Description

Praised as "eloquent, humane, and balanced" (Times Literary Supplement) and "deeply versed in the period, urbane and unflappable in tone, and refreshingly free of ideological agendas" (Financial Times), here is a lively look at Shakespeare's treatment of sexuality in his plays and poems, written by the one of the pre-eminent authorities on the Bard and his work. Renowned Shakespeare critic Stanley Wells draws on historical and anecdotal sources to present an illuminating account of sexual behavior--and its consequences--in Shakespeare's time, particularly in Stratford-upon-Avon and London. Wells thoroughly explores this milieu, demonstrating what we know or can deduce about the sexual conventions, sexual mores, and actual sexual behaviors of the day. Wells also explores the ways in which Shakespeare treats sexuality in his plays and how he relates sexuality to love. He covers everything from the fun that Shakespeare gets out of sex in his comedies, to the ways he relates sexual desire to both lust and love, to the play where Shakespeare focused most centrally on issues relating to sex, love, and the relationship between them: Romeo and Juliet.