Bringing together methods, assumptions and approaches from a variety of disciplines, Geraldo de Sousa's innovative study explores the representation, perception, and function of the house, home, household, and family life in Shakespeare's great tragedies. Concentrating on "King Lear", "Hamlet", "Othello", and "Macbeth", Sousa's examination of the home provides a fresh look at material that has been the topic of fierce debate.
A study of tragedies, comedies, romances, and histories, this book examines the dynamic interplay of three concepts—gender, text, and habitat—as metaphors for cross-cultural definition. De Sousa argues that by refashioning stage aliens such as Jews, Moors, Amazons, and gypsies, Shakespeare interrogates a Eurocentric perspective and the caricatures cultures create of one another. Writing in an accessible, compelling style, de Sousa recovers a wealth of information on race and gender relations in early modern Europe.
