Shakespeare’s Politic Histories

This book posits that Shakespeare’s First Tetralogy draws inspiration from the Italian “politic histories” of the early modern period. These works of history, influenced by the Roman historian Tacitus, delve into the exploration of the machinations of power politics in governance and the shaping of historical events. The argument is that closely analysing these Italian “politic histories” can significantly enhance our understanding of the “politic” aspects dramatized in Shakespeare’s early Engli