Shakespeare and Dickens by Valerie L. Gager - 9780521455268

Shakespeare and DickensThe Dynamics of Influence\nAuthor(s): Valerie L. Gager\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom\nImprint: Cambridge University Press\nISBN-13: 9780521455268, 978-0521455268\nSynopsis\nShakespeare and Dickens, first published in 1996, traces Dickens' own interest in Shakespeare from childhood, not only through his own reading and performance but also through numerous theatrical, literary and artistic sources. The book proceeds to examine theoretical ideas about influence and allusion as aspects of style and analyses ways in which Dickens typically employs references to Shakespeare. It is argued that imaginative transformations of Shakespeare's words and ideas enrich all aspects of Dickens' writing, including aesthetic principles, language, imagery, plot, atmosphere, theme, tone, structure, foreshadowing and characterization. Dombey and Son and David Copperfield are examined to demonstrate the sophisticated manner in which Dickens .