Contents
Introductory Note: The Politic Character of Shakespeare’s Comedy
Part One. Three Regimes: Oligarchy, Aristocracy, Monarchy
Chapter One: Shakespearean Comedy: Two Points on the Compass
Chapter Two: Gentlemen and Gentlemanliness
Chapter Three: Royal Dreaming
Part Two. The Rule of Law
Chapter Four: Comic Errors, Legal Slapstick
Chapter Five: What Will You?
Part Three. The Comedy of Morals
Chapter Six: Taming Our Shrewishness
Chapter Seven: What Does Shakespeare Mean When He Says, “As You Like It”?
Part Four. The Comedy of Politics
Chapter Eight: Is All Well That Ends Well?
Chapter Nine: The Geopolitics of Love
Chapter Ten: The Wisest Beholder
Conclusion: Shakespeare’s Politic Merriment