Using a combination of anthropological and psychoanalytic methods, Farrell relates the fantasies of "play-death" to the Renaissance belief that through self-effacement an individual may achieve autonomy in the family and society. Farrell develops a wide-ranging analysis of cultural responses to the human dread of death and makes Shakespeare's art a lens that brings into unusually sharp focus Renaissance social structure, gender relations, ideology, and religion. Originally published in 1989. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.