Polito, MaryBritton, Amy Jean2005-08-162005-08-1620040612976823http://hdl.handle.net/1880/42198Bibliography: p. 139-145In this thesis I apply Shakespeare's critique of historical judgment, a critique that anticipates the post-modern re-evaluation of the relationship between history and language, to his own body of plays devoted to the dramatization of English history. If one considers Sonnet 123 a problem that the history plays attempt to resolve (although there is no reason to believe this was ever a conscious formula on Shakespeare's part) then one can observe a shift in Shakespeare's approach to history and historiography as evidenced in his early to late history plays. In order to demonstrate this shift I analyze his early Henry VI plays (1589-1594) alongside Shakespeare's final play, Henry VIII (1613), to discover if and how Shakespeare represents the epistemological challenges associated with history-making and to isolate moments of historical judgment as well as the moments that appear to call for the suspension of the desire to know and judge.vi, 145 leaves ; 30 cm.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.master thesis10.11575/PRISM/15230AC1 .T484 2004 B755