Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #172375 in Books
• Published on: 1999
• Binding: Paperback
• 1 pages

Synopsis
This work explains Shakespeare's life in easy terms: the bard's life and background; Elizabethen England and the world of the Globe theatre; the plots of Shakespeare's plays; the characters; important themes and imagery; literary techniques; his sonnets; and interpretations of his work.

Customer Reviews

lighthearted outlines of shakespeare's plays
I've just seen Ralph Fiennes and Linus Roach in "Richard the second" and also in "Coriolanus" in London. Both plays, and actors were spellbinding. However, both plays were unknown to me, but I found this book so helpful, encouraging, enthusiastic and delightful as to whet my appetite for more. It tells you who's who, what's the plot, a bit about the historical background , and is all one needs to enjoy the plays. It has made me look at other plays and I will now go to see more of them - lucky me in London!. It's written along the lines of the "Computers for Dummies" series, and is a joy to pick up and dip into. Wonderful for studying for quiz nights and for "informed" chat to impress at dinner parties. Makes a good Christmas pressie for the pseudo intelectual. I am about to place an order for my own copy now (and put a few by for Christmas too!)

Don't buy this
It's written for Americans - need I say more? Unfortunately Amazon won't let me give it no stars. The best thing I can do is give it to a charity shop as it is too annoying to try and read - shallow, glib, facile, aimed at the lowest common denominator.

Awesome introduction to Shakespeare
The book is not only informative, but so humorous, easy and fun to read. First part of the books which sets the stage for the plays and explores history, background and some on-going controversies about the authorship of the plays reads like an engaging spy novel.

There is a section dealing with the differences between the Old English, Middle English and Modern English, even an amusing guide for creating your own insults using Shakespeare's English - as in "oh, you bawdy, dizzy-eyed giglet!"

The second part of the book takes you through the plays: comedies, "problem plays", histories and tragedies - the cast, the plot, performances, movies and actors worthwhile checking out (if you haven't yet).

At the end of the book is an overview of Shakespeare's poems and sonnets.

Once, you're done with this book, you can move on to actually reading the entire Shakespeare's plays. You may find them more appetizing.