Gender of Rosalind

Sparkling with the wit and verbal agility that characterize his writing, Kott's scholarly volume brings together three of his most important essays, each of them grounded in a particular Shakespeare play. The title essay in The Gender of Rosalind offers a snapshot of Kott's thinking as it traces the complexities within-and implied by-As You Like It's major female character. In "Head for Maidenhead, Maidenhead for Head" Kott unbraids the interwoven themes of gender, law, and familial attachment in Measure for Measure. "The Guillotine as a Tragic Hero" deftly highlights the themes linking Georg Buchner's Danton's Death with Julius Caesar. Throughout the collection, Kott comfortably spans the four centuries since Shakespeare wrote. Rich in literary and historical references, the essays address intricate, timely issues in the study of theater with a grace that could only come from the pen of Jan Kott. His lucid exposition-even of complex ideas-and skillful translations make these essays rewarding reading for every educated person interested in dramatic criticism and theater history.