Shakespeare: the Invention of the Human
Language: English
Published by Riverhead (HC), 2012
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: B-Line Books, Amherst, NS, CanadaB-Line Books
AbeBooks seller since April 15, 2009
Condition: Used - Very good
£ 15.53
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Tight unmarked book in crisp dust jacket; 9.6 X 6.7 X 2.3 inches; 745 pages.
Seller Inventory # 56410
- Title
- Shakespeare: the Invention of the Human
- Author
- Bloom, Harold
- Publisher
- Riverhead (HC)
- Publication year
- 2012
- Condition
- Very Good+
- Dust jacket
- Near Fine
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 1573221201
- ISBN 13
- 9781573221207
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human is not simply a passionate defence of Shakespeare from what Bloom sees as the horrors of the "School of Resentment"--namely feminist, materialist and historicist accounts of the Bard. Bloom argues that Shakespeare, "by inventing what has become the most accepted mode for representing character and personality in language, thereby invented the human as we know it". So forget Marlowe or Jonson (dismissed on the first page), or even Michelangelo (although his Sistine Chapel adorns the book's dustjacket). Returning to the character analysis of his beloved Dr Johnson and A C Bradley, Bloom offers a play-by-play account of how Shakespeare defines the category of the human as we understand it, which is personified for Bloom by the characters of Hamlet and Falstaff (Bloom's self-confessed role model).
The result is at turns fascinating, controversial, provocative and downright bizarre. There are some wonderfully aphoristic insights: Rosalind (alongside Cleopatra one of the few female characters given much space in Bloom's argument) is "Jane Austen to Falstaff's Samuel Johnson", whilst Leontes in A Winter's Tale is "an Othello who is his own Iago". But the sheer scale of Bloom's central claim, reiterated again and again, leaves the book feeling repetitious and in thrall to its own verbal fireworks, which are often substituted for any sustained analysis of the originality of Shakespeare's language. This is a pity as so much space is given up throughout the book to wonderful passages from the plays.
Bloom's book should be welcomed for injecting debate and controversy into some of the prevailing orthodoxies of current Shakespeare criticism. But would a book whose author gleefully endorsed a colleague's horrified response that it would put Shakespeare studies back a hundred years have been welcomed by the visionary and forward-looking Bard? --Jerry Brotton
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
B-Line Books
Amherst, NS, Canada
AbeBooks seller since April 15, 2009
Shipping rates from Canada to U.S.A.
| Item | 7 to 14 business days | 6 to 14 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 9.42 | £ 13.19 |
Payment methods
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Paypal
Store description
Welcome to B-Line Books. Please search or browse our inventory of hard to find, out of print, used, and rare books. We have an inventory of over 28,000 listings with new stock being added continually. There is a large presence in many categories, including POETRY, HISTORY, LITERARY CRITICISM and FIRST EDITION FICTION, areas in which we have some experience, and other large categories, like ARCHITECTURE and ART, where we are mere laity. Photos available on request. US shipping: the new cross border tarrifs do not apply to books, unless to China (and then only 10% - and covered in the stated shipping cost)…
Specialty
Music, History/Royalty, Astrophysics, Architecture, Art, Philosophy/Religion, Modern First Editions, Poetry, Literary Criticism, ClassicsSeller's business information
B-Line Books
NS, Canada
Terms of sale
We guarantee the condition of every book as it¿s described on the Abebooks web sites. If you¿re dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn¿t arrived, you¿re eligible for a refund within 30 days of the estimated delivery date. If you have changed your mind about a book that you have ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to contact us and we¿ll respond within 2 business days.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to B-Line Books, Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada, +1 902 667 2944, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
Shipping costs are based on books weighing up to 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.