Shakespeare References in Natives And Exotics

Jane Alison’s novel Natives And Exotics contains a couple of Shakespeare references. The first is to The Tempest, with Alison using a phrase coined by Shakespeare in that play. Alison writes: “‘Thin air,’ said Mr. Peterson. He stopped and took a deep breath” (p. 58). Prospero’s lines are: “These our actors,/As I foretold you, were all spirits and/Are melted into air, into thin air.” The second reference is to Hamlet, with Alison writing, “‘Good night, sweet prince!’ they chorused back” (p. 215). That is a reference to Horatio’s famous lines, “Good night, sweet prince,/And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

Natives And Exotics was published in 2005. The copy I read is an uncorrected proof.

Shakespeare References in Freed To Kill

Yes, Shakespeare references pop up everywhere, even in true crime books. Freed To Kill: The True Story Of Serial Murderer Larry Eyler, written by Gera-Lind Kolarik with Wayne Klatt, contains a couple of references. The first is to Macbeth, with Kolarik writing: “He was now a familiar figure on the street with his full beard and broad forehead, and he was devoting most of his time to supervising and training at the police academy. By now he could sense happenings in the hangouts as if by the pricking of his thumbs” (p. 26). That of course is a reference to the Second Witch’s famous lines, “By the pricking of my thumbs,/Something wicket this way comes.” The other reference is actually in a footnote at the end in the section titled “Constitutional Comment”: “George Anastaplo…has published several books, including The Artist As Thinker: From Shakespeare to Joyce (1983)” (p. 422).

Freed To Kill was originally published in 1990. The edition I read was the Avon Books printing, first published in 1992.