"Harold Bloom is one of the most influential and controversial of contemporary Shakespeare critics. These essays examine the sources and impact of Bloom's Shakespearean criticism from a variety of theoretical and political positions. Through focused and sustained study of Bloom as literary icon and of his Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, they address a wide range of issues, from the cultural role of Shakespeare to the ethics of literary theory and criticism. Harold Bloom's Shakespeare brings together well-known Shakespearean critics and younger voices from within the profession. Collectively, the authors of these essays provide a fresh look at literary history and suggest new directions being taken by leading literary theorists. Through the lens of contemporary opinions about the Bard, Harold Bloom's Shakespeare offers a broad understanding of the state of literary studies in our time."--BOOK JACKET.