A Theatre of Envy

In this groundbreaking work, leading critic René Girard argues that the key to Shakespeare's works is mimetic desire: that is, the desire for objects not for their intrinsic value, but because they are desired by someone else. We mime or imitate others' desires, he writes, we envy their desires, and this is a foundation of the human condition. From this starting point, he offers startling new readings of the Bard's works--suggesting, for instance, that A Midsummer Night's Dream is a...
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In this groundbreaking work, leading critic René Girard argues that the key to Shakespeare's works is mimetic desire: that is, the desire for objects not for their intrinsic value, but because they are desired by someone else. We mime or imitate others' desires, he writes, we envy their desires, and this is a foundation of the human condition. From this starting point, he offers startling new readings of the Bard's works--suggesting, for instance, that A Midsummer Night's Dream is a true masterpiece. This provocative book will alter the way we read Shakespeare, and the way we think about literature.