Shakespeare in Spain: Current Research Trends

Abstract

This essays aims to offer an overview of recent critical work on the reception of Shakespeare and his works in Spain. It does not offer a history of how Shakespeare fared in Spain across the centuries or a survey of work on Shakespeare by Spanish scholars published in Spain; instead, it takes stock to determine what research trends have prevailed in the last decade and how they have aimed to promote the study of the Shakespeare industry in Spain. It also suggests how current research increasingly regards Shakespeare's reception in Spain as part of a larger picture and a bigger research area, i.e. Shakespeare in Europe. While doing so, it argues that the study of Shakespeare in Spain is still a site displaying a 'work in progress' sign -although much has been done recently, the field is slightly behind its counterparts in some European countries. The only possible conclusion, given the state of research in the field, is that there is still ample room for imaginative work in Shakespeare's Spanish afterlives.