Shakespeare's Once and Future Child

This scholarly work examines how Shakespeare's child characters reflect the evolving relationship between childhood and political power during the Renaissance, connecting these historical transformations to contemporary political rhetoric about children representing society's future. Campana demonstrates that Shakespeare's plays contain far more child figures than commonly recognized, each serving as a potent symbol of political sovereignty and cultural inheritance. The book meticulously analyzes how these young characters embody the tensions between dynastic succession, royal legitimacy, and the vulnerability of emerging political orders.

What distinguishes this study is its dual focus on both Shakespeare's political moment and our own, revealing how modern political discourse about childhood inherits and transforms these early modern conceptions. Campana's interdisciplinary approach will particularly resonate with readers interested in literary criticism, political theory, and the cultural history of childhood. The analysis illuminates why children became such powerful symbols for political hopes and anxieties, offering fresh perspectives on both Shakespeare's works and contemporary political language surrounding youth and futurity.