Shakespeare's Literary Lives

This is an entertaining account of Shakespeare''s afterlives in fiction. Paul Franssen offers the first sustained analysis of stories and films that involve the character of Shakespeare. Taking a broad international and historical perspective he shows how fictions about Shakespeare help us understand what he meant to a certain age nation or author and how they have become a vital aspect of the Shakespeare industry. Appearing sometimes as a ghost or time-traveller fictional Shakespeares have been made to speak to many issues such as the French Revolution the Irish conflict colonialism the Anglo-American relationship sexual orientation race and class. Written in an accessible style this book will appeal to advanced students as well as academic researchers in Shakespeare studies film and cultural studies literary reception and creative writing.