Quantifying Love: Shakespeare's Comedies and Modern Adult Attachment Theory

Abstract

By looking at Shakespeare's comedies within the framework of modem adult attachment theory, I hope to validate the practice of both psychological and psychoanalytic readings of his works; to provide a new way of doing so; to prove his vitality through his characters, and to solidify his place in the formation of modem psychological and psychoanalytic thought. To do so, I will first further justify my project by putting it in context with what has already been said about the merits and demerits of undertaking such a project. Next, I will give a brief summary of the field of adult attachment research and explain its inner workings. Then, I will apply these concepts to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Much Ado About Nothing. Finally, I will give the implications of my applications. I will conclude with suggestions regarding how my work can be further applied and extended, most specifically how modem production designs can better portray the inner-workings of characters by classifying them in terms consistent with adult attachment research. [From Introduction]