Product Description

This play takes readers back and forth between the 19th and 20th centuries. Set in a large country house in Derbyshire, a cast of characters from each century play out their respective dramas. The text explores topics such as the nature of truth and time and the difference between the classical and the romantic temperament, and the disruptive influence of sex on our orbits in life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14984 in Books
• Published on: 1993-05-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 97 pages

Customer Reviews

A view of "Arcadia" from a student
Having read the previous review of this text, I feel compelled to write and agree with that author's sentiment. I have just finished studying this text for my English A-level. These lessons were entertaining and interesting due to the humour and character portrayals within this text. "Arcadia" is by far one the most enthralling texts that I have studied for a long time. I have kept my copy and regularly reread it. I strongly recommend that this text is read.

a masterpiece of the stage
In this play Stoppard displays a tremendous amount of talent and intellect through the wit, humour and wealth of knowledge apparent in this play. The diverse characters are cleverly paralleled in a different time period as a means of showing histories anility to repeat itself. This is not the only prominent theme that Stoppard cleverly brings out, love is also conveyed in ways that will leave you in stitches and tears. it truely is one of the best plays i have ever seen. Fascinatingly interesting to watch - brilliant

Landmark theatre of the 1990's.
While a gushing review should no doubt be treated with suspicion, there is little choice when confronted with Stoppard's brilliant piece of theatre. All the usual criticisms - intellectual, clever-clever, literary - are perhaps fair, but not as criticisms. Put simply, if you want something which is fin de siecle wit at its best and which also makes you think a little bit (which can be a pleasure, no really!), then you can do a lot worse than read this. Better, of course, is to see it, but I found it such a great read *without* seeing it that I felt like I knew the play off by heart when I finally saw it in performance. 'Bonking Byron shoots poet!' - the portrayal of obsessed English academics is scarily accurate (I've seen it for real), and the combination of science and art makes Stoppard, once again, the physicist's artist. This is a landmark piece of theatre for the 1990s, and is already an undisputed classic. Your kids and your kids' kids are going to love English lessons when this hits the syllabus.