About this title: "William Shakespeare: the Complete Works", first published in 1986, is presented here in a compact format. This new edition re-examines the original documents and includes recent findings of textual scholarship. The works are given in chronological order, original titles have been restored and the canon has been rethought permitting the inclusion ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date Published: 01/2006
ISBN-13:9780192814524ISBN:0192814524
Description: Fine Like New, Unread, not previously owned. May show signs of wear including remainder marks or stickers on book or cover. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 400 p. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Date Published: 1984-05-01
ISBN-13:9780192814456ISBN:0192814451
Description: Good. Very clean soft cover copy with minor cover wear. Buy with confidence. 100% satisfaction guaranteed! ! Shipped each business day. read more
Description: Acceptable. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Acceptable. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Edition: Rei
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Date Published: 1984-05-17
ISBN-13:9780192814395ISBN:0192814397
Description: Very good. Very minimal damage to the cover (no holes or tears, only minimal scuff marks), in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, minimal to no highlighting/under. read more
Edition: Rei
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Date Published: 1984-05-17
ISBN-13:9780192814395ISBN:0192814397
Description: Like New. May be shiny, in some instances dust jackets are not included, no missing pages, no damage to binding, may have a remainder mark. read more
Edition: Rei
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Date Published: 1984-05-17
ISBN-13:9780192814395ISBN:0192814397
Description: Good. Minimal damage to the cover, dust jacket not necessarily included minimal wear to binding, majority of pages undamaged, minimal to no highlighting/underlining of text, no missing p. read more
Description: Good. 1984-Paperback----Used-Good-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Binding: Trade pb
Publisher: Oxford University Press, Oxford [Oxfordshire]; New York
Date Published: 1984, c1982
ISBN-13:9780192814388ISBN:0192814389
Description: Very Good. No dust jacket, as issued. Very good condition, has small stamp mark on title page. The Oxford Shakespeare; Oxford paperbacks. Unknown printing. (U. S. ) (pbk. ): ix, 330 p. : ill. ; 20 cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780192819406ISBN:0192819402
Description: Collectible; Very Good. VG-1990 1ST IMPRESSION 1ST OXFORD SHAKESPEARE PB WITH ALTERNATIVE COVER, FULL INTRO AND PERFORMANCE PHOTOS. LIGHT RUBBING/MINOR SPINE CREASE TO COVER, CRAYON CROSS-MARK TO REAR FLY-LEAF, NR VG UNMARKED COPY. IMMEDIATE 1ST CLASS/AIRMAIL DISPATCH FROM UK SPECIALIST. read more
Description: Good. Ships from the UK. front flyleaf missing Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Your purchase also supports literacy charities. read more
"Seeing this when voting on the book list has inspired me to gush: Maybe I should put this under "currently reading" because I'll be reading and re-reading these my whole life. What can I say that hasn't been said already? The funniest comedies, the most passionate love stories, the most heart-wrenching tragedies. And of course, all of it in the most beautiful language ever written in English.
Tragically, so many start reading a play, get frustrated by the language and give up. I think that's why it's best to see a play live (preferably, of course, at one of the free festivals) or watch one of the good films (Branagh's "Henry V" or "Much Ado About Nothing"). After all, that's what he wrote these for: not to be studied by academics in a book-lined study, but to be performed in front of a laughing, crying, hypnotized audience!
As for reading them, I always read the "Folger" editions. The language help is on the facing page -- much easier than looking at footnotes on the bottom every time. Once I got the Shakespeare bug, there was no going back!"
"What is there to say? The greatest dramatist in the English language. I much prefer his tragedies to his comedies. My favorites are Othello and Macbeth, with Hamlet and King Lear close behind them. I also love some of the quirkier "problem" plays like Measure for Measure, and The Tempest is an especially wonderful late play.
I have been to Stratford and the Globe on a couple of occasions, as well as the Royal Shakespeare performances of Taming of the Shrew (wonderful!)and Romeo and Juliet (one of my least favorite Shakespearean tragedies). I studied Shakespeare quite extensively in both my undergraduate and graduate programs, and I grew to love his play with the English language. One of the best experiences for viewing his plays is at a Shakespearean festival. The two I've attended are Illinois State and University of Southern Utah (at Cedar City).
There are two elements to appreciating Shakespeare: 1. Reading the plays -- textual study of the language, imagery, dialogue, metaphors, ideas, themes, characters, etc.
2. Watching the plays -- hearing the sounds, poetry, pacing, emphasis, line-readings, expressions, interpretative differences, etc.
BOTH elements are necessary for a more complete appreciation for what Shakespeare does. Nothing helps my textual study and reading of the plays more than seeing performances of them (at Universities, professional theaters, and video). Converserly, nothing informs my watching of a Shakespearean performance more than having read and studied the texts of the plays. It's a two-way deal. Can you tell -- I love the Bard!"
"I'm currently reading All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare. I have so far read pages 557-567 (Act 1, Scenes 1-3). In this story so far, there is a woman named Helena who's dead father left her in the care of the Countess of Rousillon (a recent widow with a son: Bertram). Her father was a famous doctor who was very skilled at what he did. Helena finds herself longing for Bertram after she speaks with Parolles, who advises her to quickly find a husband and lose her virginity before she becomes a "withered pear." Bertram has been appointed to go to the Court of the King of France, and when they meet, the king says he's sad in the death of each of Bertram's and Helena's fathers, especially because the King is sick and wishes he had the help of a good doctor. Helena says that she'll offer her services as a doctor for the King and travels to France with blessings from the Countess.
Characters: Helena- One prominent character; it looks as if she'll be the heroine of the story as she takes on a challenge in pursuing Bertram and as she assumes the job of a man in healing the King, which is a common theme in Shakespearian heroism.
The Countess- Basically the motherly figure in the story, she is Helena's protector and guardian, and seems to support her even when she doubts her successfulness or her motives. The Countess seems somewhat weak as of right now; she hasn't taken on a very strong role yet. Maybe if she were stronger, Helena would be, too, right off the bat.
Bertram- We don't really know him very well yet, but the loss of his father might affect him as a character in this story, although it almost seems the King fills a fatherly position.
Parolles- He seems to be the villain of the story already as he's attempting to advise Helena in the question of her virginity. I have a feeling he's going to be trouble down the road for her.
I'm not sure I can comment on the theme quite yet, but so far I'm gathering it will have to do with love and a chase, and possibly unrequited love. Thus far, I'm actually enjoying the style in which the play is written. Its relatively easy to understand once I pick it apart a little, but just reading the original text is quite tolerable. The scenes are a little jumpy, and the stage directions throw me for a loop every once in a while, but otherwise, the word choice is bearable as well.
"...-'Tis pity-" "What's pity?" "That wishing well had not a body in 't Which might be felt; that we, the poorer born, Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes, Might with effects of them follow our friends, And show what we alone must think; which never Returns us thanks." -I enjoy the way Helena looks at the idea of her virginity, perhaps because of the innocence she exhibits and the vulnerability that she understands comes with possessing it as well as losing it. And I like that after being coerced to marry and lose it fast from our favorite dirt bag, Parolles, she somewhat maintains the vulnerability, although a small part of her has started to consider Parolles's advice.
"Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie, Which we ascribe to heaven: the fated sky... What power is it which mounts my love so high- That makes me see, and cannot feed mine eye?" -Helena seems to have some deeper insights to the tribulations of life that I wish I had, and she does a good job of just accepting them as they are and not trying to change them. Here, she realizes that there are answers to many of the things we dwell on in life within us, but she also seems to say that there are even things that we just flat out don't have the answers to, no matter how hard we search and these things lie in the hands of fate.
"Man is enemy to virginity;" -This line is a perfect example of Helena's intelligence. Although it isn't said with complete conviction, the fact that she even states this out loud and asks how women can "barricado it against him" proves that it's not something she's just taken lightly. She has seriously considered all the aspects of her virginity and how it seems to define her as a person in their society, and she doesn't seem to care."
"Okay, I admit that I've only read about 40-50% of this, but its a handy way of covering Shakespeare without going all the way through. Just like any prolific writer, even the great Shakespeare is hit and miss. For every Julius Ceasar, Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing, there are painfully dry and boring plays so dreadful that making students read it violates the Geneva Convention somehow. Shakespeare's true genius comes in his characters, which I think is exactly what makes his plays live on. Yes, he was handy with his words, but I am also staunchly opposed to any director who insists on doing any Shakespeare play word-for-word without any cuts for pacing. I think every play he wrote is overly long, but I think cutting into the script to carve out the best production possible is part of the fun. I have read all the sonnets, and there is much better consistency there. At worst, they are a bit too airy and overwritten, but usually a fun little traipse through Middle English."
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