Overview

"A spirited, engaging investigation into the concept of character, an enduring human obsession in literature, psychology, politics, and everyday life What is ""character""? How can it be measured, developed, or built? Are character traits fixed or changeable? Is character innate, or can it be taught?Since Aristotle's Poetics, philosophers, moralists, artists, and scientists have engaged with the enigma of human character. In its oldest usage, ""character"" derives from a word for engraving or stamping, yet over time, it has come to mean a moral idea, a type, a literary persona, and a physical or physiological manifestation, observable in works of art or in scientific experiments. It is an ingredient in drama and the focus of self-help books.As Marjorie Garber explores in Character, character seems more relevant than ever--the term is omnipresent in discussions of politics, sexuality, ethics, morality, and the psyche. But it seems to carry an unusually wide range of meanings, some disconcertingly at odds with others.Why are ""character flaws"" of such great interest today, whether in political campaigns, personal relationships, or the biographies (and autobiographies) of famous people, living and dead? What does ""character,"" in this moral or ethical sense, have to do with the concept of a character in a novel or a play? Are our notions about fictional characters in fact helping to produce our ideas about moral character?The question of ""character"" arises in virtually every area of modern life. And in every case, there is the same fundamental tension: between something regarded as innate or intrinsic to the individual, and something that can be taught or copied. With characteristic verve, humor, and vast erudition, Garber explores the stakes of these conflations, confusions, and heritages, from Aristotle and Shakespeare to the present preoccupation with ""character issues,"" ""character assassination,"" and the ""character flaws"" of public figures."

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9781094178660

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Reviews

Garber finds that character is a bewilderingly slippery abstraction that has endured and evolved...Garber wonders if the concept is so hollowed out by misuse that it should be retired, but in the end, she views character as a mirror reflecting the contradictions that define human nature. -- Booklist Erudite, illuminating...A capacious overview of an enduring human value. -- Kirkus Reviews An intriguing and informative look at the concept of personal character...[This] information-rich book will be helpful to readers in highlighting how a concern with character has been central to modern life. -- Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Marjorie Garber is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of English and of Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University. She is the author of several books on Shakespeare, including Shakespeare's Ghost Writers and Shakespeare after All, as well as of books on cultural topics ranging from dogs and real estate to cross-dressing, bisexuality, the use and abuse of literature, and the place of the arts in academic life. A member of the American Philosophical Society, she was the recipient of a 2019 Guggenheim Fellowship. As a former international 747 pilot for Delta Airlines, Capt. Pamela Almand's smooth, low-pitched voice from the flight deck calmed and reassured her passengers and crew through routine flights as well as emergencies. Now, with over a decade of professional award-winning SAG/AFTRA voice acting experience with Audie Award nominations, AudioFile Earphones Awards, and Voice Arts Awards and numerous nominations, her voice has not only enthusiastic professionalism and authority in nonfiction titles, but also conversational and compelling story-telling warmth and depth for multiple accents, genders, and ages in fiction titles. Medical, business, and technical nonfiction titles come naturally, the result not only of growing up the daughter of a Colorado cattle rancher and moving into a highly technical aviation career, but also aided by naturally clear diction and a neutral English, easy-to-understand style. Pamela is continuously honing her skills and has coached with Scott Brick, Paul Ruben, Carol Monda, Johnny Heller, Patrick Fraley and others and is an Audible Approved Producer. Pam works from her professional recording studio for clients all over the world, including Tantor, Blackstone Publishing, Brilliance Audio, Vibrance Press, Oasis Publishing, World Wide AudioBooks, Verity Publishing, Two Words Publishing, Suspense Publishing, Author's Republic, and ACX.

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