Shakespeare as Political Thinker edited by John E. Alvis & Thomas G. West

The authors of this unique collection of essays proceed from a common conviction: Shakespeare's poetry conveys a wisdom about things political commensurate with the beauty of his poetry and drama. The writers assess the Bard's political prudence by addressing such topics in his corpus as: the nature and limits of political life; the origins of Shakespeare's understanding of politics in Christianity, Machiavelli, and the ancients; perfect and imperfect statesmanship; England, Rome, and the best polity; the link between individual character and political regime; and the relationship between poetry, politics, religion, and philosophy.

The essayists analyze Richard II, 1 and 2, Henry IV, Henry V, Measure for Measure, The Tempest, Timon of Athens, Troilus and Cressida, The Merchant of Venice, and the major tragedies, as well as the sonnets. Contributors include such luminaries as Allan Bloom and Harry Jaffa, who judge Shakespeare to be a poetic exponent of the great tradition of classical political philosophy stemming from Socrates—a tradition whose cogency and whose relevance was displayed by Leo Strauss and others. This predominant grain is brought out by the inclusion of some essays—notably those of Louise Cowan and Robert B. Heilman—that cut across it.

Taken together, these writers demonstrate that good literature, particularly from masters like Shakespeare, can contain good political thinking. An example of interdisciplinary writing at its finest, Shakespeare as Political Thinker is an impressive treatment of the significance of politics for Shakespeare's characters and for the poet as thinker.