Shakespeare's Musical Imagery

Music pervades Shakespeare's work. In addition to vocal songs and numerous instrumental cues there are thousands of references to music throughout the plays and many of the poems. This book discusses Shakespeare's musical imagery according to categories defined by occurrence in the plays and poems. In turn, these categories depend on their early modern usage and significance. Thus, instruments such as lute and viol deserve special attention just as Renaissance neo-Platonist ideas relating to the 'music of the spheres' needs contextual explanation. The objective is to locate Shakespeare's musical imagery, reference and metaphor in its immediate context in a play or poem and explain its meaning. Discussion and explanation of the musical imagery suggests a range of possible dramatic and poetic purposes these musical references serve.

Preface and Acknowledgements \ Introduction: ‘Music tohear':Thescope of Shakespeare's musical imagery \1. ‘By the sweet power ofmusic': Consonance and harmony \2. ‘And doleful dumps themind oppress': Passionate words\ 3. ‘A delightful measureor a dance': Dance music \4. ‘Braying trumpets and loud churlish drums':The music of war\ 5.‘A rhyme is but a ballad': Popular song \6. ‘Suppose the singingbirds musicians': Birdsong\ 7. ‘Orpheus with hislute': Symbolic persons\ 8. ‘Gamut I am, the groundof all accord': Music theory and pedagogy \ 9.‘A thousand twanglinginstruments': Art and country instruments\ Epilogue: ‘A swanlike end,fading in music'\  Bibliography \Index