In the midst of the political turmoil of 1590s England, William Shakespeare published two significant poems, Venus and Adonis in 1593 and The Rape of Lucrece the following year, which were dedicated to the young Earl of Southampton. While these works were popular in Shakespeare’s lifetime, they remain challenging for modern readers. In this intriguing audiobook, Clare Asquith, a distinguished Shakespearean scholar, explores the hidden meanings within these poems, presenting them as politically charged allegories that urged action against an unpopular regime.

Shakespeare and the Resistance draws on the latest historical research to uncover Shakespeare’s critique of a political and religious crisis that would soon lead to rebellion in London. The audiobook reveals a narrative of a courageous fight for freedom of conscience and an end to corruption, subsequently obscured by those in power. Listeners will find themselves immersed in a compelling analysis that places Shakespeare at the center of the resistance movement.