immersed in his culture, but actively reshaping it. Both O’Rourke’s critiques of New Historicism and his readings of various plays present a powerful perspective on Shakespeare’s work, which allows for a Shakespeare who is still in many respects our contemporary." – Renaissance Quarterly

• Introduction: Retheorizing Shakespeare 1. Spectres of Intention: Epic Theatre and the Lessons of Theory 2. Boys Will Be Boys: Subtexts and Afterthoughts in the Comedies 3. Racism and Homophobia in The Merchant of Venice 4. Love and Object-Cathexis in Troilus and Cressida: Just One of Those Things 5. The Exotic/Erotic and the Group: Othello 6. King Lear and the Art of Dying Notes Performance Bibliography Index

James O’Rourke is a Professor in the Department of English, Florida State University, US. His previous books include Sex,Lies and Autobiography: The Ethics of Confession and Keats’s Odes and Contemporary Criticism.

"His chapters combine local readings and nuanced theoretical insights with attentive close readings to suggest the myriad ways in which Shakespeare’s theater not only resists but also revises dominant political and cultural structures. O’Rourke sees a Shakespeare who is not merely immersed in his culture, but actively reshaping it. Both O’Rourke’s critiques of New Historicism and his readings of various plays present a powerful perspective on Shakespeare’s work, which allows for a Shakespeare who is still in many respects our contemporary." – Renaissance Quarterly

• Introduction: Retheorizing Shakespeare 1. Spectres of Intention: Epic Theatre and the Lessons of Theory 2. Boys Will Be Boys: Subtexts and Afterthoughts in the Comedies 3. Racism and Homophobia in The Merchant of Venice 4. Love and Object-Cathexis in Troilus and Cressida: Just One of Those Things 5. The Exotic/Erotic and the Group: Othello 6. King Lear and the Art of Dying Notes Performance Bibliography Index

James O’Rourke is a Professor in the Department of English, Florida State University, US. His previous books include Sex,Lies and Autobiography: The Ethics of Confession and Keats’s Odes and Contemporary Criticism.

"His chapters combine local readings and nuanced theoretical insights with attentive close readings to suggest the myriad ways in which Shakespeare’s theater not only resists but also revises dominant political and cultural structures. O’Rourke sees a Shakespeare who is not merely immersed in his culture, but actively reshaping it. Both O’Rourke’s critiques of New Historicism and his readings of various plays present a powerful perspective on Shakespeare’s work, which allows for a Shakespeare who is still in many respects our contemporary." – Renaissance Quarterly

• Introduction: Retheorizing Shakespeare 1. Spectres of Intention: Epic Theatre and the Lessons of Theory 2. Boys Will Be Boys: Subtexts and Afterthoughts in the Comedies 3. Racism and Homophobia in The Merchant of Venice 4. Love and Object-Cathexis in Troilus and Cressida: Just One of Those Things 5. The Exotic/Erotic and the Group: Othello 6. King Lear and the Art of Dying Notes Performance Bibliography Index