Shakespeare's Dog: Analysis of Major Characters
"Shakespeare's Dog: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the intricate relationships and personalities of the individuals surrounding William Shakespeare, as well as the unique perspective of Hooker, a mongrel dog. Hooker serves not only as a pet but also as a keen observer of Shakespeare’s world, characterized by his inquisitive nature and disdain for societal norms. He embodies a blend of intelligence and emotional depth, critiquing Shakespeare’s conservative beliefs and his prioritization of material concerns over moral ones.
William Shakespeare is depicted as a young, ambitious writer grappling with domestic life and the constraints of small-town existence, yearning for success in London’s vibrant theater scene. His wife, Anne Hathaway, adds complexity to their relationship, presenting both support and resistance to his aspirations, reflecting the challenges of marriage during that era. The portrayal of Shakespeare's father, John, highlights a once-prominent figure now diminished by debts and the changing social landscape of Stratford. Throughout this narrative, the dynamics between humans and their canine companions, as well as the characters' struggles with ambition, love, and societal expectations, create a rich tapestry that invites further exploration.
Shakespeare's Dog: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Leon Rooke
First published: 1983
Genre: Novel
Locale: Stratford-upon-Avon and its vicinity
Plot: Fantasy
Time: 1585
Hooker, a mongrel dog. He has a long nose, a whitish smear behind the ears, lean haunches, and a sturdy tail. Inquisitive, aggressive, and lecherous, he gets aroused by any bitch, including his twin sister Terry, and even by Anne Hathaway Shakespeare. Adopted by William Shakespeare, Hooker saves him from drowning in the Avon River and provides him with phrases that will become famous in his plays. Considering dogs to be as intelligent and important as humans, Hooker despises Shakespeare's acceptance of conservative beliefs, such as the chain of being, his lack of compassion, and his exaltation of body over soul. Having killed a deer in Sir Thomas Lucy's park at Charlecote, and therefore being in danger of severe punishment, Hooker is overjoyed when his master decides to leave Stratford for London.
William Shakespeare, an aspiring writer. Highbrowed and balding at the age of twenty-one, he has been married for three years to the former Anne Hathaway, whom he impregnated. Now he attempts to write in an upstairs room, but domestic affairs continually interrupt him, and he frequently comes to blows or bed with his wife. He chafes at small-town life but aspires to buy New Place if he can escape to make his fame and fortune in London, seat of the queen, about which he fantasizes.
Anne Hathaway Shakespeare, who is eight years older than her husband, a stocky, lusty, and earthy woman oppressed by the chores of motherhood and unalterably suspicious of and opposed to her husband's plans to leave her in Stratford while he goes to London.
John Shakespeare, William's father. Now white-haired and bloated with dropsy, he used to be a citizen of importance in Stratford, but quarrels and debts have driven him into staying at home. There he drinks Warwickshire brown ale, deplores contemporary trends such as the spread of enclosures and the increase in Hathaways under his roof, and reminisces about his wooing Mary Arden thirty years ago.
Wolfsleach, a dog. He lusts after Marr, Hooker's steady bitch, and is defeated by him in a fight. Apparently dead, he eventually recovers and runs off with Terry, Hooker's twin sister.