Overview

A fascinating book exploring the early modern authors who helped to shape Shakespeare's beloved plays. Shakespeare's plays have influenced generations of writers, but who were the early modern playwrights who influenced him? Using the latest techniques in textual analysis Shakespeare's borrowed feathers offers a fresh look at William Shakespeare and reveals the influence of a community of playwrights that shaped his work. This compelling book argues that we need to see early modern drama as a communal enterprise, with playwrights borrowing from and adapting one another's work. From John Lyly's wit to the collaborative genius of John Fletcher, to Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson, Shakespeare's borrowed feathers offers fresh insights into Shakespeare's artistic development and shows us new ways of looking at the masterpieces that have enchanted audiences for centuries.

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9781526177322

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Reviews

‘Solitary genius? Thieving magpie? We live in copyright times, obsessed with Best. Freebury-Jones explores Shakespeare’s world, where playwrights collaborated with, borrowed from and were influenced by each other. How exciting for actors nowadays to be reminded that “The play’s the thing”. Not authorship or provenance but Story-Power.’ Bruce Alexander, actor ‘A marvellous guide that provides a window into the dramatic culture that Shakespeare inherited, absorbed and shaped, showing how his experience as an actor determined the course of his writing career.’ Andrew Hadfield, author of Thomas Nashe and Late Elizabethan Writing ‘Darren Freebury-Jones attempts the impossible and pulls off the necessary. Both summative and innovative, this book accounts for where Shakespeare attribution studies are today while showing us where they are going tomorrow. It turns out that Shakespeare feathered his nest with borrowed plumes and, in so doing, became a full-fledged playwright.’ Paul Menzer, author of Shakespeare without Print ‘Darren Freebury-Jones has written a lively and refreshingly good-tempered account of a notoriously complex subject which, like everything to do with Shakespeare, has become something of a scholarly minefield. No reader will agree with all of it, but it is good to have the facts and arguments laid out in a clear and comprehensible way.’ Lois Potter, author of The Life of William Shakespeare: A Critical Biography ‘A weighty study, rich with insight, that helps us see Shakespeare not as a sacred solitary genius but as a powerfully responsive writer among other writers. Darren Freebury-Jones draws hitherto unrelated plays into striking new relationship with one another. You won’t look at early modern drama in the same way again.’ Will Tosh, Head of Research, Shakespeare’s Globe -- .

‘Once in a generation a book comes along that sends a shockwave through the literary world, dramatically rewriting our understanding of Shakespeare. This masterpiece of scholarly detective-work allows us to see how the Bard we know was shaped by very human impulses: admiration, envy, the hunger for success, the spirit of cooperation or simply the inability to get a phrase from a rival’s play out of his head. To read this game-changing book is to see Shakespeare and his milieu with new eyes. A stunning contribution to the field that I cannot recommend highly enough!’ Chris Laoutaris, author of Shakespeare's Book: The Intertwined Lives behind the First Folio ‘Shakespeare's borrowed feathers tackles the most polarising questions of early modern drama with authority, dexterity and style. This intimate portrait of Shakespeare's creative community gives the most familiar plays, players and playwrights new life.’ M. L. Rio, author of If We Were Villains ‘Solitary genius? Thieving magpie? We live in copyright times, obsessed with Best. Freebury-Jones explores Shakespeare’s world, where playwrights collaborated with, borrowed from and were influenced by each other. How exciting for actors nowadays to be reminded that “The play’s the thing”. Not authorship or provenance but Story-Power.’ Bruce Alexander, actor ‘A marvellous guide that provides a window into the dramatic culture that Shakespeare inherited, absorbed and shaped, showing how his experience as an actor determined the course of his writing career.’ Andrew Hadfield, author of Thomas Nashe and Late Elizabethan Writing ‘Darren Freebury-Jones attempts the impossible and pulls off the necessary. Both summative and innovative, this book accounts for where Shakespeare attribution studies are today while showing us where they are going tomorrow. It turns out that Shakespeare feathered his nest with borrowed plumes and, in so doing, became a full-fledged playwright.’ Paul Menzer, author of Shakespeare without Print ‘Darren Freebury-Jones has written a lively and refreshingly good-tempered account of a notoriously complex subject which, like everything to do with Shakespeare, has become something of a scholarly minefield. No reader will agree with all of it, but it is good to have the facts and arguments laid out in a clear and comprehensible way.’ Lois Potter, author of The Life of William Shakespeare: A Critical Biography ‘A weighty study, rich with insight, that helps us see Shakespeare not as a sacred solitary genius but as a powerfully responsive writer among other writers. Darren Freebury-Jones draws hitherto unrelated plays into striking new relationship with one another. You won’t look at early modern drama in the same way again.’ Will Tosh, author of Straight Acting: The Many Queer Lives of William Shakespeare ‘Shakespeare's borrowed feathers provides a lively, accessible reassessment of Shakespeare's authorship, using new tools to intervene in long-standing debates. The book contributes to the growing evidence in support of seeing Shakespeare as a borrower and not just a lender, part of an intricate and well-balanced ecosystem of writers collaborating with and learning from one another.’ Pascale Aebischer, author of Viral Shakespeare: Performance in the Time of Pandemic ‘A remarkable achievement, placing Shakespeare fairly and squarely in the context of his time. His preeminence means that we tend to view him in splendid isolation, but this highly readable survey skilfully shows that he was in fact at the centre of a dizzying nexus of theatrical talents.’ Christopher Luscombe, theatre director -- .

‘Darren Freebury-Jones attempts the impossible and pulls off the necessary. Both summative and innovative, this book accounts for where Shakespeare attribution studies are today while showing us where they are going tomorrow. It turns out that Shakespeare feathered his nest with borrowed plumes and, in so doing, became a full-fledged playwright.’ Paul Menzer, author of Shakespeare without Print -- .

Author Information

Darren Freebury-Jones is a Lecturer in Shakespeare Studies at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. He is the author of Shakespeare's Tutor: The Influence of Thomas Kyd (2022) and has contributed to the Independent, the Guardian, the Times, the Telegraph and BBC Radio.

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