Jacob Burckhardt's "Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy" is a seminal work in art and cultural history, offering a comprehensive analysis of the Italian Renaissance. The book explores the transition from the medieval world to the Renaissance, highlighting key changes in art, politics, and society. Burckhardt emphasizes the rediscovery of classical antiquity and its influence on Renaissance thought and creativity. He also examines the rise of individualism and humanism, which characterized the Renaissance spirit. The book remains a cornerstone of Renaissance studies, providing valuable insights into this transformative period.
In 'Orientalism,' Edward Said critiques the Western construction of the Orient as a place of mystery and exoticism. He argues that Orientalism, as a discipline and worldview, is inherently tied to European imperialism and serves as a powerful instrument of domination. Said examines how Western literature, academia, and politics have perpetuated colonialism and imperialism by creating and reinforcing stereotypes and myths about the East. He traces the development of Orientalism from its roots in the 18th century to its contemporary implications, emphasizing the intimate relationship between knowledge and power and the need to challenge these dominant discourses[1][3][5].
My guest today is Jyotsna Singh, Professor Emerita of English at Michigan State University. She has written numerous books including Colonial Narratives/Cultural Dialogues: “Discovery” of India in the Language of Colonialism (Routledge), and The Weyward Sisters: Shakespeare and Feminist Politics (Blackwell), which is co-authored with Dympna Callaghan and Lorraine Helms. She has also edited A Companion to the Global Renaissance: Literature and Culture in the Era of Expansion, 1500-1700 (Wiley-Blackwell), which has gone through two editions. She was among a handful of early scholars who illuminated Shakespeare’s works within non-western, non-canonical contexts. One such example is her early essay about Shakespeare in India, “Different Shakespeares,” originally published in Theatre Journal in 1989, and then expanded on and reprinted in Colonial Narratives/Cultural Dialogues.
Shakespeare and Postcolonial Theory (Bloomsbury, 2019) tells the story of the academic study of the cultural legacy of European colonialism, showing how the literature of former colonial powers represented and often distorted colonial history and how, in turn, colonized peoples articulated and reclaimed their identity and history by interrogating European culture and history.
Singh’s book shows how our reading of Shakespeare’s plays such as ‘The Tempest,’ ‘Hamlet,’ and ‘Othello’ has been forever changed by theater practitioners and scholars alike, while making a a persuasive case that postcoloniality continues to have a unique, still-unfolding relevance on how we read. In part, Singh’s book also memorializes the struggle of scholars for legitimacy within a sometimes-hostile field.
Author of the article on The Tempest mentioned at around 35:40 is as follows:
Leininger, Lorie Jerrell. "The Miranda trap: Sexism and racism in Shakespeare's The Tempest." The Tempest. Routledge, 2013. 223-230 (first published in 1980).
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory
New Books in Critical Theory 