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192nd out of 382 books
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Four Great Tragedies: Hamlet / Othello / King Lear / Macbeth
Our Signet Classic Shakespeare Series was extensively revised in 1998. We offer the best of everything -- unforgettable works edited by eminent Shakespeare scholars, comprehensive notes on the text, an essay on Shakespeare's life and times, source material, critical commentaries, extensive bibliographies, and footnotes. And there's more
-- Grow with the times by including b...more
-- Grow with the times by including b...more
Mass Market Paperbound, 592 pages
Published
June 1st 1998
by Signet Classics
(first published 1000)
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If there is a lesson common to all of these tragedies, it is not to go jumping to conclusions. You may have an enemy muddying the waters (Othello). You may have mispercieved the situation because your ego is in the way (King Lear). You may think you are avoiding fate, when actually you are placing yourself right in the way of it by doing something ethically questionable (Macbeth). Or you may just be a little to self-righteous for your own good (Hamlet). Tragedy in these works is usuall...more
Thoroughly enjoyed these with great productions on DVD from Netflix and The Teaching Company course "Shakespeare's Tragedies" with lecturer Claire McKinney from University of Virginia.
Movie versions I watched and recommend:
Hamlet: Compare the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet starring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart as Claudius (2009) with Kenneth Branagh's chandelier-swinging version (1996).
Othello: Oliver Parker starring Laurence F...more
Movie versions I watched and recommend:
Hamlet: Compare the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet starring David Tennant and Patrick Stewart as Claudius (2009) with Kenneth Branagh's chandelier-swinging version (1996).
Othello: Oliver Parker starring Laurence F...more
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First off you will be surprised to find out that 'Hamlet' alone was this lengthy.
Secondly, it takes unbelievably long because of old archaic words that needs translation almost word by word.
Yes, same English but how words have changed over time!
Last but not least, you thought you knew about the story, maybe so, but not Hamlet himself until you read it with great concentration.
Forget about different versions and missing parts.
'Cause you still have enough to carry...more
Secondly, it takes unbelievably long because of old archaic words that needs translation almost word by word.
Yes, same English but how words have changed over time!
Last but not least, you thought you knew about the story, maybe so, but not Hamlet himself until you read it with great concentration.
Forget about different versions and missing parts.
'Cause you still have enough to carry...more
I loved it. I have read Hamlet and watched the Branagh film of it too many times to count. I first read Hamlet in November of 2005. I read King Lear in the fall of 2008 and was in a play called Lear's Daughters where I played Regan. Othello I also read in the fall of 2008. I am embarrassed to admit I have never read Macbeth. There is nothing better than Shakespeare in my opinion.
well.. my liking to these four tragedies varies from one to another. Yet I enjoyed the whole collection!! Feel like I would have never enjoy if I read some of them & left the others!!
It was a pleasure to meet four different glorious personae, regfardless their flaws. It just helped me heave a deep sigh of releif saying to myself: it's not only me who make disateroud things :-|
It was a pleasure to meet four different glorious personae, regfardless their flaws. It just helped me heave a deep sigh of releif saying to myself: it's not only me who make disateroud things :-|
Introductions for each play give a brief synopsis, inserting factoids like, Hamlet is the longest play, Macbeth is the shortest, as well as, the ways Shakespeare himself adapted many of the plays from earlier sources.
According to Prof. Huang, "Folgers is good for K-12, but this is for serious grad students." Emphasis on serious.
According to Prof. Huang, "Folgers is good for K-12, but this is for serious grad students." Emphasis on serious.
this isn't the exact book i read, but it was the best one i could fine to represent othello, especially since ive already read the others, lol.
i thought othello was pretty good, i really enjoy shakespeares tragedies for the most part.
i thought othello was pretty good, i really enjoy shakespeares tragedies for the most part.
One of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. At one time I had 100 lines memorized from this, but only remember, "Beware my Lord of jealousy, It is the green-ey'd monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on.. ."
So much can be learned from Shakespeare's tragedies. I guess it simply comes down to not letting your ego get in the way. These four protagonists were responsible for their own undoing.
Just a scratch about the Signet 1968 editions--I find myself pursuing all of them thanks to beautiful cover illustrations by Milton Glaser (from Susan!).
Really, just read Hamlet . . . everyone dies . . . interesting to think about how the main characters' actions/intentions had so many unintended results.
OK, I've read all of these plays (in high school), just not in this particular edition. But I read them, and they were very very good . . . ;-)
So far, just Hamlet. It takes some time to wade through, that's for sure. Sometimes I ask myself, why am I reading this? But then I see how many of our idioms are (mis)used that come from the Bard.
These stories are very effective and heart touching stories not only that its gives most valuble morel thinking about the man life
(Just to clarify: 5 Stars for Hamlet and Macbeth, 4 stars for King Lear, and I haven't read Othello yet but it's next on my list!)
Miles
added it
I just read Macbeth for the first time the other day and I haven't read Othello yet. That's embarrassing.
This guy's a pretty fair writer! Othello is my pick for his finest work.
boy, that hamlet. what a p*ssy.
othello -- it's not a race thing.
othello -- it's not a race thing.
My favourite Shakespeare book ever...great read
Vagabond
added it
all amazing plays
Shawn
marked it as partially-read
Finished King Lear. I'd appear a codpiece if I attempted to rate any of Shakespeare's work. Maybe after I've read more I'll come back and give them ratings relative to each other.
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Good texts of four of Shakespeare's key plays. The Macbeth text includes some of the scenes with Hecate that were likely written by other authors, and the Hamlet text is inclusive of scenes that appear only in Q2. Those of you who haven't read these plays - drop what you're doing and get an edition and read them. The Ardens are the best, but if you are in China and only have access to the Bantam, then the Bantam it must be.
i'm rereading hamlet for the first time since high school, and this time around, my favorite line comes from polonius: this is too long. that guy cracks me up.
i read the history plays earlier this summer, and the difference between their more-or-less constant plot movement and hamlet's indecision is pretty great. i think prince hal might have finished off claudius while he was praying.
i read the history plays earlier this summer, and the difference between their more-or-less constant plot movement and hamlet's indecision is pretty great. i think prince hal might have finished off claudius while he was praying.
From Othello the moor of Venice:
Iago: ”Zound, sir ,you are robbed. For shame ,put on your gown, your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul. Even now ,very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise, awake the snorting citizens with the bell or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arie, I say.
Iago: ”Zound, sir ,you are robbed. For shame ,put on your gown, your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul. Even now ,very now, an old black ram is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise, awake the snorting citizens with the bell or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arie, I say.
The most important thing I could not forget about Shakespeare is that he creates haunting-personalities and dramatic stories that somehow in one way or another reflect our own selves and our own shadows and the particular world in which we born into.
Amy Groshek
added it
Amazed to see how Hamlet's been misquoted. And have missed, previously, the extent of Hamlet's mockery of Polonius. Haven't ever read _Othello_ before. I've only finished the second act, and already feel sad for everyone (except Iago).
These are all four of the most amazing tragedies ever... my favs are Hamlet and Othello. I had the opportunity to play Desdemona in a summer program once, and it was amazing. Good job Delmy!
King Lear is lovely...after you read it, check out David Wright's poem "Lines on Retirement, after Reading Lear" at http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMI...
okay, so I only read Othello and King Lear from this edition. King Lear was almost too intense for me to read. Paul, I promise I will read the Henrys soon.
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William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. Hi...more
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“Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not serve God if the devil bid you...I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs.”
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