A Theatergoer's Guide to Shakespeare's Themes


Book Description

In this book Robert fallon examines the themes in Shakespeare's plays, the revelations about human nature that give them substance and weight and such an enduring quality.




A Theatergoer's Guide to Shakespeare


Book Description

Presents scene-by-scene plot summaries for Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies, and histories.




A Theatergoer's Guide to Shakespeare's Characters


Book Description

Designed to enhance the playgoer's enjoyment of a performance, but it also makes for enlightening reading after the show. Intended for the general reader,it is written in plain but not inelegant English and aviods the specialized language of the theater and academy.







Student's Guide to Shakespeare


Book Description

This book is a 'one-stop-shop' for the busy undergraduate studying Shakespeare. Offering detailed guidance to the plays most often taught on undergraduate courses, the volume targets the topics tutors choose for essay questions and is organised to help students find the information they need quickly. Each text discussion contains sections on sources, characters, performance, themes, language, and critical history, helping students identify the different ways of approaching a text. The book's unique play-based structure and character-centre approach allows students to easily navigate the material. The flexibility of the design allows students to either read cover-to-cover, target a specific play, or explore elements of a narrative unit such as imagery or characterisation. The reader will gain quickly a full grasp of the kind of dramatist William Shakespeare was - and is.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare's Plays


Book Description

Here Art Thou, True Shakespeare! This accessible new guide to Shakespeare's major plays focuses on the essence of the spoken word and the benefits of watching the plays in performance - on the stage or screen - whenever possible. You'll find tips about plot, theme, famous passages and soliloquies, and how to hear the music within the Bard's verse and wordplay. Remember - Shakespearean theatre is a social art form, and in its earliest days, it was highly commercial. This book brings you closer to the heady world of freelance playwriting and the London playhouses of the 1590s. As a playwright and sharer in the Globe theatre, Shakespeare was at the forefront of Western show business. This book highlights Shakespeare's career, his dramatic influences, and what 16th-century playgoers in London would have experienced inside the theatre. In The Complete Idiot's Guide to Shakespeare's Plays, cultural and historical contexts for the major plays are explored, offering perspectives of the director and actor, in addition to that of the scholar and close reader. In particular, the book takes you behind the scenes with Shakespearean directors, who offer commentary about key challenges presented by the plays, famous roles, and a host of other production concerns. Professional actors also discuss how they've tackled lead roles in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra, and The Tempest, among others.You'll find: - Twenty (20) major plays explored in depth, explaining literary terms, and Elizabethan English, with attention to language and verse - A look at how the plays have been staged, from the earliest playhouses to contemporary auditoriums - Appendices spotlighting Shakespeare's likely collaborations, a glossary, suggested further reading, and tips about acclaimed film and audio versions. Perfect for English and drama students, general readers, theatergoers, and actors.




The Shakespeare Book


Book Description

Learn the entire works of one of the greatest writers of the English language in The Shakespeare Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about the works of William Shakespeare in this overview guide, great for beginners looking to learn and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Shakespeare Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Shakespeare, with: - Every play and poem from Shakespeare’s canon, including lost plays and less well-known works of poetry - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Shakespeare Book is the perfect introduction to the entire canon of Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets, and other poetry, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you’ll discover the complete works, from The Comedy of Errors, to the great tragedies of Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Your Shakespeare Questions, Simply Explained This is a brilliant, innovative exploration of the entire canon of Shakespeare plays, sonnets, and other poetry with detailed plot summaries and a full analysis of the major characters and themes. If you thought it was difficult to learn about the works of one of the greatest writers in the English language, The Shakespeare Book presents key information in a simple layout. Every work is covered, from the comedies of Twelfth Night and As You Like It to the tragedies of Julius Caesar and Hamlet, with easy-to-understand graphics and illustrations bringing the themes, plots, characters, and language of Shakespeare to life. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Shakespeare Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.




Shakespeare


Book Description

Shakespeare: A Study Guide summarizes and analyzes the plays and poems of William Shakespeare. It lists themes, describes characters, identifies figures of speech and allusions, discusses writing techniques, and provides a wealth of other background information. What caused the feud between the families of Romeo and Juliet? Why didn't Hamlet succeed to the thrones of Denmark after the murder of his father? What do the witches in Macbeth mean whey they say "fair is foul and foul is fair"? This guide answers all those questions. It also discusses in detail the format and meaning of Shakespeare's sonnets and other poems.




Shakespeare Explained


Book Description

Shakespeare Explained is a reader's guide to the plays of William Shakespeare, written by Forrest Sumner Lunt. The book provides a detailed analysis of each of Shakespeare's plays, offering insights into their characters, themes, and literary devices. It is an invaluable resource for anyone studying or teaching Shakespeare's works. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.




The Rough Guide to Shakespeare


Book Description

The Rough Guide to Shakespeare is the ultimate guide to the life and work of the world's greatest playwright; William Shakespeare. With full coverage of the 38 Shakespearian plays, including a synopsis, full character list, stage history and a critical essay for each, this comprehensive guide is both a quick reference and in-depth background guide for theatergoers, students, film buffs and lovers of literature alike. The Rough Guide to Shakespeare also explores Shakespeare's sonnets and Shakespeare's less well-known narrative poems, combined with fascinating accounts of Shakespeare's life and theatre, exploring in colourful detail each play's original performances. This fully updated guide includes a new 'My Shakespeare' chapter with directors & actors including Sir Ian McKellen, Christopher Plummer and Zoë Wanamaker, as well as tips for introducing your children to Shakespeare with recommended graphic novels, adaptations and DVDs for all age groups. With up-to-date reviews of the best films and audio recordings from Olivier to Luhrmann, and Kosintzev to Kurosawa, the Rough Guide to Shakespeare is a celebration of all classic and contemporary Shakespearian productions.