Shakespeare and the Idea of Western Civilization

"Fills a void in the criticism. Young has the intellectual courage to point out that Shakespeare's works not only display 'imaginative intelligence, skill, and creative genius' but also often affirm traditional ideas and beliefs. This approach counters the work of contemporary academicians, who at times display hostility to Shakespeare, employ revisionist perspectives, or utilize the plays to argue a particular ideology."?Lisa Marciano, Christendom College

"R.V. Young argues that Shakespeare is a modern saint of sorts, an exemplar of both Western and Christian ideals. Despite his ongoing cultural centrality, a cadre of postmodern academics complain that Shakespeare is 'complicit in all the sins of racial, sexual, and social oppression with which they brand the Western world.' The resulting academic estrangement now threatens both the Christian and classical heritage."?Jeffrey Kahan, editor, King Lear: New Critical Essays

"In an age of Shakespeare abuse, it is all too rare to come across a scholar who understands the Bard and his work as does R. V. Young. This marvelous work, the fruit of a lifetime of critical engagement, takes the reader into the depths of Shakespeare's genius."?Joseph Pearce, author of The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome and Through Shakespeare's Eyes: Seeing the Catholic Presence in the Plays

"As long as there are scholars as canny and courageous as R.V. Young, there is still hope that we might find delight in all of Shakespeare's diverse and beautiful literary progeny."?The American Conservative

"R.V. Young's Shakespeare and the Idea of Western Civilization is a must-read that is enriching and honest. Young's book is meant for a real reading audience and hearts of minds of love rather than hatred. Lovers of Shakespeare won't be disappointed."?VoegelinView

"I would recommend this book for literature teachers in Catholic high schools and colleges working with students who want to go beyond a supercial reading of the plays focused only on their plots and characters (which is certainly a worthy endeavor). This text will also delight Shakespeare acionados, who just like spending time with the man and are willing to 'embark on an investigation of the origins and nature of the culture in which we live.'"?The Catholic Response

"[Young] amply demonstrates the real tragedy of misreading Shakespeare (and all literature) through the lens of ideology. His unflinching commitment to careful scholarship, rigorous logic, and fidelity to the actual text of the plays make his book essential reading for those wishing to better understand the Bard's place in Western civilization."?St. Austin Review

"A distinguished editor (formerly of the quarterly Modern Age) and translator (from Latin), Young defends Shakespeare as representative of what is best in Western civilization, a conception he explains and uses with tact and grace, and without chauvinism. Shakespeare's works elicit experiences of reading, meditation, and deliberation that shape character: To read them well is to grow in maturity."?National Review Online

"He has succeeded in bringing us back to Shakespeare, while maintaining an admirably common-sensical approach to the ethical situations and stance of the plays and their characters. In particular, Young's approach emphasizes the importance of close reading, but also of keeping in mind the differences between the plays and their sources. He helps reveal the many resonances within each play, and each essay is in fact well worth the reading."?University Bookman

"In addition to the varieties of Shakespearean interpretation for the last 400 years, Young's broad scope includes background information on the plays: the earliest production, the principal writers contributing to the play, their place in history, their quarrels with other critics, etc.? that is, the professor-in-the-classroom pose that shows formidable brilliance."?Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching

"Professor Young's book, scholarly but suitable for general readers, is an invaluable response; it can serve as a manual on post-modernist errors Young's broad and detailed knowledge covers Elizabethan and Jacobean language, politics, religious and philosophical quarrels, and literary and historical sources. Lest one be discouraged by his erudition, it must be stressed that this study is marvelously appealing: witty, lucid, and friendly to those who have forgotten Shakespearean characters or plots. Many quoted lines and speeches refresh the memory and lead readers through the arguments."?Chronicles Magazine