The book is comprised of essays that utilize Shakespeare as a productive window into topics of contemporary social and political relevance. Its interdisciplinary qualities make the book relevant for students of political studies, literature, philosophy, cultural studies, and history.

Preface Introduction The Politics of History / The History of Politics: Shakespeare and Machiavelli Leonidas Donskis: Machiavelli vs. Shakespeare: Love, Hatred, and the Emergence of the Modern Individual David Coombes: Politics as Tragedy: Shakespearian Treatment of Machiavellian Themes Circumscribing the Political Cory Stockwell: Othello, the Secret of the Political Bartholomew Ryan: Deception, Nature and Nihilism in Politics: King Lear and Kurosawa’s Ran Ervin Beck: Platonism and Politics in The Tempest J. D. Mininger and Jason Michael Peck: Six Currencies of Love: Political and Ethical Economies of Language in Shakespeare Governance, Law, Public Politics Tomas Berkmanas: Images of the Crown: Depersonified Governmentalities, a New Multitude, and Primitive Thinking Tomas Kavaliauskas and Rūta Bagdanavičiūtė: Katyn Does Not Happen Twice Shakespeare and the Politics of Translation J. D. Mininger and Justas Patkauskas: An Interview with Tomas Venclova Contributors Index