Shakespeare's Politic Histories: The Italian Connection

Shakespeare's Politic Histories: The Italian Connection offers a detailed reading of Shakespeare's First Tetralogy: Henry VI, parts 1-3 and Richard III with particular reference to the works of early modern Italian 'politic' writers such as Niccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini. It stresses the importance of considering the Italian connection that links Shakespeare's English History plays with the politic histories of the Renaissance. It extends the nature of this connection beyond the writings of Machiavelli while also reconsidering how Machiavelli's have largely been misread when considering these plays. It offers a new reading of Richard III, exploring not only Richard's clear failings as a Macahivellian strategist while also, crucially, revealing the strategic prowess of previously overlooked characters in the drama, such as Buckingham and Stanley. The Italian Connection thus allows for a new reading of the first tetralogy, one that reconsiders the maneuvers and machinations of the characters, evaluates their strategic acumen or lack thereof, and showcase the degree to which Shakespeare's First Tetralogy should be seen not only as English History plays but as politic histories.