Thinking with Shakespeare: Essays on Politics and Life

Lupton examines fundamental questions posed by Shakespeare's plays: What defines a person? How do people relate to animals, plants, and objects? These questions, central to understanding both politics and life, run through Shakespearean drama but have often been overlooked. Lupton draws Shakespeare's works beyond their historical context to explore their broader implications. She traces thinking in Shakespeare across specific examples—from Petruchio's animals and Kate's laundry to Hamlet's friendships and Caliban's childhood—presenting it as an embodied practice of consent, cure, and care. The book invites readers to engage with shared concerns alongside Shakespeare. Drawing on Hannah Arendt's approach, Lupton analyzes Shakespeare's plays for insights into housekeeping, animal husbandry, biopower, and political theology.