Shakespeare in America: An Anthology from the Revolution to Now: Library of America #251

“ThehistoryofShakespeareinAmerica,”writesJamesShapiroinhisintroductiontothisgroundbreakinganthology,“isalsothehistoryofAmericaitself.”Shakespearewasacentral,inescapablepartofAmerica’sliteraryinheritance,andaprismthroughwhichcrucialAmericanissues—revolution,slavery,war,socialjustice—wererefractedandunderstood.Intracingthemanysurprisingformsthisinfluencetook,Shapirodrawsonmanygenres—poetry,fiction,essays,plays,memoirs,songs,speeches,letters,moviereviews,comedyroutines—andonaremarkablerangeofAmericanwritersfromEmerson,Melville,Lincoln,andMarkTwaintoJamesAgee,JohnBerryman,PaulineKael,andCynthiaOzick.Americansoftherevolutionaryeraponderthequestion“tosignornottosign;”Othellobecomesthefocalpointofdebatesonrace;theAstorPlaceriots,setoffbyaproductionofMacbeth,attesttotheviolentenergiesarousedbytheatricalcontroversies;JaneAddamsfindsinKingLearametaphorforAmericanstrugglesbetweencapitalandlabor.OrsonWellesrevolutionizesapproachestoShakespearewithhislegendaryproductionsofMacbethandJuliusCaesar;AmericanactorsfromCharlotteCushmanandIraAldridgetoJohnBarrymore,PaulRobeson,andMarlonBrandoreimagineShakespeareforeachnewera.TherichandtangledstoryofhowAmericansmadeShakespearetheirownisaliteraryandhistoricalrevelation.Asaspecialfeature,thebookincludesaforewordbyBillClinton,amongthelatestinalonglineofAmericanpresidents,includingJohnAdams,JohnQuincyAdams,andAbrahamLincoln,who,asthecollectiondemonstrates,haveturnedtoShakespeare’splaysforinspiration.