Shakespeare and the Gods examines Shakespeare's many allusions to six classical gods (Jupiter, Diana, Venus, Mars, Hercules and Ceres) that enhance his readers' and audiences' understanding and enjoyment of his work. Vaughan explains their historical context, from their origins in ancient Greece to their appropriation in Rome and their role in medieval and early modern mythography. The book also illuminates Shakespeare's classical allusions by comparison to the work of contemporaries like Edmund Spenser, Ben Jonson and Thomas Heywood and
explores allusive patterns that repeat throughout Shakespeare's canon. Each chapter concludes with a more focused reading of one or two plays in which the god appears or serves as an underlying motif. Shakespeare and the Gods highlights throughout the gods' participation in western constructions of gender as well as classical myth's role in changing attitudes toward human violence and sexuality.

Virginia Mason Vaughan is Professor Emerita and Research Professor at Clark University, USA. She is a leading international expert on The Tempest, and co-editor of the Arden Third Series edition of the play.

List of Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgements
Note on Text
List of Abbreviations
Chapter One: Contexts
Chapter Two: Jupiter
Chapter Three: Venus
Chapter Four: Hercules
Chapter Five: Diana
Chapter Six: Mars
Chapter Seven: Ceres
Afterthoughts
References
Index