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The Norton Shakespeare
The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Edition
Back in the elegant gift-edition slipcased of a vibrant, new complete Shakespeare that brings readers closer than ever before possible top Shakespeare's plays as they were first acted. The Norton Shakespeare, Based on the Oxford Edition invites readers to rediscover Shakespeare-the working man of the theater, not the universal bard-and to rediscover his plays as scripts to be performed, not works to be immortalized. Combining the freshly edited texts of the Oxford Edition with lively introductions by Stephen Greenblatt and his co-editors, glossaries and annotations, and an elegant single-column page (that of the Norton Anthologies), this complete Shakespeare invites contemporary readers to see and read Shakespeare afresh. Greenblatt's full introduction creates a window into Shakespeare world-the culture, demographics, commerce, politics, and religion of early-modern England-Shakespeare's family background and professional life, the Elizabethan industries of theater and printing, and the subsequent centuries of Shakespeare textual editing.
3420 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
About the author
Stephen Greenblatt
142 books824 followersStephen Greenblatt (Ph.D. Yale) is Cogan University Professor of English and American Literature and Language at Harvard University. Also General Editor of The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Eighth Edition, he is the author of nine books, including Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare; Hamlet in Purgatory; Practicing New Historicism; Marvelous Possessions: The Wonder of the New World; Learning to Curse: Essays in Early Modern Culture; and The Swerve: How the World Became Modern. He has edited six collections of criticism, is the co-author (with Charles Mee) of a play, Cardenio, and is a founding coeditor of the journal Representations. He honors include the MLA's James Russell Lowell Prize, for Shakespearean Negotiations: The Circulation of Social Energy in Renaissance England, the Distinguished Humanist Award from the Mellon Foundation, the Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of California, Berkeley. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in Vermont.
Stephen Jay Greenblatt is a Pulitzer Prize winning American literary critic, theorist and scholar.
Greenblatt is regarded by many as one of the founders of New Historicism, a set of critical practices that he often refers to as "cultural poetics"; his works have been influential since the early 1980s when he introduced the term. Greenblatt has written and edited numerous books and articles relevant to new historicism, the study of culture, Renaissance studies and Shakespeare studies and is considered to be an expert in these fields. He is also co-founder of the literary-cultural journal Representations, which often publishes articles by new historicists. His most popular work is Will in the World, a biography of Shakespeare that was on the New York Times Best Seller List for nine weeks.
Stephen Jay Greenblatt is a Pulitzer Prize winning American literary critic, theorist and scholar.
Greenblatt is regarded by many as one of the founders of New Historicism, a set of critical practices that he often refers to as "cultural poetics"; his works have been influential since the early 1980s when he introduced the term. Greenblatt has written and edited numerous books and articles relevant to new historicism, the study of culture, Renaissance studies and Shakespeare studies and is considered to be an expert in these fields. He is also co-founder of the literary-cultural journal Representations, which often publishes articles by new historicists. His most popular work is Will in the World, a biography of Shakespeare that was on the New York Times Best Seller List for nine weeks.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
July 3, 2011
Greenblatt does a freaking amazing job of putting this together. The intros provide a fantastic historical perspective going into reading each play, especially for the histories. You'll know the families of the play and why they're beefing on each other before you go in. You'll know the real conversation Prince Hal and Bolingbroke had that formed the basis of Bolingbroke's death scene in 2 Henry IV. You'll know what Queen Elizabeth thought of Richard II ("I am Richard, know you not that?"), and you'll read Macbeth anew in the context of the failed Guy Fox terrorist attack. As an actor when you deliver the line "Two households both alike in dignity," you'll be grounded in real perspective. This is the perfect companion for the University student who wants to know his or her Shakespeare better, and for the actor who wants to know what the audience already knew when they first saw these plays performed.
In terms of studying the texts, Norton is the way to go. Arden is better for performing the text though, because of its concise footnotes, proper ellisions, and adherence to the folios. If you're serious about Shakespeare, get both. Norton and Arden are the way(s) to go.
In terms of studying the texts, Norton is the way to go. Arden is better for performing the text though, because of its concise footnotes, proper ellisions, and adherence to the folios. If you're serious about Shakespeare, get both. Norton and Arden are the way(s) to go.
August 6, 2014
This is your one stop shop for everything Shakespeare...awesome historical background information to add context to Shakespeare the man, his times, and the plays themselves. I had to buy this text to use for a few college Shakespeare classes, and I am now an English teacher myself. I break this out monthly and reread plays, read my annotations, and enjoy the myself thoroughly. If you suffered through Shakespeare in high school and some years have passed since then, you might want to pick up a play and see if it clicks for you this time through. In my opinion, Shakespeare is the best and most influential writer who ever lived.
January 17, 2017
The best Norton by far. The digital version enhances the physical volume and provides any student or Shakespeare enthusiast the tools to delve further into Shakespeare's work and world than any other edition.
December 20, 2015
more shakespeare than you could possibly imagine.
January 7, 2020
I did it!! it only took about 2 years but I finished it! (granted not all of it but still considering it a win!)
April 11, 2020
Interesting, concise without losing depth of study, a perfect study guide for drama and literature enthusiasts.
April 27, 2023
FINALLY DONE
November 30, 2008
I bought this when I was taking a course with Stephen Greenblatt in college -- a course in which we were studying four of Shakespeare's plays in depth. This thing was, I don't know, $90 or something; buying each of the plays individually would have come to about $20 total; Greenblatt had just come out with this the previous year and wanted to sell copies; we all wound up buying the $90 version and lugging all 20 pounds of it to class each week. And he was so charmingly straightforward about the fact that his motivation was entirely monetary that you sort of forgot to be pissed and just grinned back at him. He was a cool guy.
October 5, 2019
I’m not sure if the edition has been updated but this 2004 version has served me well. The annotations are same-page and there is concise analysis across a wide range of context, a highlight for me being the tapping-into of Shakespeare’s curiosity around rhetorically doubling in a certain way.
The downside (for some, and me) would be the introductions to each play. These are all New Historical in a vein of modernity which has now aged. A firmer historical texture as well as some reflexivity on the approach itself would not go amiss. Maybe that is the case in newer editions, but the thousands of flimsy pages in this copy still hold well for me.
The downside (for some, and me) would be the introductions to each play. These are all New Historical in a vein of modernity which has now aged. A firmer historical texture as well as some reflexivity on the approach itself would not go amiss. Maybe that is the case in newer editions, but the thousands of flimsy pages in this copy still hold well for me.
August 18, 2021
This was the edition of Shakespeare I mainly used in college. (My used copy cost me $42.20 in 1997.) Stephen Greenblatt did a phenomenal job with this anthology. The scholarly and supplemental articles are excellent. I will always treasure it in my collection. Nowadays, I have the Riverside Shakespeare on my iPad for .99 cents, but it has no scholarly articles or footnotes included.
I also am partial to the individual Folger Library editions due to their easy-to-understand format. I have always heard the New Oxford is not exactly good. Haven’t tried the Arden Shakespeare yet.
I also am partial to the individual Folger Library editions due to their easy-to-understand format. I have always heard the New Oxford is not exactly good. Haven’t tried the Arden Shakespeare yet.
February 2, 2024
Shakespeare YASSS. This is all I have to say. Good job Stephen.
October 30, 2020
I wanted to read Richard III to understand his evil character. I have found my answer. The appearance of various ghosts and Richard feeling dread demonstrated a guilty conscience. With guilt therein is redemption. Richard III had empathy. For Hitler, Stalin, and some other butchers of humanity did not develop empathy. Both Hitler and Stalin had harsh and cruel fathers. Dr. Josef Mengele, the Angel of Death in Auschwitz, operated on twins. In one case, he professorially delivered a Jewish child, and as he left the room, he ordered the mother and the newborn child to be immediately gassed. Dr. Mengele had a cruel mother. His feelings were truncated, shelved, and buried. With callous disregard, a politician, I have forgotten his name, commented on the death of 200,000 people as “It is what it is” and remains silent on the separated children from their mothers. I have been told that his father was uncaring and harsh.
A secondary and important element is guilt and shame. The terms are not synonymous. We usually think of guilt in a legal context, but it can be used in a religious context of guilt and salvation. The antonym of shame is honor. Honor and shame are far older dichotomies than guilt and redemption/innocence. Honor creates fusion in a family, tribe, and community. In Homer’s Iliad, honor is a primary virtue among the warriors. In Japan, to lose face results in suicides. Counter wise, guilt and salvation are more individualistic and one of the many byproducts of Christianity. Individuals can be saved or dammed, but kingdom, empires, and nations cannot be saved or dammed. They either thrive or expire. Later individualism replaced hierarchical and paternal communities with equal rights, popular sovereignty, and nations based upon laws. Today, many people display little shame on how they behave in public, whether talking, dressing, or posting on social media. Etiquette, politeness, and civility have been gored and debauched with toxic individuality. How can we have the dignity of man (humans) when we do not behave in an honorable manner?
The BBC House of Cards starring Ian Richardson is the closest parallel to Richard III. Both are Machiavellian artists thirsting for power. They make brilliant strategic moves playing one face and then another face. Their deeds are dastardly but not genocidal. The audience can understand their motivation. We can identify with the villain. As for the audience of Hitler, Stalin, and Dr. Mengele, we cannot identify with mass killers. We cannot grasp their motivation to kill millions of people. They introduced chaos as mass death, destruction, and night. It was beyond the human pale. With Richard III, we have a morality play between good and evil. Chaos temporarily unbalanced the natural order, but the Spindle of Necessity corrected the spinning whorl. Richard III is a didactic tale ending with justice. Richard III’s redemption is our redemption. Long live Richard III!
A secondary and important element is guilt and shame. The terms are not synonymous. We usually think of guilt in a legal context, but it can be used in a religious context of guilt and salvation. The antonym of shame is honor. Honor and shame are far older dichotomies than guilt and redemption/innocence. Honor creates fusion in a family, tribe, and community. In Homer’s Iliad, honor is a primary virtue among the warriors. In Japan, to lose face results in suicides. Counter wise, guilt and salvation are more individualistic and one of the many byproducts of Christianity. Individuals can be saved or dammed, but kingdom, empires, and nations cannot be saved or dammed. They either thrive or expire. Later individualism replaced hierarchical and paternal communities with equal rights, popular sovereignty, and nations based upon laws. Today, many people display little shame on how they behave in public, whether talking, dressing, or posting on social media. Etiquette, politeness, and civility have been gored and debauched with toxic individuality. How can we have the dignity of man (humans) when we do not behave in an honorable manner?
The BBC House of Cards starring Ian Richardson is the closest parallel to Richard III. Both are Machiavellian artists thirsting for power. They make brilliant strategic moves playing one face and then another face. Their deeds are dastardly but not genocidal. The audience can understand their motivation. We can identify with the villain. As for the audience of Hitler, Stalin, and Dr. Mengele, we cannot identify with mass killers. We cannot grasp their motivation to kill millions of people. They introduced chaos as mass death, destruction, and night. It was beyond the human pale. With Richard III, we have a morality play between good and evil. Chaos temporarily unbalanced the natural order, but the Spindle of Necessity corrected the spinning whorl. Richard III is a didactic tale ending with justice. Richard III’s redemption is our redemption. Long live Richard III!
March 12, 2021
I highly recommend this single volume compilation of the complete works of Shakespeare. All of the plays, sonnets, and poems are neatly presented, making them less intimidating to a new reader of Shakespeare, and user-friendly in general. Of course it's huge (about 3,500 pages), but it includes much in addition to Shakespeare's works. There are explanations of all archaic or ambiguous language (words, phrases, references) which are neatly presented in the margins and footnotes. Anything and everything that could be "Greek" to the modern reader is explained. ("'If then you do not like him... surely you are in some manifest danger not to understand him.'") This is all done aesthetically, allowing for gentle continuity of perusal; whether you choose to read them or not, they're not disruptive or annoying.
There is a seventy-four page general introduction by the chief editor (one of a team six professors), the scholar Stephen Greenblatt, which is engaging and highly educational. This is followed by a general textual introduction; there's a preface and several intros in all. Additionally there are introductions, or analytical essays, that preface each play (or piece). These can be spoilers to the first time reader, but at times they provide a necessary heads-up explanation of what's to come, without which the "uninitiated" might be lost.
For convenience there's even three tables of contents: traditional (in order of appearance, which, as presented, is believed by scholars to be the chronological order in which Shakespeare wrote them), by genre, and by publication date.
Most importantly, all of Shakespeare's brilliant work is all here in one book. Accompaniment with its comprehensive educational content makes this book invaluable.
There is a seventy-four page general introduction by the chief editor (one of a team six professors), the scholar Stephen Greenblatt, which is engaging and highly educational. This is followed by a general textual introduction; there's a preface and several intros in all. Additionally there are introductions, or analytical essays, that preface each play (or piece). These can be spoilers to the first time reader, but at times they provide a necessary heads-up explanation of what's to come, without which the "uninitiated" might be lost.
For convenience there's even three tables of contents: traditional (in order of appearance, which, as presented, is believed by scholars to be the chronological order in which Shakespeare wrote them), by genre, and by publication date.
Most importantly, all of Shakespeare's brilliant work is all here in one book. Accompaniment with its comprehensive educational content makes this book invaluable.
December 19, 2008
I have a very peculiar experience whenever I read Shakespeare after setting him aside for awhile: Shakespeare's English becomes hard for me to understand. However, if I start reading again and just proceed without apparent comprehension, everything eventually becomes clear. I love Hamlet for the philosophical issues raised ("Seems? Nay, it is. I know not 'seems'"), Henry V for the strength bestowed ("Proclaim it throughout this host that he that hath not courage to this fight, let him depart. His passport will be made ready and crowns for convey put in his purse. We would not die with such a man that fears his fellowship to die with us...And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he that sheds his blood with me, today, shall be my brother. Be he ne'er so vile, this day will gentle his condition...") and Twelfth Night for the delicate yet potent language of Viola("Halloo your name to the reverberate hills and let the echoing spirit of the air cry out 'Olivia!' Oh you should not rest between elements of earth and air but you should pity me...my lady, you are the cruellest she alive if you will lead these graces to the grave and leave the world no copy"). I have always thought Viola as good as Romeo, poetically speaking. Ironically, she is probably about as masculine too lol!
August 31, 2017
After research this seemed like the best edition to read, though at first I thought Folger may be easier. I got a Folger copy of Richard III and it was almost the exact translation as Norton, and I found the way Norton was put together to be easier to read than Folger, though the opposite was supposed to be true. My ultimate take away is that I enjoy Shakespeare’s stories, but they take some work to read - certainly not easy reading, though not difficult, just slow. I enjoyed the stories I read - Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, King Lear, and sonnets 3, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 29, 30, 36, 40, 60, 98, 116, 129, 130, & 152. Overall 4 stars.
Richard III - a history. Least good of the four I read, though enjoyable enough, if not particularly memorable.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - a comedy. Somewhat humorous, enjoyable read, good story.
Hamlet, King Lear - tragedy. Tied for best of what I read. Along with Midsummer Night’s Dream, these plays all had endings that left you wanting a more conclusive end to events, or perhaps a cheerier end. As far as the tragedies, I guess the point is they leave you let down somewhat. I can imagine that seeing all of these as plays would be more fulfilling than just reading them.
Sonnets - some were nicely written and noteworthy. Apparently some were written for his man lover, which is interesting.
Richard III - a history. Least good of the four I read, though enjoyable enough, if not particularly memorable.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - a comedy. Somewhat humorous, enjoyable read, good story.
Hamlet, King Lear - tragedy. Tied for best of what I read. Along with Midsummer Night’s Dream, these plays all had endings that left you wanting a more conclusive end to events, or perhaps a cheerier end. As far as the tragedies, I guess the point is they leave you let down somewhat. I can imagine that seeing all of these as plays would be more fulfilling than just reading them.
Sonnets - some were nicely written and noteworthy. Apparently some were written for his man lover, which is interesting.
January 10, 2009
I have a hypothesis about Shakespeare that may be untestable in this life. My hypothesis is that, in order to understand Shakespeare, you must enjoy him. Backward, huh? Yet, it seems that this reality comes out when you speak with people who like to read this stuff. In any case, the Norton is a very good resource/doorstop to have in your library. Although my scholarship is exceeding feeble, I sometimes disagree with the editor's commentary on certain words. His definitions just don't seem to fit the context sometimes, yaknow? For example, at the opening of Julius Caesar, when the cobbler says to Marullus, "Truly, sir, in respect of a fine workman, I am but, as you would say, a cobbler." Greenblatt says he means, "in COMPARISON WITH a fine workman..." While I think the context renders the meaning, "DRESSED AS a workman, I am but..." Since Marullus has just asked the cobbler about his clothes, this seems a much better interpretation of the phrase, "in respect of," to me. It is only fair to note that Stephen Greenblatt is a fairly prestigious Shakespeare scholar. So take my word games with a grain of salt (raised to Caesar, no doubt).
April 1, 2009
Hamlet: This is, in my opinion, the best piece of literature ever written in the English language.
Macbeth: I never read this play in school, or anything, which is weird because I was an English major in college and took a Shakespeare class. I just read it though, in anticipation of seeing the play performed. I wanted to understand what I was seeing better. There are some really great themes in this play -- trust, betrayal, the influence a corrupt leader has on his people -- and there are some great passages -- Macbeth's ruminations on the brevity and meaninglessness of life is powerful. Overall, it didn't wow me, but I think I need to read it a few more times so that I can really sink my teeth in it.
Othello: I love this play because Shakespeare does such a great job of showing how the characters do not do what they say they do. Othello says that he trusts his wife, but at the mere mention of her being unfaithful he loses it and ends up killing her. Trust means believing someone even when you have reason not to, not just when everything is fine.
Macbeth: I never read this play in school, or anything, which is weird because I was an English major in college and took a Shakespeare class. I just read it though, in anticipation of seeing the play performed. I wanted to understand what I was seeing better. There are some really great themes in this play -- trust, betrayal, the influence a corrupt leader has on his people -- and there are some great passages -- Macbeth's ruminations on the brevity and meaninglessness of life is powerful. Overall, it didn't wow me, but I think I need to read it a few more times so that I can really sink my teeth in it.
Othello: I love this play because Shakespeare does such a great job of showing how the characters do not do what they say they do. Othello says that he trusts his wife, but at the mere mention of her being unfaithful he loses it and ends up killing her. Trust means believing someone even when you have reason not to, not just when everything is fine.
November 21, 2012
Okay. I only have to read 7 plays out of this for the course I am in, so here is how I feel about each I have read (in order):
Measure of Measure: WHAT? WHAT? No. No thank you. **
Hamlet: Yes. One of my favorite plays. I am kind of ashamed. But it's okay. I love you, Hamlet. *****
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Meeehhhhh.... ***
Twelfth Night: AHAHAAHA I love you Viola! You are hilarious and strong! And you have some great monologues. Also, Malvolio...lighten up. ****
Titus Andronicus: Um. I didn't know they had Grand Guignol back then. Not sure if I am supposed to laugh, and not sure if I care. ****
Othello: Okay, Othello. Do something. I understand that this play allows for a lot of space to make varying interpretations about Otherness, but not much happens until act V. Not really for me. **
King Lear: Argh. Lear. This whole play just seemed kind of...meh. I mean, really? Dividing up your land according to who loves you best? Just listen to what Cordelia says and you'll be happy! **
Measure of Measure: WHAT? WHAT? No. No thank you. **
Hamlet: Yes. One of my favorite plays. I am kind of ashamed. But it's okay. I love you, Hamlet. *****
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Meeehhhhh.... ***
Twelfth Night: AHAHAAHA I love you Viola! You are hilarious and strong! And you have some great monologues. Also, Malvolio...lighten up. ****
Titus Andronicus: Um. I didn't know they had Grand Guignol back then. Not sure if I am supposed to laugh, and not sure if I care. ****
Othello: Okay, Othello. Do something. I understand that this play allows for a lot of space to make varying interpretations about Otherness, but not much happens until act V. Not really for me. **
King Lear: Argh. Lear. This whole play just seemed kind of...meh. I mean, really? Dividing up your land according to who loves you best? Just listen to what Cordelia says and you'll be happy! **
August 18, 2011
Oh, how I love Shakespeare! I won't go into a detailed review of the specific plays because I can do that with the editions of individual plays. But I used this text for my "Shakespeare: The Early Plays" course in college and read about half of the plays. It was a heavy book to lug to class because it has EVERYTHING Shakespeare ever wrote in it. But it was worth it to have all that material in one place. The plays are there in their entirety, the page layout is easy to read, and there are plenty of annotations to add to your understanding of the plays as you read them. I would recommend this edition to anyone who's really serious about studying Shakespeare and wants to get as much out of the experience as possible.
February 14, 2015
This books been sitting on my floor for five years. I considered selling it numerous times. It was way too big. 3500 pages seemed impossible. This is hands down one of the most rewarding and amazing books I've ever read. Life changing, in fact. Easily in my top five most significant reads. It has ignited a massive spark to learn more about his work, to watch his plays, and observe the intricacies and absolute mastery of craft.
It's also a bit sad. I will never read a single text as long and difficult as this ever again in my life. This is the Mount Everest of literature. All other books now seem short by comparison.
Read it. Enjoy it. Get the BBC Shakespeare Collection and watch the works come to life.
It's also a bit sad. I will never read a single text as long and difficult as this ever again in my life. This is the Mount Everest of literature. All other books now seem short by comparison.
Read it. Enjoy it. Get the BBC Shakespeare Collection and watch the works come to life.
August 30, 2014
It would take a very long time to read its over 3000 pages, but the 5 stars are deserved because of the useful alternative words given in the margins to clarify archaic words; the succinct, useful footnotes and comments that clarify difficult phrases and idioms; the appealing font and layout; the very thorough introductions to each piece or group of pieces (e.g. the sonnets); and that all of Shakespeare is compiled in such a pleasing way into one volume. The notes are not distracting both visually and in terms of their complexity; it is also a boon that they take up very little page space, thereby avoiding unseemly pages that are half footnotes, half text.
July 30, 2007
With Stephen Greenblatt as the general editor for this book, I had some real qualms about the introductory essays/commentaries for each work - the New Historicist approach is so narrow, in my opinion. And the fact that they use the Oxford Edition of the text, which, as my Shakespeare professor pointed out to me, has some questionable editing, doesn't improve the text either. But it's an interesting collection, and generally I have a lot of respect for the Norton anthologies, so to me, this was still worth reading.
October 14, 2010
The Norton Shakespeare is a collection of Shakespeare's complete works, including the sonnets, including essays and introductions on each, with glosses and footnotes for the modern reader where the meaning of words and phrases isn't obvious, or where the modern reader needs some context. It's not something I tend to need, but it has been helpful on a few occasions.
It's a very good collection, and if you're studying Shakespeare, definitely worth getting. The main problem with it is that it's huge and heavy, so it can't really be taken with you to classes.
It's a very good collection, and if you're studying Shakespeare, definitely worth getting. The main problem with it is that it's huge and heavy, so it can't really be taken with you to classes.
April 27, 2009
This is THE definitive edition; introductory essays and notes are provided by the world's pre-eminent Shakespeare scholars, as well as the standardized complete text versions. Mutiple versions of some of the more disputed texts, such as King Lear, are also provided. This is definitely a must for anyone interested in Shakespeare. The only bad thing about the Norton Shakespeare is that it's not terribly portable; I own this as well as paperbacks of most of the individual plays.
May 5, 2010
This is one of my absolute favorite editions of Shakespeare's Complete Works. The footnotes are exceptionally detailed, the text is nicely laid out, and there are three--count em!--THREE different versions of King Lear in the book. Not to mention, some of the "disputed" plays that haven't made it into all versions of Shakespeare's works. If you're going to choose one version of the Complete Works for your library, this should be the one.
August 24, 2016
Basically Wells' & Taylor's Oxford copy text, with paratext written by scholars famous for their work within the ambit of the New Historicism.
Given that Taylor was influenced by the cultural materialism of the BCCCS, this edition isn't too much of a departure from the Oxford. Still, the New Historicism is kinda annoying sometimes. Remedies the only defect of the Oxford by including play-specific commentary and notes.
Given that Taylor was influenced by the cultural materialism of the BCCCS, this edition isn't too much of a departure from the Oxford. Still, the New Historicism is kinda annoying sometimes. Remedies the only defect of the Oxford by including play-specific commentary and notes.
February 24, 2013
The best complete Shakespeare, bar none. If you had to live on a desert island and could take only one book, and you chose a complete edition of Shakespeare's works, this has to be it. Full of the latest editions of all his plays and poetry. It also has revised chronology of his works, including some discussions of works which may be by him such as Love's Labour's Won, and some great essays to really bring the edition up to date. Buy it, read it, enjoy. Simple.
April 7, 2007
If you've actually managed to read this book- the collected works of the most famous writer since Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Are you gonna say you don't like it? improbable.
This is a reasonably priced collection with decent commentary. See the Riverside Anthology for additional criticism and analysis that will round out your understanding of the literay discourse surrounding Shakespeare.
This is a reasonably priced collection with decent commentary. See the Riverside Anthology for additional criticism and analysis that will round out your understanding of the literay discourse surrounding Shakespeare.
October 7, 2007
Can't say I've read everything in this book, but I've read a fair deal. Shakespeare is the master. He is also someone you, especially in this day and age, definately need to learn to read, but as someone with a degree in English lit I can say I've definately been taught to do so (sometimes the hard way, ha) and that I definately have a deep appreciation for his work.
November 20, 2007
I haven't read this Norton (or any Norton, I believe) in totallity, who has? But the background information is GOLD and all the works compiled together is wonderfully overwhelming for any nerd! The works I have read, I have thoroughly enjoyed. I haven't met a Shakespearean play that I didn't enjoy on some level.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews