Shakespeare, Dylan, and the Bardic Tradition focuses on two enduring icons that have transcended their own time and place. Shakespeare and Bob Dylan invite comparison and critical attention not only for their artistic works but also for their role as "bards"—individuals who purportedly channel both the wisdom of the past and the spirit of their age with remarkable clarity.
Going beyond simple comparisons and allusion hunting, Shakespeare, Dylan, and the Bardic Tradition asks larger questions about why we compare the two and the larger cultural issues evoked when we put Dylan and Shakespeare into dialogue. How do these figures speak to their own historical moment with alacrity while still resonating so forcefully across later ages and remarkably different cultural milieux? What can the juxtaposition of the Bard of Avon and the Bard of Hibbing tell us about each? Mark Bayer and Robert Sawyer bring together early modern literature scholars and authorities on Dylan, exploring the complex and intertwined legacy of these two figures renowned for the unique transferability of their immense cultural capital.
