Shakespeare's Nature

This book offers a radically new interpretation of Shakespeare's depiction of Nature. Traditionally, this approach has been based on separating nature as either specific to the individual, or the domain of the environment. Shakespeare's Nature shows how both these aspects of nature come together through Shakespeare's interest in husbandry and cultivation. Through examining a series of key plays and poems, it examines the fundamental ways in which the language of husbandry informed and shaped early modern understanding of the self and the landscape. It is particularly notable for placing Shakespeare's work in dialogue with early modern husbandry manuals, which have been neglected in previous studies on this subject. Exploring the dynamic between nature and culture through agrarian practice, this book reveals the extent to which Shakespeare drew on the language of his wider environment for the exploration of his social worlds.