CHARACTER
By Marjorie Garber
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, June 23, 2020
The question of “character” arises in virtually every area of modern life. And in every case, there is the same fundamental tension: between something regarded as innate or intrinsic to the individual, and something that can be taught or copied. With characteristic verve, humor, and vast erudition, Garber explores the stakes of these conflations, confusions, and heritages, from Aristotle and Shakespeare to the present preoccupation with “character issues,” “character assassination,” and the “character flaws” of public figures.
About the Author
Marjorie Garber is the William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of English and of Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University. She is the author of several books on Shakespeare, including Shakespeare’s Ghost Writers and Shakespeare After All, as well as of books on cultural topics ranging from dogs and real estate to cross-dressing, bisexuality, the use and abuse of literature, and the place of the arts in academic life. A member of the American Philosophical Society, she was the recipient of a 2019 Guggenheim Fellowship.