Enter the Body

McCullough, Joy. Enter the Body. 2023. 336p. ISBN 9780593406755.

Many of the female characters in Shakespeare's plays experience personal tragedies. Ophelia, from Hamlet, is a young woman driven to madness and ultimately death by the tragic events surrounding her father's murder and her forbidden love for Hamlet. Juliet, from Romeo and Juliet, is a young woman whose passionate love for Romeo leads to her untimely death in a desperate attempt to escape a family feud. Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear, is banished for her honest and unwavering love for her father, ultimately sacrificing herself to save him. Lavinia, from Titus Andronicus, suffers horrific sexual violence and mutilation, ultimately seeking revenge against her abusers.

These four victims of Shakespeare's imagination meet in the space beneath a stage's trapdoor as a support group. Tragically impacted by the patriarchal narratives of their plays, these young women share their experiences and seek to reclaim their stories while offering each other solace and understanding. 

While the concept is intriguing, the execution has some shortcomings. The first half feels slow, and the dialogue-driven format occasionally overshadows the poetic storytelling. However, the second half strengthens, with compelling retellings from Juliet, Ophelia, and particularly Cordelia. The author's poetic voice is well-suited to this narrative.

However, the book falters in its treatment of Lavinia, whose silence and exclusion undermine the central theme of female empowerment. Additionally, Juliet is unfairly portrayed as a punching bag by the other characters. While the book sparks important discussions about female agency in Shakespeare, it lacks a clear and well-defined critical framework, leaving its arguments feeling somewhat aimless and underdeveloped.