Word and Rite: The Bible and Ceremony in Selected Shakespearean Works
Editor: Beatrice Batson
Date Of Publication: Aug 2010
Isbn13: 978-1-4438-2225-1
Isbn: 1-4438-2225-6
This book is an attempt to show something of the ways in which the Bible and the Christian tradition intersect the language of Shakespeare. Word and Rite also focuses on the manner in which rites are efforts to illuminate mysteries: the mystery of marriage, the mystery of baptism, the mystery of confession, the mystery of the Eucharist, the mystery of funerals, and even the mystery of words, in their relation to the Word. Holy objects such as the Fountain of blood may also be considered. Maimed rites frequently occur in Shakespeare, but through ceremony there are attempts to turn mayhem into mystery--especially in comedies. In the words of the author of the Foreword to this book:" In Shakespeare word and rite are as inseparable as word and sacrament in worship...so outward signs of inward truth are linked with words of these plays and with Scripture and with the Word incarnate." This book also explores the ramifications of observing this insight.

Professor Batson, Professor Emerita of English at Wheaton College, served as Chair of the Department of English for thirteen years and taught courses in Shakespeare for thirty-three years. Professor Batson is the author or editor of eleven books, and the author of several chapters edited by others. She has also written numerous articles for journals and magazines, and is the author of scores of book reviews. During her teaching career, she was a frequent lecturer on college and university campuses in the United States and Canada. She holds the PhD from Vanderbilt and did post-doctoral work at Northwestern University and at Oxford. At present, Professor Batson is the Coordinator of the Shakespeare Special Collection on Shakespeare and the Christian Tradition at Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL.

“Word and Rite: The Bible and Ceremony in Selected Shakespearean Dramas presents often stimulating and provocative revised papers from the 2008, well-known Shakespeare Institute at Wheaton College (IL), a periodic conference ably organized for almost twenty years by Professor Beatrice Batson, the Coordinator of the Shakespeare Special Collection in Buswell Library. This book amounts to a fitting capstone of the several previously published Institute volumes of high-quality papers.

Deserving special mention in this latest volume are Jeffrey Knapp’s fresh reading of Shakespeare’s sonnets as confessional autobiography, Grace Tiffany’s comprehensive analysis of the triumph of the English language over the French tongue in Shakespeare’s plays, Christopher Hodgkins’ eloquent account of Christian apocalyptic thought in The Tempest, and David George’s persuasive linking of the abbreviated rites and interrupted ceremonies typical of Shakespeare’s plays to the wars of religion waged in the playwright’s lifetime. The other papers in this book are also useful, notably Jack Heller’s rich documentation of the Christian Foundation of Life alluded to in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Here we have a banquet—a smorgasbord—of commentary on Shakespeare’s art.”

—Maurice Hunt, Baylor University, Dept. of English

"Having known Dennis Taylor for a number of years, I am happy and in fact honoured, to endorse this book. Dennis has been a devoted servant to the brass band movement for many years and we are all indebted to his efforts. His accumulated experience and expertise on the subject is vast and his sincerity and passion is infectious. I look forward with great anticipation the reading of this book as an historical account and I am quite sure that, many will be using it for many years as an important authoritative reference.

Before my arrival at Durham University in 2003 I was a practising conductor, arranger and adjudicator only vaguely aware of the value of research and academic writing. Since that time I have immersed myself in research and writing and realise how important it is, especially concerning the brass band movement with its rich history. Enormous amount of time and effort has been spent by authors such as Herbert, Newsome and Myers and we are all better enlightened because of their devotion. Here is a welcome addition to the bibliography on brass bands which will, I am sure, inspire many."

- Ray Farr, Conductor in Residence, Durham University

“A rich collection of essays by influential Shakespeareans, including perceptive discussions on Shakespeare’s anti-Gallicism, valorizing of the English language due to the influence of the English Bible, on his use of maimed marriage rites as exploration of the parallel structures of marriage in Measure for Measure, on the use of baptismal and Eucharistic rites in Julius Caesar, on his self-identification as a ‘Will’ in the sonnets, and reflections on the apocalypse in The Tempest. Continual food for thought.”

—Dennis Taylor, Boston College, Emeritus Professor of English

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