This book examines how early modern and recently emerging theories of consciousness and cognitive science help us to re-imagine our engagements with Shakespeare in text and performance. Papers investigate the connections between states of mind, emotion, and sensation that constitute consciousness and the conditions of reception in our past and present encounters with Shakespeare’s works. Acknowledging previous work on inwardness, self, self-consciousness, embodied self, emotions, character, and the mind-body problem, contributors consider consciousness from multiple new perspectives—as a phenomenological process, a materially determined product, a neurologically mediated reaction, or an internally synthesized identity—approaching Shakespeare’s plays and associated cultural practices in surprising and innovative ways.

“Shakespeare and Consciousness, as the title suggests, explores issues pertaining to the works of William Shakespeare – his dramatic works, in this case – and consciousness, conceived in this study primarily through scientific theory. … this is definitely an interesting set of studies and there is much that can be drawn from it by those interested in applying theories of consciousness and cognitive science to literature, and those looking to embrace an alternative approach in considering Shakespeare’s plays.” (Charlotte Fiehn, The British Society for Literature and Science, bsls.ac.uk, November, 2017)

Paul Budra is Professor of English at Simon Fraser University, Canada. He is the author of A Mirror for Magistrates and the de Casibus Tradition and co-editor of the essay collections: Part Two: Reflections on the Sequel, Soldier Talk: Oral Narratives of the Vietnam War, and From Text to Txting: New Media in the Classroom.

Clifford Werier is Professor of English at Mount Royal University, Canada. He is co-editor of Much Ado About Nothing for the Internet Shakespeare Editions and has written three writing textbooks for Nelson, Canada.