Julius Caesar [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0764120891 | ISBN-13: 978-0764120893

Marc Antony comes "to bury Caesar, not to praise him," and his funeral oration unleashes a power struggle among the Roman Empire's mightiest generals and statesmen. Books in this new, illustrated series present complete texts of Shakespeare's plays. However, the lines are set up so students can see the bard's original poetic phrases printed side-by-side and line-by-line with a modern "translation" on the facing page. Starting in the late 1580s and for several decades that followed, Shakespeare's plays were popular entertainment for London's theatergoers. His Globe Theatre was the equivalent of a Broadway theater in today's New York. The plays have endured, but over the course of 400+ years, the English language has changed in many ways—which is why today's students often find Shakespeare's idiom difficult to comprehend. Simply Shakespeare offers an excellent solution to their problem. Introducing each play is a general essay covering Shakespeare's life and times. At the beginning of each of the five acts in every play, a two-page spread describes what is about to take place. The story's background is explained, followed by brief descriptions of key people who will appear in the act, details students should watch for as the story unfolds, discussion of the play's historical context, how the play was staged in Shakespeare's day, and explanation of puns and plays on words that occur in characters' dialogues. Identifying icons preceding each of these study points are printed in a second color, then are located again as cross-references in the play's original text. For instance, where words spoken by a person in the play offer insights into his or another character's personality, the "Characters" icon will appear as a cross-reference in both the introductory spread and the play proper. Following each act, a closing spread presents questions and discussion points for use as teachers' aids. Guided by the inspiring format of this fine new series, both teachers and students will come to understand and appreciate the genius of Shakespeare as never before.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-One of the marks of Shakespeare's greatness is the continued interest in adapting his enduring works. This recording of Julius Caesar is one in a series drawn from Leon Garfield's Shakespeare Stories. Liberally sprinkled with lines from the original play, the recording presents a condensation of all five acts in a little more than an hour. Beginning with a brief biography of the Bard, the recording then offers a thorough but not lengthy overview of the play. All this sets the stage for Simon Russell Beale's well paced narration. This Royal Shakespeare Company veteran moves so skillfully between story text and dialogue that at times it seems as though there are several actors reading. Classic lines such as "Et tu. Brute" and "Friends, Romans, Countrymen " are rendered with fresh vigor. At the conclusion of the play, an article on "Shakespeare Today" offers suggestions to help youngsters have fun with Shakespeare. Short selections of period music make a nice transition between sections of the recording. Though aimed at a middle school audience, both teens and adults will find this presentation a good way to learn about one of the earliest plays performed at the Globe Theatre.
Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

"[An] excellent edition."--Linda Anderson, Virginia Tech

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (December 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764120891
• ISBN-13: 978-0764120893
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Current Events > Conspiracy Theories
  • #16 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Performing Arts > Drama & Theater
  • #24 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Performing Arts > Drama & Theater

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great edition of a great play, March 7, 2006

By 

The Actor (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Julius Caesar (Cliffs Complete) (Paperback)

I really enjoyed reading this edition of the play. Each scene is proceded by a summary of the secene and followed by commentary on the scene, and there are notes alongside the text explaining unusual words/phrases. As an actor, I have been reading Shakespeare for quite awhile, and I still found this book very helpful. If you are new to reading Shakespeare, I particularly recommend this because you will find it very helpful.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shakespeare Outdoes Himself!, April 14, 2000

By 

Sean Ares Hirsch - See all my reviews

This review is from: Julius Caesar (Shakespeare Made Easy) (Paperback)

This was the first play performed at the Globe Theatre. For that reason alone, this play deserves special attention. But the characters, the language, and this interesting situation represent Shakespeare's finest efforts. Cassius is ruthless with a malicious attitude. But he honestly fears what Caesar will do if he is crowned. Brutus is a good and honest man. He contemplates joining Cassius to kill Caesar despite the fact that Caesar loves him as a friend. (In history as well, Caesar was notably kind to Brutus.) But yet he too fears that if Caesar is crowned, Rome will bleed. Mark Antony is convincing as Caesar's loyal aid who SEEMS insignificant at first. But after Caesar is killed, he emerges as the most powerful and intelligent character in the play. What makes this play so phenomenal is that we can easily understand and sympathize with any of these major characters. (Even though they are on opposite sides.) What's left? Only chilling omens like the Soothsayer, the storm, the ghost of Caesar, etc. Only memorable passages like Mark Antony's famous 'honorable' speech. If you like this play, I suggest the B & W version where James Mason does Brutus, John Gielgud does Cassius, and Marlon Brando does Mark Antony.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent edition of Julius Caesar, September 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Julius Caesar (The New Folger Library Shakespeare) (Mass Market Paperback)

When it comes to Shakespeare, there really isn't a discussion about how good the play is...they are all fantastic and are all worth devoting time to read. When you buy, it comes down to the edition. The Folger library is the most obvious choice: they have very detailed introductions and on every left-hand side of the page, they explain certain phrases that have become phased out of the language. They also have a huge library on everything Shakespeare. This edition of Julius Caesar is certainly the best out there, and I reccomend you buy it. Oh, did I mention it's a great play?