Download or read book Shakespeare, Christianity and Italian Paganism written by Eric Harber and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2020-10-19 with total page 676 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book shows that, when Shakespeare wrote his plays, he responded to the political, religious and social conflicts in the Christianity of the day, giving those areas a new perspective through pagan (Italian and Greek) mythology. In particular, it offers a reading of The Winter’s Tale, which it has been said is “one of the most linguistically dense, emotionally demanding and spiritually rich of all the plays”. Productions as far afield as Mexico and Paris have brought Shakespeare’s plays up to date to enhance or challenge the lives of their communities. From South Africa to Gdansk, Shakespeare has been adapted to be read in schools. His plays have prompted a dialogue with many European scholars whom this book addresses.