Biography Essay"He was not of an age, but for all time." So wrote Ben Jonson in his dedicatory verses to the memory of William Shakespeare in 1623, and so we continue to affirm today. No other writer,...
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The English playwright, poet, and actor William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is generally acknowledged to be the greatest of English writers and one of the most extraordinary creators in human history.The ...
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Considered by critics, scholars, and the theater-going public the most important dramatist in the history of English literature, William Shakespeare occupies a unique position in the pantheon of great...
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"He was not of an age, but for all time." So wrote Ben Jonson in his dedicatory verses to the memory of William Shakespeare in 1623, and so we continue to affirm today. No other writer, in English or ...
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William Shakespeare's reputation is based primarily on his plays. With the partial exception of the Sonnets (1609), quarried since the early nineteenth century for autobiographical secrets allegedly ...
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In the following essay, Davidson interprets the title figure in Timon of Athens as a Renaissance emblem of failed friendship.
The realization that iconographic tableaux appear at central points in ...
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Victor Kiernan, University of Edinburgh
If the unrestricted competition, the struggle of each against all, that was taking hold of Shakespeare's England may be seen through a glass dar...
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In the following excerpt, Kernan, calling Timon of Athens "the most penetrating analysis ever made of the satiric sense of life," argues that the title character represents an aberration...
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In the following essay, Kahn employs the techniques of feminist psychoanalytic theory and new historicism to examine Timon of Athens, providing an analysis of power during the reigns of Queen Elizabet...
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In the following essay, White examines the decline of Athens in Timon of Athens, pointing out that ingratitude and corruption amongst the city officials and flatterers caused the decay.
Let us expl...
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In the following essay, Miola discusses the Athenian society in Timon of Athens, claiming that Shakespeare uses the popular Renaissance conception of a corrupt and unstable Athens to comment on the po...
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In the following essay, Wallace analyzes Timon of Athens from a Senecan perspective, suggesting that Shakespeare was influenced by the philosopher's De beneficiis and his ideas on gift-giving.
...
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In the following excerpt, Oliver argues that Timon of Athens lacks dramatic conflict and that the title character lacks depth, but agrees with William Hazlitt's praise of the play's inte...
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In the following essay, Muir provides a general assessment of Timon of Athens, maintaining that its "last two acts are Shakespeare's most powerful statement of what he seems to have rega...
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In the following essay, Fly examines the experimental and metadramatic characteristics of Timon of Athens, concluding that the work "marks a climactic juncture in Shakespeare's restless ...
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In the following essay, Bayley asserts that Timon of Athens ultimately fails as a tragedy because the extreme nature of the movement from complete generosity to absolute misanthropy allows no room for...
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In the following essay, Nuttall examines Timon's descent into misanthropy, beginning with Act III, scene iv, when the main character is confronted by his creditors, and concluding with the star...
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In the following essay, Soellner analyzes the ambiguous character of Alcibiades, maintaining that his "credentials as champion of good against evil are weakened by his lax morality and excessiv...
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In the following essay, Davidson examines Timon of Athens from an iconographic perspective, asserting that Timon "himself must be seen as a highly significant icon of failed friendship."...
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In the following essay, originally delivered as a lecture in 1966, Bradbrook contends that Shakespeare wrote Timon of Athens for the new indoor theater at Blackfriars, where the critic suggests the pl...
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In the essay below, Reid considers the psychology of Timon's behavior to define the meaning of misanthropes in the play.
Timon of Athens has received little attention from the psychoanalytic...
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In the following essay, Konstan explores concepts of misanthropy by comparing Timon of Athens to Menander's Dyscolus and Moliére's Le Misanthrope.
The misanthrope is not merely...
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In the essay below, Scott considers liar paradox constructions in Timon's curses on mankind and himself.
In his essay “how to do things with Austin and Searle”—reprinted...
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In the following essay, Hunt discusses the role of the paragone, a historic comparison between and art and poetry, in Timon of Athens.
It is almost fifty years since in the Journal of the Warburg I...
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In the essay below, Chorost discusses Timon's attempt to secure devotion through gift giving, exploring the economic and biological dimensions of the plot.
Timon of Athens is a critique of m...
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In the following essay, Rockas examines the inconsistencies in the play and suggests possible revisions that Shakespeare may have intended to make.
There is a controversy over whether and to what e...
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In the essay below, Neiditz suggests reinterpreting Timon of Athens, noting the dream-like state of the play and its symbolism.
Interpretations of Timon of Athens have led us astray by forcing the ...
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In the following essay, Mellamphy identifies the inherent problems in Timon of Athens by analyzing the Grand Theatre Company of London Ontartio's performance of the play in 1983.
In the 1960...
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In the essay below, Baldo argues that Shakespeare develops the rhetorical practice of generalizing to a new height in Timons of Athens, unprecedented in renaissance literature.
How little connectio...
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In the following essay, Wilcher assesses Timon of Athens as an experimental work of art, and studies the issues of genre and artistic vision through an exploration of the play's structure.
I
...
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In the following essay, de Alvarez maintains that the city of Athens and its politics are the main focus of Timon of Athens, and closely examines the three principal characters—Timon, Apemantus...
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In the following essay, Erlich asserts that in Timon of Athens Shakespeare used allegory and its “dream language” to explore Timon’s narcissism.
One can try to explain away the...
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In the following essay, Tambling investigates Timon's anger and melancholy, finding that these feelings generate both his philanthropy and misanthropy.
Timon of Athens begins with two artist...
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In the following excerpt, Armstrong appraises the Oregon Shakespeare Festival production of Timon of Athens as directed by Penny Metropulos, noting that the director viewed the play as a work-in-progr...
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In the following review, Carnegy assesses Gregory Doran's direction of Timon of Athens for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford.
The RSC [Royal Shakespeare Theatre] rounds off what...
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In the following excerpt, Russell applauds Gregory Doran's simple staging of Timon of Athens, singling out Michael Pennington's Timon and Richard McCabe's Apemantus, and noting th...
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In the following essay, Tinker explores Timon's view of friendship within the framework of the play's larger theme, which Tinker contends is “man shall not live by bread alone....
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In the following essay, Ruszkiewicz examines Timon's behavior and attitude toward friendship within the context of Renaissance views regarding liberality and friendship.
I
The nature of Timo...
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In the following essay, Walker studies the ways in which the concept of the goddess Fortune influenced Shakespeare's treatment of friendship in Timon of Athens.
It is curious that critics, i...
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In the following essay, Bulman presents evidence that Shakespeare's chief source for Timon of Athens was an English academic comedy known as Timon.
Timon of Athens, fraught with inconsistenc...
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In the following review, Carnegy discusses Gregory Doran's Royal Shakespeare Company production of Timon of Athens. Carnegy calls the production “a superb staging” and praises Mic...
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In the following essay, Cohen examines the theme of wealth in Timon of Athens and contends that it is Timon's realization of its corrupting effect on society that leads to his misanthropy.
T...
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In the following essay, Prendergast notes the lack of female characters in the play and examines the work in terms of the misogynistic practices of early Jacobean culture. Prendergast contends that Ti...
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In the following essay, Cartelli contends that Shakespeare deliberately refused to accommodate the conventional expectations of tragedy in Timon of Athens, and calls the play a “radical experim...
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In the following essay, constructed from lectures delivered in 1946 and 1947, Auden calls Timon a “pathological giver” whose giving is motivated by selfishness and a desire to feel super...
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In the following essay, Fischer examines Timon's character in light of his “economic faults.” Fischer finds Timon to be an unsatisfying hero whose failure lies in his inability to...
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In the following essay, Newman examines Timon's use of language in the play, and contends that he is a “visionary poet engaged in a dialogue with the universe.”
Timon of Athens...
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In the following review, Torrens praises Michael Langham's National Theatre production of Timon of Athens, claiming that “against all odds” it enthralled Broadway audiences.
Th...
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In the following review, Watson discusses an Italian production of Timon of Athens, directed by Walter Pagliaro.
Graffiti in a working class Roman neighborhood reads: “For Berlusconi, you ar...
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In the following review, Brantley discusses Brian Kullick's Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival production of Timon of Athens. Brantley admires the inventiveness shown by both the dire...
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In the following review, Wall considers Gregory Doran's Royal Shakespeare Company production of Timon of Athens, and finds that Michael Pennington's Timon lacked the required “ful...
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In the following essay, Maxwell discusses the date, sources, and structure of Timon of Athens.
Authenticity and Date
The Life of Tymon of Athens was first printed in the 1623 Folio, in the space in...
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In the following essay, Hadfield interprets Timon of Athens as Shakespeare's advice to King James.
What exactly is the relationship between Shakespeare's plays and their political sig...
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In the following essay, Brownlow argues that there is no evidence for the dating of Timon of Athens and suggests that the play may indeed have been Shakespeare's last work. The critic also disc...
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In the following essay, Waters contends that Timon is a tragic figure whose excessive feelings—such as kindness, joy, and friendship—cause his downfall.
Aristotelian criticism has oft...
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In the following review, the critic emphasizes the shortcomings of Gregory Doran's 1999 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Timon of Athens as well as the shortcomings of Shakespeare'...
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The following review of Gregory Doran's 2000 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Timon of Athens, the critic praises the production, particularly Michael Pennington's Timon, who ...
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In the following excerpted review, Morley applauds Gregory Doran's 2000 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Timon of Athens, noting that the director celebrates this difficult play “...
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In the following essay, Draper examines Timon's belief in the corrupting influence of wealth.
In the first part of Timon of Athens Timon appears as a man full of warmth, geniality and overfl...
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In the following essay, Fulton studies the symbolism of the Cupid and Amazon masque figures in Timon of Athens.
The masque of Cupid and Amazons in Shakespeare's Timon of Athens enjoys a high...
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In the following essay, O'Dair discusses Shakespeare's views on economics and social status as presented in Timon of Athens.
In explaining to Roderigo why he continues to serve Othell...
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Timon of Athens, a play by William Shakespeare, tells how a gentleman's generosity is taken advantage of. Timon, a noble Athenian, is very wealthy. He is very charitable towards his fellow Athe...
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George
Balanchineâs Don Quixoteâthat ambitious, mysterious work that fascinated and confused us all back when it was made in 1965âhas just been re...
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George Balanchine's Don Quixote-that ambitious, mysterious work that fascinated and confused us all back when it was made in 1965-has just been restaged, by Suzanne Farrell, for the first time sinc...
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In a way, it goes back to the spirit of the early Edgy Enthusiast columns, which were numbered riffs on cultural obsessions. Playlists, even—dare I say it? —pre-blog blogging. Not real...
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Think of this week's column as a play list for the overeducated, the media-saturated, the culturally jaded: things you may have missed, things you ought not miss, things you still can see and hear....
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