Shakespeare for Freedom

Ewan Fernie is Professor at the Shakespeare Institute (University of Birmingham) in Stratford-upon-Avon. He is joint editor of the Shakespeare Now! series and his books include Shame in Shakespeare (2001), Spiritual Shakespeares (2005), Reconceiving the Renaissance (with Ramona Wray, Mark Thornton Burnett and Clare McManus, 2005), Redcrosse: Remaking Religious Poetry for Today's World (2012), The Demonic: Literature and Experience (2012), Thomas Mann and Shakespeare (with Tobias Döring, 2015), and the novel he co-authored with Simon Palfrey, Macbeth, Macbeth (2016), which the philosopher Slavoj Žižek called 'a miracle, an instant classic'. In 2011, he co-wrote a civic liturgy for St George's Day which was performed in major cathedrals; and he is currently co-writing a play after Shakespeare's Pericles about immigration and sexual politics for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is also working on the forgotten challenge of progressive culture in nineteenth-century Birmingham.

• 1. Reclaiming Shakespearean freedom; 2. Shakespeare means freedom; 3. 'Freetown!' (Romeo and Juliet); 4. Freetown-upon-Avon; 5. Freetown-am-Main; 6. Free artists of their own selves!; 7. Freetown philosopher; 8. Against Shakespearean freedom; 9. The freedom of complete being.

'Professor Fernie's exhilarating new book is a timely and rigorous reminder of the political and philosophical potency and daring of both the characters and the plays. A passionate and compelling call to remember Shakespeare's radical credentials. A rich and fascinating tour of historical and contemporary encounters with Shakespeare's words and meanings, which should inspire scholars and theatre-makers alike to treat him once again as a liberating spirit, an existential provocateur and a playwright for our times.' Erica Whyman, Deputy Artistic Director and Director of The Other Place, Royal Shakespeare Company