Sea Images in Shakespeare$S Plays and English Renaissance Maritime Culture

Project: National Science and Technology CouncilNational Science and Technology Council Academic Grants

Project Details

Abstract

Sea Images in Shakespeare's Plays and English Renaissance Maritime Culture (Two-year Research Project) Loaded with sea images, Shakespeare’s plays circulate the enormous fantasies of the English about sea adventures during the Renaissance, which were triggered by excitement from the discovery of new lands, new trade routes and legends of successful pirates. As an island-country surrounded by waters, England has always had an intimate relationship with sea, while Shakespeare, as a playwright attempting to attract audiences into his theater, certainly knew how to play up familiar sea images in various ways to enhance the fascination of his plays. This research reexamines Shakespeare’s use of sea images in his plays. By integrating textual analysis with Renaissance historical contexts related to maritime culture, such as Queen Elizabeth’s privateering practice, the legend of Sir Francis Drake and other famous pirates, and England’s long term hostility with France and with Spain, the research appropriates new historicist approaches aiming to shed more light on our understanding of Shakespeare’s elaboration on sea images and cultural/historical significances of these images. The research project is divided into two years. The first year aims at (1) exploring the Renaissance historical contexts related to maritime culture, and (2) analyzing images and roles of sea in four Shakespearean plays—The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night and Hamlet. The second year aims at analyzing sea images in Shakespeare’s ten history plays within English Renaissance maritime culture.

Project IDs

Project ID:PE10007-0347
External Project ID:NSC100-2410-H182-021
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date01/08/1131/07/12

Keywords

  • Shakespeare
  • maritime culture
  • sea images
  • privateering
  • pirate
  • geography

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