The Thing in Itself

[mtvessel]

Jan-Mar, Aug-Sep 2023
Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare – Isaac Asimov – Wings Books, 1970
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So this is a bit outrageous. It is a 1500-page commentary on all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays and two epic poems, written by an author most famous for stories about robots and intergalactic politics. What could a science fiction writer possibly have to add to the centuries of analysis and criticism that have been lavished on these texts? I can almost hear the sneers of the literary establishment from here.

Well, to some extent the establishment is right. If you want deep insights into Shakespeare's language or his characters, you won’t find them here. What you will get is a refreshing new approach which focuses on explaining the mythic and historical contexts behind the plays. It’s not entirely successful, but it is interesting.


The first oddity is the unusual order in which Asimov tackles the plays. Rather than following the traditional chronology by (presumed) date of writing, he divides them into two groups based on their settings - Greek, Roman and Italian plays in part one, "English" plays (including Hamlet and Macbeth) in part two – and then presents them in order of their internal chronologies. Given the fantastical nature of many of the plays' settings, with their Greek, Roman or Italian upper class characters and English peasant servants, this is a somewhat quixotic task, but it does allow Asimov to have a lot of fun pointing out all the anachronisms.

Asimov claimed that he was chiefly interested in context-setting, explaining the mythological and historical origins of Shakespeare's references, but he can't help expressing opinions about the plays themselves, some of which are distinctly spicy takes. The tragedy in Romeo and Juliet, he says, is largely precipitated by the latter's teenage infatuation with her firebrand cousin Mercutio, which leads to her assuming that the endless tit-for-tat between the two families is inevitable when in fact almost everyone on both sides wants it to stop. Hamlet isn't the indecisive student that he is often portrayed as; his rivalry with his uncle is deeply embedded in ruthless dynastic politics that necessitates that one of them must die. These would definitely be good starting points for a modern production, if they haven't been done already.

Asimov does a good job of explaining the mythological references in the plays, though many will be over-familiar to anyone with a reasonable knowledge of the Greeks and the Romans. A more traditional critic would also have placed greater weight on the contemporary culture in explaining Shakespeare's writing choices. But Asimov's approach does allow him to examine the plays as things in themselves, untethered from the conditions in which they were written, and thereby point up the characteristics that make them timeless classics that will be performed for as long as humanity survives. His approach doesn't always succeed - not even Asimov can make the endless parade of identikit barons and earls during the Wars of the Roses interesting, and his eccentric ordering means that the last play examined is Henry VIII, a disappointing one to end on - but his readable style and unique perspective make this massive volume more than worth your time.