Deep Wisdom from Shakespeare's Dramas

Arjan Plaisier believes audiences who view Shakespeare performances and readers who study the plays deserve better than some of the recent interpretations of the Bard's work. In their attempt to be ""modern,"" these interpreters commit historical amnesia by slighting the Christian ethos of the early Renaissance period in which Shakespeare wrote and by riding roughshod over the religious underpinnings of his plays. This neglect skews the playwright's intentions, confuses the audience, and diminishes the full effect of the play. Plaisier, too, is modern--and in a more profound sense. He sets forth how Shakespeare shapes his plots to conform at an ultimate level to timeless biblical narrative patterns (like Northrop Frye, he regards the Bible as a ""code book""), so that there is a ""right"" ending to the work. And in an Appendix, Plaisier provides some kindly advice to his fellow pastors. You do well, he says to them, to enrich your noble calling with attention to literature. To do this, he says, you will find Shakespeare most helpful. Yes, and Plaisier's perceptive essays point to the deep wisdom in Shakespeare by which we can all live. ""Plaisier has found the richest Christian ore in Shakespeare and has dug it up for us all. Always wise and revealing, he sets the highest standard for work at the intersection of faith and literature. Steve Van der Weele's translation is marvelously readable."" --Neal Plantinga, President of Calvin Theological Seminary, Emeritus ""In this time of directors' theater and modern dress extravaganzas, it is refreshing to find a literary critic who returns to the roots of Shakespeare's work. Arjan Plaisier finds strong theological undercurrents in seven of Shakespeare's greatest plays. Directors, actors, and teachers will profit from this skillful translation by Steve Van der Weele. He has, however, done everyone who loves Shakespeare's works a great favor."" --Howard Slenk, Professor of Music, Calvin College, Emeritus ""It is a pleasure for me to recommend Dr. Arjan Plaisier's seven theological meditations on seven of Shakespeare's plays. The centuries that have elapsed since his life and career notwithstanding, the playwright's work remains a source of both pleasure and wisdom . . . Dr. Steve Van der Weele, himself well versed in Shakespeare studies, deserves our thanks for providing a fine translation, making Dr. Plaisier's analyses accessible to English-speaking readers. Busy pastors as well as a wide spectrum of general readers will welcome this book."" --Sierd Woudstra, Pastor, teacher, translator ""Arjan Plaisier's analyses of seven Shakespeare plays confirms my belief that high art comes as close as we mortals can get to 'intimations of immortality, ' as close to the gates of heaven as human effort can attain. We owe it to Steve Van der Weele that by his translation of Plaisier's book he has done much to demonstrate that truth for innumerable readers of Shakespeare's work. I add, incidentally, that I cannot remember ever having read a better analysis of a Shakespeare play than Plaisier's King Lear."" --Martinus Bakker, Professor of Dutch, Calvin College, Emeritus Steve J. Van der Weele is a retired professor of English at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he taught for thirty-four years. He is the author of Literature and Religion as Amiable Companions: A Harvest of Essays and Reflections. A. J. Plaisier is Secretary General of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN). He spent six years in Indonesia before returning for parish work and his present assignment. His dissertation contrasts the views of man in Nietzsche and Pascal.