Shakespeare and the Making of America

This book traces the history of reading Shakespeare in British North America during the 18th century, a story that goes from Drury Lane Theatre in London to the backwoods of South Carolina to the back alleys of Boston to Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Hayes looks at how the Founding Fathers read, understood, and applied the words of Shakespeare to suit a new nation. Shakespeare’s plays were not just read for entertainment; they were also appreciated for their insights into the human condition.. American writers quoted Shakespeare to justify their actions during the French and Indian War, the Stamp Act crisis, and the Revolutionary War. Echoes of Shakespeare can be heard in some of the most fundamental documents in American history: the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.