Fascinating Rhythms: Shakespeare, Theory, Culture, and the Legacy of Terence Hawkes

As one of the most adventurous literary and cultural critics of his generation, Terence Hawkes’ contributions to the study of Shakespeare and the development of literary and cultural theory have been immense. His work has been instrumental in effecting a radical shift in the study of Shakespeare and of literary studies. This collection of essays by some of his closest colleagues, friends, peers, and mentees begins with an introduction by John Drakakis, outlining the profound impact that Hawkes’ work had on various areas of literary studies. It also includes a poem by Christopher Norris, who worked with Hawkes for many years at the University of Cardiff, as well as work on translation, social class, the historicist and presentist exploration of Shakespearean texts, and teaching Shakespeare in prisons. The volume features essays by former students who have gone on to establish reputations in areas beyond the study of literature, and who have contributed ground-breaking volumes to the pioneering New Accents series. It concludes with Malcolm Evans’ innovative account of the migration of semiotics into the area of business. This book is a vibrant and informative read for anyone interested in Hawkes’ unique blend of literary and cultural theory, criticism, Shakespeare studies, and presentism.

Table of Contents:
Introduction, by John Drakakis Terza Rima for Terry (Meaning by Hawkes), by Christopher Norris 1. "I strike a match": Rereading Hawkes for the Era of Science, Rebellion and Automation, by John Hartley 2. Shakespeare in a Changing World, by Susan Bassnett 3. We That Are Young: Hawkes, Cavell and the Legacies of Lear\, by John J. Joughin 4. Devil-portering in Hell: Teaching Macbeth in Prison, by Jean E. Howard 5. Romancing the Oak: On the Performativity of Trees in Shakespearean Comedy, by Keir Elam 6. Coriolanus: Late Play, faux Tragedy, and Proleptic History, by Hugh Grady 7. Terence Hawkes, Presentism, and the Role of the Critic, by Evelyn Gajowski 8. Semiotics Goes Business, by Malcolm Evans Appendix. A Terence Hawkes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
John Drakakis is Professor Emeritus at the University of Stirling. Among his many publications, he is the editor of Alternative Shakespeares (1985) in the New Accents series, the editor of the Arden 3 series of The Merchant of Venice (2011) and, recently, the author of Shakespeare’s Resources (2021). He has jointly edited Gothic Shakespeares (2008) in the Accents on Shakespeare series and he is the general editor of the Routledge New Critical Idiom series. He was a founder trustee of the British Shakespeare Association, and he was elected an Honorary Fellow in 2018. He has been a visiting professor at the Universities of Lincoln and Wrexham Glyndwr (where he holds an Honorary Fellowship), he holds an honorary DLitt from the University of Clermont-Ferrand, and he is an elected member of the Academia Europaea.