Othello

This book was apparently shipped from Texas, like my copy of Macbeth, and, again, it was in horrible condition for being labeled as "very good". The only good thing I can say about it is that all the pages were there. Otherwise, it looks horrible, and the spine is totally cracked. It's acceptable quality at best, and now I'm frustrated because the quality is so bad that I can't get rid of it!

I purchased this book knowing from the past that I had difficulty comprehending Shakespeare. This book is about 300 pages long, and on the right side page there is standard english, and on the left the older english (still considered modern, but confusing). I was able to read through the book and actually enjoy what I was reading by simply reading the new english side of the book. Then when I go back for excerpts or pages assigned by a teacher I can look at the English translation along with the original text. It is a little bit of a bad way to learn it, but starting with the original text has put me no where, i simply don't comprehend what I am reading.

This Othello is unbelievably beautiful. Disconnecting oneself from The Operative and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and concentrating only on the voices of the fabulous Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan MacGregor, one gets a truly immersive experience into the world of jealousy, racism, betrayal, and true love that Shakespeare must originally have intended. I have to not-so-respectfully disagree with the previous reviewer; this recording is layered, clear, and absolutely pulsating with passion and tension. It's worth every penny, and I say that as a fan of audiobooks in general and Shakespeare in particular. I'll be listening to this for years; Kenneth Branagh and Lawrence Fishburne--eat your hearts out!

Is there any other character in all of literature who is as calculatingly evil as Shakespeare's Iago? His jealousy over being passed over in favor of Cassio engenders a revengeful scheme that turns jealousy into a weapon used to destroy the noble Othello. Here innocence and trust is contrasted with pure manipulation and evil in what is one of Shakespeare's most revealing tragedies. The characters act exactly as they would be expected to based on the overriding quality that they represent. Othello is wonderful Shakespearean drama that ranks among his greatest works. The Folger Library editions are my favorite. Each page has a facing page that explains obscure terms and helps as a handy reference to make reading the plays pleasurable and educational. These paperback editions of Shakespeare's works are a great value and fit in your pocket.

This edition is from the 3rd Arden Series and may have a more modern feel to readers than the previous series did. For example, modern scholars believe that Shakespeare's plays were performed without break between scene and act so this edition does away with the ACT I Scene 2 headings and instead merely inserts 1.2 in the text where the change occurs.There is a fine introductory essay that gives important cultural information to help the reader understand the moral climate in Venice in Shakespeare's time and the context of the play in the author's career and times.This edition has the many good notes one expects from Arden editions. The longer notes are moved to the back to avoid too great an interruption to the readability of the text. There is also music for the two songs in the play and an index.A fine edition that I am glad to own and refer to.

The play "Othello" is magnificant, and there are plenty of reviews to attest to that. This reviewer wants to point out greatness of the publisher and editor in this case (referring to the Arden Shakespeare). After buying Arden's "Henry V" publication a year ago, I have become a devout fan.I will never buy Shakespeare from another publisher. While these books may be slightly more expensive than a "mass market" edition, I believe that if you are going to take the time to read and understand Shakespeare, it is well worth the extra dollar or two. The Introduction, the images, and plethora of footnotes are irreplaceable and nearly neccessary for a full understanding of the play (for those of us who are not scholars already). I recommend that you buy ALL of Shakespeare's work from Arden's critical editions.