william shakespeare

Shakespeare Review: Pericles

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Pericles
Pericles by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

King Antiochus declares that any suitor for his daughter’s hand in marriage must first answer a riddle, and if the suitor answers incorrectly, he forfeits his life. Everyone has failed to answer the riddle, until Prince Pericles comes along, and figures out that the riddle means that Antiochus is committing incest with his daughter.

Enraged at being found out, Antiochus tries to have Pericles assassinated, and Pericles flees to the sea. A storm wrecks his ship and he is cast ashore with only his armor at Pentapolis, where King Simonedes is holding a tournament for his daughter’s birthday. Pericles wins the tournament and weds Thaisa. Continue reading →

Play Review: Love’s Labour’s Lost

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Love's Labor's Lost
Love’s Labor’s Lost by William Shakespeare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This play is all froth and silliness! King Ferdinand and three lords of his court have vowed to study for three years, fasting, barely sleeping, and not keeping company with any women, in order to devote themselves exclusively to the pursuit of knowledge. But the Princess of France throws their plans and their vows into confusion when she arrives with the ladies of her court, seeking audience with the King on some political matters. King Ferdinand immediately falls in love with the Princess, and his lords fall in love with each of the Princess’ ladies. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Taming of the Shrew

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The Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

That is perhaps the most terrible thing I have ever read. I mean, I knew it would be disparaging of women and archaic in it’s ideas, but seriously! I never imagined that this play would be so entirely anti-feminist; buying and selling women in marriage without one single man ever once asking what the woman wants. All they talked about was price and goods and ownership, as if a marriage was a financial transaction. Continue reading →

Play Review: Titus Andronicus

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Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is a truly terrible play. The writing is decent, but the subject material…. ugh! So much violence and nastiness and evil, it made me cringe.
Titus Andronicus is a Roman general just back from war with the Goths, and he kills the son of Tamora, the Queen of the Goths, starting a cycle of revenge that ends with lots of blood on both sides.

It’s a tragedy, so I know nearly everyone is going to die, but still… really over the top violence and bloodshed. Continue reading →

Review: The Comedy of Errors

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The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Two sets of twin baby brothers are cast adrift in a storm and wash up on shore in separate cities. When they are grown, they meet up again, not knowing of the others’ existence, and mistaken identities abound! One man’s wife mistakes him for his twin, and some creditors apply to the wrong twin for payment. The servants are totally confused, because they keep receiving conflicting commands from their masters.

While there are lots of hilarious situations, mix-ups, and puns and jokes galore, the plot is very straight forward with no surprises, and that made me a bit bored. It’s a very short play with a small cast of characters. It’s comedic fluff with not much of a story to it.

Maybe I’m just not in the mood for comedic fluff right now. Maybe if I saw it performed, it would be funnier, and I would enjoy it more. Reading a play is never the same as the real thing.

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Play Review: Coriolanus

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Coriolanus
Coriolanus by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this play so much! This is the story of Marcius, a noble general in the armies of Rome who wins renown in battle, is renamed Coriolanus, and is promoted to consul. But the political machinations of Rome bring him down because he won’t pander to the people or speak sweetly to the rabble. It IS a tragedy, so of course we already expect him to die in the end.

I was intrigued by Coriolanus/Marcius’ tempestuous nature and rage that is tempered by his love of honor and justice. He has a high regard for noble deeds, and refuses to compromise to lesser men, and naturally his honesty is what gets him killed. Continue reading →