Choice Review
D'Amico's study focuses on the influence of life and society in Italy in the theatrical settings that Shakespeare devises for the plays that are set there. D'Amico (Canisius College) explores the urban geography of each imagined Italian city-state--the piazza, the city streets, interior spaces, the court, the garden, the temple, and the city walls--dedicating a chapter to each. The author contends that in creating this Italian ambience, Shakespeare merged his ideas of Italian cities with the city of London and its surrounding landscape. D'Amico is not so much interested in the sources for Shakespeare's knowledge of Italy as his dramatic use of his conceptions on the stage of the Globe Theatre. He conceives of Shakespeare's staging as an anglicized Italy, much like the famed "Englishman Italianate." The first chapter is a review of the critical literature, almost in catalogue form. D'Amico then proceeds to illustrate his thesis with scenes from various plays seen in the perspective that he has established. The analyses contain some interesting observations, but the images begin to blur after a time. For comprehensive collections. C. Fantazzi East Carolina University
