Henry IV, Part Two (Penguin Shakespeare) (pt. II) [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2005 | Series: Penguin Shakespeare

Angered by the loss of his son in battle, the Earl of Northumberland supports another rebellion against King Henry IV, bringing the country to the brink of civil war. Sick and weary, the old King sends out his forces, including the unruly Sir John Falstaff, to meet the rebels. But as the conflict grows, he must also confront a more personal problem - how to make his reprobate son Prince Hal aware of the duties he must bear, as heir to the throne.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Peter Davison has written or edited forty books on Orwell, Shakespeare and drama; he was appointed an OBE in 1999 and awarded the Gold Medal of the Bibliographical Society in 2003. Adrian Poole is Reader in English & Comparative Literature and a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. His publications include Shakespeare and the Victorians and Tragedy: Shakespeare and the Greek Example. Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Peter Davison has written or edited forty books on Orwell, Shakespeare and drama; he was appointed an OBE in 1999 and awarded the Gold Medal of the Bibliographical Society in 2003. Adrian Poole is Reader in English & Comparative Literature and a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. His publications include Shakespeare and the Victorians and Tragedy: Shakespeare and the Greek Example.

From AudioFile

KING HENRY IV is "sore sick," dying in fact, and distraught over the threats to his throne by the Earl of Northumberland and the Archbishop of York, and the worthless antics of his successor, his son Prince Hal, who has joined the dissolute Falstaff's robbery ring. But on his deathbed King Henry forgives Hal, and prays his crown will pass to Hal "with thee in true peace live." A magnificent production, with John Glover as King Henry IV and Jamie Glover as Prince Hal, also offers an outstanding supporting cast, musical interludes, and sound effects. A collector's item for any audiobook library. M.T.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books (April 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0141016701
• ISBN-13: 978-0141016702
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,655,352 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of some standing in his community. William probably went to the King's New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet ( who would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By 1592 Shakespeare had gone to London working as an actor and already known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred to him as "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers." Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later under James I, called the King's Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain's Men built and occupied the Globe Theater in Southwark near the Thames River. Here many of Shakespeare's plays were performed by the most famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or 1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such plays as The Tempest and Henry VII until about 1613. He died on April 23 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during his life-time, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now called the First Folio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A few things you should know about Arkangel's 'Henry IV, Part Two', December 30, 2009

By 

Edward Waverley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Henry IV , Part Two (Arkangel Complete Shakespeare) (Audio CD)

As with the first part of 'Henry IV' Arkangel does an excellent job in portraying the different levels of 15th century society. While Part Two is generally not as dramatically coherent as Part One, this particular production is handled as well as the first one. Geoffrey Bayldon is delightful as justice Shallow, while Pistol ("the foul-mouth'dst rogue in England") is played by Edward de Souza as a bulging-eyed, spluttering madman, who rolls his 'r's like a highland Scot. Evie Mathieson brings a seductive sleaziness to the part of Doll Tearsheet, giving hilarious weight to the prince's line about "Saturn and Venus this year in conjunction."