Antony and Cleopatra (Dover Thrift Editions) [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dover Thrift Editions | Publication Date: January 26, 1998

The legendary romance between an irresistible siren and great general comes to dramatic life in one of Shakespeare's most powerful tragedies. Fascinating characterizations of a pair of history’s most charismatic lovers, fast-paced action in scenes throughout the far-flung Roman Empire, and peerless poetry make this immortal drama a must for students of the theater and literature.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JONATHAN BATE is Professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature, University of Warwick, UK, and the editor of The RSC Shakespeare: The Complete Works. He has held visiting posts at Harvard, Yale and UCLA and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a Fellow of the British Academy, an Honorary Fellow of St Catherine's College, Cambridge, and a Governor and Board member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. A prominent critic, award-winning biographer and broadcaster, he is the author of several books on Shakespeare, including The Genius of Shakespeare (Picador), which was praised by Sir Peter Hall, founder of the RSC, as 'the best modern book on Shakespeare.' In June 2006 he was awarded a CBE by HM The Queen 'for services to Higher Education'. ERIC RASMUSSEN is Professor of English at the University of Nevada, USA, and the Textual Editor of The RSC Shakespeare: The Complete Works. He is co-editor of the Norton Anthology of English Renaissance Drama and has edited volumes in both the Arden Shakespeare and Oxford World's Classics series. He is the General Textual Editor of the Internet Shakespeare Editions project - one of the most visited Shakespeare websites in the world. For over nine years he has written the annual review of editions and textual studies for the Shakespeare Survey. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From AudioFile

This production performed by the Shakespeare Recording Society (with special guests)--is excellent in its recording quality. Pamela Brown's performance as Cleopatra herself certainly stands out. What she does with the words of the anguished queen is like what Edith Piaf did with a common love song. With her deep breaths and moaning, it would have been easy for Brown to fall over that delicate edge of emoting into a pit of melodrama, but she never does. Listeners are given an energetic and passionate woman. And with Anthony Quayle's dashing Antony and Paul Daneman's regal Caesar, the triumvirate is wildly successful. R.A.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (January 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 048640062X
• ISBN-13: 978-0486400624
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This is an ABRIDGED version of the play!, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare's Hot) (Audio Cassette)

Shakespeare, as ever, is brilliant, and this version of Antony and Cleopatra is reasonably acted. However, be forwarned, that in spite of the misleading claims on the packaging of these cassettes, labeling them an "unabridged classic", this is actually a significantly ABRIDGED version of the play. "Unabridged" here apparently means they have not shortened the production by the Canadian Broadcasting Company that is presented on the cassettes. This version of the play is also "adapted for audio" by speaking stage directions in a number of places, or making other changes in the text so the listener without a transcript can better know what is going on. Some may find this useful, but Shakespeare purists will definitely want to look elsewhere for a recording of this play.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent mutual destruction superbly enacted, May 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Antony and Cleopatra (Audio Cassette)

This cassette version of Shakespeare's play about two strong-willed individuals whose passion for each other leads to their downfall is magnificently done. Anthony Quayle, who does a hilarious Falstaff on other recordings in the Caedemon series, plays a heroic but flawed Antony who is all too aware of his captivity to Cleopatra, and yet unable to break free of her. Pamela Brown is equally fine as the imperious, manipulative Cleopatra. The rest of the cast is similarly superb, especially Jack Gwillim as Enobarbus. The recording, originally made in 1963, receives an excellent remastering in this cassette reissue; the sound quality is fantastic.

4.0 out of 5 stars on the Caedmon recording, January 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Antony and Cleopatra (Audio Cassette)

This performance is billed as abridged but is infinitely more complete than the one amazon labels unabridged. To the extent that any of the Caedmon performances differ from whatever text you have in front of you, they are merely adhering to one editorial reading than another--several times I have listened to a Shakespeare Recording Society production and heard passages not printed in my complete edition of Shakespeare (Riverside). I have never been disappointed in either the quality of the text or performance in a Caedmon recording (or Arkangel for that matter). The main shortcoming of the Caedmon series is in the audio quality and if you can make allowances for that, you will find in these an excellent perspective on Shakespeare's art.