The Jewelers Shop [Hardcover]

Karol Wojtyla (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1992

Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) Love is "one of the greatest dramas of human existence," writes Pope John Paul II. In this illuminating three-act play--here in the only English translation authorized by the Vatican--he explores relationships between men and women, the joys--and the pain--of love and marriage. The action unfolds in two settings at once: a street in a small town, outside the local jeweler's shop (people go to buy their wedding rings there), and the mysterious inner landscape of personal hopes and fears, loves and longings. Each act focuses on a different couple: the first happily planning their wedding, the second long-married and unhappy, the third about to marry but full of doubts. Writing with power and understanding about a love that survives the grave, a love that has withered and died, a love budding out of complexes and insecurities, the Pope addresses such fundamental human concerns as: What does it mean to fall in love? When do we know that a love is real--and can it last? If it dies, how do we go on living--and loving again? There are no easy answers, and there is no happy ending--such is the nature of men and women, and such is the nature of love--but there is hope, if we only acknowledge our need and accept the risks of a deep and lasting commitment. This is a play full of wisdom on a subject of great relevance to all, and it provides a special insight into the thoughts of the man who, like no other, has captured the imagination of people of all faiths throughout the world. The Jeweler's Shop has been made into a full-length movie now available on video. Karol Wojtyla--Pope John Paul II--has long been involved with the theater. As a student of literature, then priest, bishop and archbishop, he acted, directed, wrote dramatic criticism, made a Polish translation of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, and has authored six plays.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Polish (translation) --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 91 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089870426X
• ISBN-13: 978-0898704266
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a fascinating masterpiece, January 8, 2000

By 

wanting to be a true lover - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jewelers Shop (Hardcover)

The Jeweler's Shop was originally written as a play for the underground Rhapsodic Theater, and the limitations of the medium made the finished product very stylized. Yet the play is incredibly easy to read and difficult to put down. This brilliant drama is an indispensible meditation on the mystery of marriage. The film did not do it justice.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A page turner, July 8, 2004

By 

Voytek (lost-and-found) (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jewelers Shop (Hardcover)

This play, composed by a young actor and soon to be pope, carries a very clear and strong message of true love, something which has been completely stipped away from today's society. In the geniously written play, Wojtyla touches so many issues, while never taking away the beauty from the writings. Fully recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dramatic Gem, January 14, 2006

By 

CDS "C" (Boston,MA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Jewelers Shop (Hardcover)

This book is among the few plays written by the Pope which have made it into print. It deals with relationships between couples, one falling in love, one falling out of love, and various other situations. It's beautifully written. I'm not sure how much was lost in translation, but except for a few hiccups, the writing is beautifully poetic and evocative. The Pope's insights into relationships are quite profound, and very simply illustrated. It's a short and enjoyable read.