Project Gutenberg
2004-04-01
Public domain in the USA.
115
Head, Franklin H. (Franklin Harvey)
1832
1914
Shakespeare's Insomnia, and the Causes Thereof
Produced by Steven desJardins and Distributed Proofreaders
"Shakespeare's Insomnia, and the Causes Thereof" by Franklin H. Head is a literary exploration and analysis published in the late 19th century. This unique work acts as both a commentary on Shakespeare's writings and a fictional account that humorously addresses the topic of insomnia, suggesting that even one of history's greatest playwrights grappled with sleeplessness as a reflection of his life experiences. Head examines various passages from Shakespeare's plays that discuss themes of sleep and insomnia, postulating that the bard's creative struggles and personal anxieties may have influenced his portrayal of these themes. The book unfolds in two main parts. In the first part, Head elaborates on the pervasive issue of insomnia as it relates to the human condition, linking it to the pressures and complexities of modern life, while also suggesting that similar challenges existed in Shakespeare's time. He then meticulously cites Shakespeare's own references to sleep and its loss throughout his body of work, indicating that these lines serve as reflections of Shakespeare's own insomnia and mental anguish. In the second part, Head humorously presents fictitious letters from various individuals, detailing the financial difficulties, social pressures, and romantic intrigues that could have contributed to the famed playwright's sleepless nights. The intertwining of humor, literary analysis, and fictional correspondence creates a distinctive narrative that invites readers to engage with Shakespeare's work from a new, ironic perspective. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 68.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
en
Imaginary letters
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Miscellanea
PR
Text
Category: Humour
Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches
Category: British Literature
83637
2025-07-05T12:31:13.215097
text/html
60237
2024-10-28T19:05:12
text/html
113947
2025-07-05T12:31:18.878068
application/epub+zip
113299
2025-07-05T12:31:16.374090
application/epub+zip
93380
2025-07-05T12:31:15.236087
application/epub+zip
251243
2025-07-05T12:31:20.590065
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
251946
2025-07-05T12:31:18.161079
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
212446
2022-09-06T18:08:40.872747
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
72096
2023-10-05T13:57:29.016668
text/plain
52307
2024-10-28T19:05:12
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
15670
2025-07-05T12:31:20.705068
application/rdf+xml
16306
2025-07-05T12:31:15.725116
image/jpeg
3654
2025-07-05T12:31:15.479084
image/jpeg
112955
2025-07-05T12:31:13.237096
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog