Again and again her volume resists easy, simplistic explanations in favor of richly complex analyses that emphasize the complications of living and writing in a fluidly competitive but rigidly hierarchical society. Of particular interest is her opening application of some of her ideas to Shakespeare's King Lear; here her comments on history and society are effectively blended with detailed discussion of the play as a work of art, and the result is an illuminating look at a much-analyzed tragedy. In discussing Lear and also throughout her study, Scott manages to explore complicated ideas in lucid language, even bringing Derrida into her commentary in ways that clarify rather than obfuscate. Indeed, the book benefits from clarity of all kinds, including its sensibly chronological structure, its effective use of summary sentences and summary passages, its detailed (and often richly topical) index, and its admirable ability to integrate historical exposition and literary commentary.
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