The Secret of Shakespeare

By Martin Lings

Book Overview

A study of the mystical, spiritual, and profound visionary wisdom contained in Shakespeare's plays - Reveals the significant mystical symbolism in ten of Shakespeare's later, more mature, works including Hamlet, Macbeth , and The Tempest - Shows the progress of Shakespeare's own spiritual development through comparison of his earlier and later plays The plays of William Shakespeare are considered among the greatest dramatic works ever written because they transcend both age and time in the truths they convey about human nature. But Shakespeare's plays, argues author Martin Lings, concern far more than the workings of the human psyche; they are sacred, visionary works that, through the use of esoteric symbol and form, mirror the inner drama of the journey of all souls. In Shakespeare's Window into the Soul , Martin Lings provides an in-depth study of Shakespeare's later, more mature plays, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear , and The Tempest . By revealing the mystical meaning of these works, Lings not only conveys the dramatic artistry of these masterpieces, but also leaves readers with a deep and lasting impression of the playwright himself and his keen understanding of the passage the soul must make to reach its final sacred union with the divine.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594771200
• ISBN13: 9781594771200
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Inner Traditions International
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.7" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Alchemy of the Symbol & Structure of the Plays

Academics will wince. Many will throw the book down in anger. A few may even write angry letters to the publisher demanding that the book be recalled. After all the work they've done convincing the public that Shakespeare was a Marxist, feminist, proto-Nazi, homosexual, anti- smoker, imperialist here appears (or reappears) a little book suggesting that Shakespeare was just simply an inspired artist creating inspired art suggesting that there's something higher than the fully-accredited human being. This book is a to-the-point revelation of Shakespeare's Work's; justifiably forgettable when you go back to the plays themselves (as all books on Shakespeare should be forgotten when you go back to the plays themselves) but a revelation none-the-less. By itself it's worth all the books on Shakespeare in the New York Public Library; and it's a good aquisition for those interested in the esoteric side of life (what's NOT contained in Horatio's philosophy...).