Shakespeare and the Law
Paul Raffield, Gary Watt
In July 2007, the School of Law at the University of Warwick hosted an international conference on Shakespeare and the Law. This was a truly interdisciplinary event, which included contributions from eminent speakers in the fields of English, history, theater, and law. The intention was to provide a congenial forum for the exploration, dissemination, and discussion of Shakespeare's evident fascination with and knowledge of law, and its manifestation in his works. The papers included in this volume reflect the diverse academic interests of participants at the conference. The eclectic themes of the edited collection include analyses of the juristic content of specific plays, such as: law and its subversion in Romeo and Juliet --- Coriolanus and the Midland Rising of 1607 --- justice, care, and relationship in Measure for Measure --- equity and missing trusts in King Lear --- Macbeth, terrorism, and equivocators ---  The Comedy of Errors and contractual theory. Additionally, the book contains more general explorations of Shakespearean jurisprudence, including: Shakespeare and the Consistory courts --- Shakespeare and the marriage contract --- Shakespeare and Renaissance punishment theory --- Shakespeare and specific performance. The contributors are all experts in their field, from professors of law and history to scholars of English literature and theater studies. The relationship between law and the humanities is a growing field of interest and this book will appeal to academics, teachers, and students with an interest in this area.