The Artistic Links Between William Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More by Hallett, Charles A. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

THE ARTISTIC LINKS BETWEEN WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND SIR THOMAS MORE

CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION PREFACE SHAKESPEARE’S SEARCH FOR THE ESSENCE OF DRAMATIC FORM

Shakespeare’s Formal Proclamation CHAPTER 1 “MORE VIRTUALLY DOES SHAKESPEARE’S WORK FOR HIM”: DOGMAS OF THE “MORE MYTH” The Critical Background

“Shakespeare Dialogue Is More’s Dialogue” “Shakespeare’s Scenes Are More’s Scenes” “Shakespeare’s Richard Is More’s Richard”

Basic Precepts in Shakespeare’s Transformation of More’s Narrative into Dynamic Drama

More’s Priorities Shakespeare’s Priorities More’s Denigrating “Exposure” of Richard’s Role-Playing The Impact of More’s Richard on Shakespeare’s Imagination Shakespeare’s Separation of More’s View from Richard’s What Shakespeare Hoped to Learn from Richard Richard’s Escape and Its Consequences The Falling Out between Shakespeare and Richard Shakespeare’s Dilemma: How to Reconcile Richard’s Play with the Tetralogy Richard Has Disrupted The More Myth versus the Tudor Myth

PART I INSPIRATION: RE-ENVISIONING THE HISTORICAL NARRATIVE FROM THE PROTAGONIST’S POINT OF VIEW

CHAPTER 2 “THOU ART A TRAITOR. OFF WITH HIS HEAD!”: APPLYING THE RICARDIAN SHOCK TO DE CASIBUS NARRATIVE HASTINGS. “Talk’st Thou to Me of ‘Ifs’? Thou Art a Traitor.”

More’s Treatment of Hastings Shakespeare’s Richard Shakespeare’s Scene Shakespeare’s Prologue: “Chop Off His Head!” Building Up Hastings’ Expectations Richard as Propelling Character: His Coup The Experience Hastings’ Lament (3.4.80–107) Structural Principles: The 180-Degree Reversal The Next Step in Shakespeare’s Creative Process

CLARENCE. “You Are Deceiv’d, Your Brother Gloucester Hates You”

It Must Have Seemed a Challenge to Shakespeare Clarence Scene Analyzed as a Shock Scene Foreshadowing Establishing Clarence’s Expectations Clarence’s Dream Priorities of the Murderers Persuading the Murderers The Shock the Murderers Administer to Clarence Shakespeare Shapes the Audience’s Attitude to Clarence Links to 2.1

EDWARD. “Why, So: Now Have I Done a Good Day’s Work.”

What Is in More Shakespeare’s Changes: Richard Turns Edward’s Exultation to Despair Edward’s Lament The Other Laments

Conclusion CHAPTER 3 “FOR ON THAT GROUND I’LL MAKE A HOLY DESCANT—”: TWO CON MEN SHOW HOW THEIR THESPIAN SKILLS BROUGHT RICHARD’S CAUSE “TO A HAPPY ISSUE” The Critical Consensus Looking for Richard’s Point of View Shakespeare’s Richard Crafts His Masterpiece

Thomas More’s Version of Richard’s Skills at “Playing upon Scaffolds” Shakespeare’s Re-evaluation of More’s Judgment Constructing the Replay Establishing the Criteria that Will Refute More’s Charges The Multileveled Action

The First Prologue (3.7.1–55): Creating the Insurmountable Obstacle

Staging the Starting Point: Failure “How Now, How Now, What Say the Citizens?” “The Citizens Are Mum, Say Not a Word”

The Body of the Action

“The Lord Mayor Knocks” (3.7.55): Playing for Two Audiences Buckingham and the “Holy Descant” The “Ground” of Richard’s Dissent Presenting the Reluctant Richard (3.7.56–94) Buckingham’s Petition and Richard’s Refusal of It (3.7.95–173): “My Desert / Unmeritable Shuns Your High Request” Richard’s Definitive “Nay” (3.7.174–220): “I Cannot Nor I Will Not Yield to You” Effecting the Feigned Reversal (3.7.221–36): “I Must Have Patience to Endure the Load” The Conversion of the Citizens (3.7.237–47): A Blessing and an Amen Staging the Citizens’ Acquiescence

Shakespeare’s Discovery of the Form

Elements of the Form The Action Arises from the Established Dichotomy

PART II THE SUPREME ACHIEVEMENT: SHAKESPEARE’S DISCOVERIES PERFECTED AND APPLIED

CHAPTER 4 “WAS EVER WOMAN IN THIS HUMOR WOO’D? / WAS EVER WOMAN IN THIS HUMOR WON?”: RICHARD’S BOAST OF HIS PROWESS AS LOVER AND PLAYWRIGHT Establishing the Polarities: The Scene’s Prologue (1.2.1–45) Bridging the Gap: Five Phases of Intensification (1.2.46–196)

Phase One: “This Keen Encounter of Our Wits” (1.2.46–114) Phase Two: “Your Beauty Was the Cause” (1.2.114–44) Phase Three: “Those Eyes of Thine from Mine Have Drawn Salt Tears” (1.2.144–72) Phase Four: “If Thy Revengeful Heart Cannot Forgive” (1.2.173–85) Phase Five: “Then Bid Me Kill Myself” (1.2.186–96)

The Scene’s Reversal: “Look How My Ring Encompasseth Thy Finger” (1.2.197–205) Confirming the Bargain: The Scene’s Conclusion (1.2.206–26) The Scene’s Epilogue: “Was Ever Woman in This Humor Won?” (1.2.227–63)

PART III EXPANDING THE PERSPECTIVE: THE DYNAMICS OF THE PLAY’S “GEOLOGICAL FAULT”

CHAPTER 5 “THE MOST ARCH ACT OF PITEOUS MASSACRE / THAT EVER YET THIS LAND WAS GUILTY OF”: HOW SHAKESPEARE’S METHOD OF EXPOSING RICHARD DIFFERS FROM MORE’S Richard’s Illusions Exposed: A Widened Perspective Richard’s Dismissal of Buckingham (4.2.1–122)

More’s Musings and Speculations on the Rift Shakespeare’s Application of Richard’s Shock Device to More’s Musings on Rumor

Staging the Child-Murders

Prologue: Richard’s Hiring of Tyrrel (4.2.32–82)

Making Known the Dolorous End of Those Babes (4.3.1–57): Tyrrel’s Report of “the Tyrannous and Bloody Act”

How (and Why) Tyrrel’s Point of View Undermines Richard’s

CHAPTER 6 “TO HER GO I, A JOLLY THRIVING WOOER”: THE SECOND WOOING SCENE (4.4.199–431) Shakespeare’s Appropriation of More’s Elizabeth Mounting the Narrative on the Formal Template Critics’ Quandaries Can Richard Persuade the Grieving Elizabeth to Let Him Marry Her Daughter?

“I intend to make her Queen of England” (4.4.199–267) “How canst thou woo her?” (4.4.267–365) Can Richard Sway Elizabeth By Swearing His Fidelity? (4.4.366–417) “Shall I go win my daughter to your will?” (4.4.418–31)

CHAPTER 7 “HERE PITCH OUR TENT, EVEN HERE IN BOSWORTH FIELD”: MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE TETRALOGY . . . Shakespeare’s Fifth-Act Abandonment of the New Techniques

Scene Structure Richard’s Transformation from Monster to Man The Emblematic Earl of Richmond Spectacle

CHAPTER 8 LATER USES OF THE RICARDIAN TEMPLATE: CRAFTING THE FIFTH ACT OF CORIOLANUS The Impossible Beginning Sequence 5.1.1–74. Can the Tribunes Persuade Menenius to Go to Actium? Sequence 5.2.1–111. Can Menenius Persuade Coriolanus to Spare Rome? Sequence 5.3.1–209. Can Volumnia Break Coriolanus’ Rock-Hard Will?

EPILOGUE APPENDIX INTERLOCKING EPISODES OF ACTION: SHAKESPEARE’S USE OF MORE’S “RUSTY ARMOR” SCENE (3.5.1–109)

Elements of Interlocking between Scenic Units Throughline of the Sequence The Interlocking Functions of This Satellite Sequence More’s Homage to Jane Shore and Shakespeare’s Omission of It

NOTES

Preface: Shakespeare’s Search for the Essence of Dramatic Form 1 “More Virtually Does Shakespeare’s Work for Him”: Dogmas of the “More Myth” 2 “Thou Art a Traitor. Off with His Head!”: Applying the Ricardian Shock to De Casibus Narrative 3 “For on That Ground I’ll Make a Holy Descant—”: Two Con Men Show How Their Thespian Skills Brought Richard’s Cause “to a Happy Issue” 4 “Was Ever Woman in This Humor Woo’d? / Was Ever Woman in This Humor Won?”: Richard’s Boast of His Prowess as Lover and Playwright 5 “The Most Arch Act of Piteous Massacre / That Ever Yet This Land Was Guilty of”: How Shakespeare’s Method of Exposing Richard Differs from More’s 6 “To Her Go I, a Jolly Thriving Wooer”: The Second Wooing Scene (4.4.199–431) 7 “Here Pitch Our Tent, Even Here in Bosworth Field”: Meanwhile, Back at the Tetralogy . . . 8 Later Uses of the Ricardian Template: Crafting the Fifth Act of Coriolanus Appendix: Interlocking Episodes of Action: Shakespeare’s Use of More’s “Rusty Armor” Scene (3.5.1–109)

WORKS CITED SHAKESPEARE’S RICHARD III—INDEX OF SCENES ANALYZED INDEX

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