The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Edition: Tragedies

by William Shakespeare

Book Overview

Twelve of Shakespeare's most profound and moving dramas in one elegant volume. William Shakespeare's tragedies introduced the world to some of the most well-known characters in literature, including... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393931404
• ISBN13: 9780393931402
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 1168 Pages
• Weight: 4.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Tragedy!

This is a collection of Shakespeare's tragedies, of which these four are but a portion: --Hamlet-- This play, of course, is perhaps the best known in all of English literature. Taking it's inspiration from lesser plays and tales of the same name, Shakespeare crafted the characters, dialogue and plot into a timeless tale of betrayal, the quest for justice, and ultimately a hollow victory. This play, in short, is a downer. I will speak daggers to her, but use none. Of course, it really thrilled the audiences, who, lacking the primetime violence of today, enjoyed seeing the blood, the gore, the violence, the swordplay. Those with a more subtle bent were very satisfied with the wonderful dialogues, full of double and self-reflexive meanings. So many of the monologues have become common parlance in our language. A hit, a very palpable hit. The 'on one foot' synopsis: Hamlet, prince of Denmark, is suspicious that his step-father killed his father and usurped the throne and his mother's bedchamber; he plots to get revenge; in the meantime his love-interest Ophelia dies; in a duel to the death at the end the mother dies, the step-father dies, the duel contender dies, and Hamlet dies. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. The rest is silence. --Othello-- Rude I am in speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace Surely Shakespeare was not speaking of himself here. Even his poorly-spoken characters cannot help to have an elegance and subtlety all their own. Othello is another tragedy, this one driven by jealousy. The exact cause of the jealousy can vary; Iago can be jealous of Othello, of his love for Desdemona, of Desdemona herself, or several other possibilities. The emphasis often lies in the performance, and Shakespeare's play is written broadly enough to allow for any of these to be correct interpretations. But men are men; the best sometimes forget. Othello satisfied the need for violence, for passion, and for intrigue. 'On one foot', Iago, servant and friend of Othello, who also hates Othello, plants the seeds of suspicion that Desdemona has been unfaithful, leading Othello down a treacherous path that leads in his ultimate murder of Desdemona. Take note, take note, O world! To be direct and honest is not safe. During one performance in the American Old West, an audience member became so entranced and enraged with the actor's portrayal of Iago that he took out his pistol and shot him. The tombstone of the actor reads 'Here lies the greatest actor'. --King Lear-- The prince of darkness is a gentleman. This most difficult of Shakespeare plays, both for performing and for studying, is one of the true masterpieces of English (or any) literature, and yet is underperformed and underappreciated due to the power of its complexity and of its tragedy. Indeed, often the tragedy at the end has been softened by having Cordelia survive victorious. Beware these kinds of performances--they not Shakespeare's intent,

Nice to have these all in one volume.

I appreciated reading all the tragedies together like this. There were some that I had read many times before, but others that I had barely read. The Tragedies are what Shakespeare is most noted for, and with good reason. Each of these plays is a masterpiece in its own right, and each of them provides such a wide variety of quotes that we all have heard over and over. That is the most enduring thing about Shakespeare - his mastery of the English language was so great that his words are still remembered today (almost four centuries since his death). Shakespeare has written thirteen tragedies, and I will do individual reviews of three of my particular favourites. The ones that I will further review are "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark", "The Tragedy of Macbeth" and "The Tragedy of King Lear". As much as I enjoy each of these the other ten should not be ignored either. Shakespeare could not keep some comedy out of his famous tragedies, and sometimes it is these comedic scenes that we remember the most. Who can forget the drunken porter in "Macbeth"? It is very difficult for me to pick a favourite out of these thirteen masterpieces, but I think if asked I'd have to admit to Macbeth. But read them all, they are well worth the time.

Excellent collection if you are like me & love the tragedies

The tragedy of Titus Andronicus is my favourite work by Billy Shakes (high school kids thought that one up and I like it, shows affection). When we think of Shakespearean Tragedy we constantly drag the same tired old Lear, Hamlet & MacBeth in and prop them up on the carpet. Complete Works will also bring to your acquaintance Coriolanus and the Andronici. Maybe it is me, but I have never considered Romeo & Juliet a tragedy, I see it as more of a Romance, a bad one, but a Romance just the same. My advice is to buy the book NOW and only read the sections that you are unfamilliar with. Save the others for cold nights with warm fires both of which are the optimum mediums for becoming re-acquainted with old friends.

Very Useful

This is an extremely useful volume. Brings together all thirteen of Shakespeare's tragedies, more readable than the bulky "collected works" volumes with tiny type; includes fifty pages of text notes and a fifty page glossary of unfamiliar usages.

Great bindings, good intro critique

We all know about Shakespeare, so a review of his writing is not required. However, I would like to say that the Everyman's Library series are worth getting. Unlike omnibus editions (such as the Riverside Shakespeare), these are actually portable so you don't need a table to hold them up while you are reading. The Everyman's Library series have good hardbindings, are conveniently sized to carry around, and have illuminating and extensive introductions. The typeface used is old, but the letters are large and easily readable (something that is a concern with some other editions).Tragedies, Volume 1 contains: Hamlet; Othello; King Lear; Machbeth