Chess, Power, and Historical Narratives

This chapter examines the depiction of chess in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' and Middleton's 'A Game at Chess' to uncover the political implications of dynastic marriages in early modern monarchies. It critiques Walter Benjamin's philosophy of history, exploring themes of manipulation, control, and the intersection of historical materialism and theology. The discussion further investigates how the game of chess serves as a metaphor for the complexities of power dynamics and historical interpretation.