Of Philosophers and Kings: Political Philosophy in Shakespeare's Macbeth and King Lear

419 Pages·2003·21.17 MB·English

by  Leon Harold Craig

Of Philosophers and Kings
Political Philosophy in Shakespeare's
Macbeth and King Lear
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LEON HAROLD CRAIG
Of Philosophers
and Kings
Political Philosophy in Shakespeare's
Macbeth and King Lear
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS
Toronto Buffalo London
www.utppublishing.com
© University of Toronto Press Incorporated 2001
Toronto Buffalo London
Printed in Canada
Reprinted in paperback 2003
ISBN 0-8020-3571-X (cloth)
ISBN 0-8020-8605-5 (paper)
Printed on acid-free paper
National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data
Craig, Leon H., 1941-
Of philosophers and kings : political philosophy in
Shakespeare's Macbeth and King Lear
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8020-3571-X (bound) ISBN 08020-8605-5 (pbk.)
1. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Macbeth. 2. Shakespeare,
William, 1564-1616. King Lear. 3. Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -
Knowledge - Political science. 4. Politics in literature. I. Title.
PR3017.C722001 822.3'3 C2001-901399-X
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial assistance to its publishing
program of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council.
This book has been published with the help of a grant from the Humanities and Social
Sciences Federation of Canada, using funds provided by the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council of Canada.
University of Toronto Press acknowledges the financial support for its publishing activities
of the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development
Program (BPIDP).
For Tobin and Jessica
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Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
NOTICE TO THE READER xi
1. The Political Philosopher as Dramatic Poet:
Preliminary Remarks on the Study of Shakespeare 3
2. Living in a Hard Time: Politics and Philosophy
in Macbeth 25
Machiavelli Visits Scotland 30
The Metaphysics of Macbeth 51
The Natural Workings of Good and Evil 76
Infections in the Casing Air 100
3. The Discovery of Nature: Politics and Philosophy
in King Lear 112
The Perils of Political Improvisation 113
The Problem of Nature 133
A King Becomes Philosophical 168
A Philosopher Becomes a King 189
4. "Sweet Philosophy": Further Illustrations of Shakespeare's
Portrayal of Philosophy in Relation to Political Life 192
Elementary Matters in Othello 194
The True Test of a Wise Poet: The Winter's Tale 214
High-Minded Negligence in Measure for Measure 230
Final Remarks on Shakespeare as Philosopher-Poet 251
NOTES 269
BIBLIOGRAPHY 391
INDEX OF NAMES 401
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Acknowledgments
This book is the result of some two decades of studying and teaching Shakespeare.
And since much of my understanding of his plays germinated in seminars with
graduate students whose fellowship has been the great blessing of my academic
life, I wish here to acknowledge publicly my indebtedness to them: Judith Adam,
Liz Bacchus ne'e Alexander, Bill Bewick, Kent Cochrane, Sue Collins, Wasseem El-
Rayes, Patrick Kernahan, Lorna Knott nee Dawson, Stuart Munro, Murray
Krantz, Steve Lange, David Livingstone, Patrick Malcolmson, David Martin, Lise
Mills, Keith Morgan, Laura Morgan nee Moskuwich, Andy Muwais, Allison
Smith nee Greckol, Bryan Smith, Stacy Sylvester, Kevin Thomas, Mark Unchu-
lenko, David Verbitsky, Dennis Westergaard, Rod Williams, and Darcy Wudel.
With respect to the book itself, however, I owe a very special thanks to four indi-
viduals. Professors John Baxter of Dalhousie University and Paul A. Cantor of the
University of Virginia each subjected the entire manuscript to a careful, thought-
ful critique, suggesting numerous ways that it could be improved (several quite
substantial). The book is much the better for their generous efforts. My colleague
Professor Heidi D. Studer graciously proof-read the resulting text, and was most
helpful in compiling the index. But my greatest debt is to the late Christopher
Drummond, Professor Emeritus of English — congenial colleague, scrupulous
critic, and dear friend, from whom I learned so much and now sorely miss. He
read and assessed (and challenged) this work at every stage of its composition save
the last, for he died suddenly while the pages were being set. I can now only hope
he would not have been too dissatisfied with the final version. I am also grateful to
the editorial staff of the University of Toronto Press, who have been unfailingly
helpful and indulgent.
Lastly, I have, as always, my wife Judith to thank, helpmeet good and true for
over thirty years.