King Lear [Abridged] [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author), Ian Pollock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 1984

As flies are to wanton boys, so are we to th' gods: they kill us for their sports, howls King Lear. In artist Ian Pollock's surreal interpretation of Shakespeare's classic tragedy, the abstract wail of "the unaccomodated man" is dramatized in subtle shadings of the old king's anguish.

Every line of dialogue is preserved, and every scene is illustrated in full-color panels arranged on the page in comic book format. As Lear loses his crown, his daughters, his youth, and his dignity, Pollack's paintings keep pace, raising the tension to the level of live performance, and making the nuances of speech and action vividly clear. Pollack's rendition of King Lear is an invaluable aid to both veteran and potential Shakespeare readers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Internationally acclaimed artist Ian Pollack brings a uniquely surreal interpretation to his rendition of Shakespeare's most psychologically harrowing play. Go deeper and deeper into the drama, as Pollack's fabulous colors and eerie shapes underscore the unmaking of Lear the king, and the making of Lear the man.

About the Author

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) wrote 37 plays. King Lear and Macbeth are widely considered his finest and most popular. They are, perhaps, the most frequently produced works on the planet.

Ian Pollack has contributed illustrations to virtually every English magazine, and in the United States to Esquire, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and more. Mr. Pollack spent a full year on the art for King Lear.

Product Details

• Paperback: 140 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company; Unabridged edition (January 4, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4938456001
• ISBN-13: 978-0894806735
• ASIN: 0894806734
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,051,047 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Excellent Excellent!!! Great intro to Shakespeare, March 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: King Lear (Paperback)

I am a theatre arts instructor and I feel that this book is an excellent introduction to Shakespeare's plays. I feel, as do many other people in my field, that the plays of William Shakespeare are meant to be seen as opposed to read. The comic book format gives you the best of both worlds. I have given this book to students who claim not to be able to understand Shakespeare and they literally tear through this book. Very high marks as far as this Professor is concerned!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Illustrators vison attracts children to Shakespear, July 23, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: King Lear (Paperback)

In translating Shakespeare to comic book form Ian Pollock must interpet stage direction and consider character development as a director might. To read Shakespeare is to miss both the aural experience and the visual, and necessaraly each players interpretation of his/her role. This comic book format helps replace some of that which is lost. Pollock's interpretation is excellent, and his illustrative style captures the ugliness of Lear very well. One does long for beauty in his illustrations from time to time, but on the whole his interpretation works. What is most facinating perhaps is pollock's appeal to children. The visual ellement helps illucidate the text and make difficult scenes intelligable to children. Middle School aged children will have little difficulty understanding and being facinated by this rich and wonderful play

5.0 out of 5 stars drama was the visual arts for groundlings and other humans now we have Ian Pollock, September 6, 2008

By 

C. Scanlon "least helpful reviewer" (among us humans) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: King Lear (Paperback)

When I was a kid we had Illustrated Classics on the Comics page.

Even the Bible.

This is not that old pompous and dull and really dumb Illustrated Classics

This is King Lear, integrally, and real.

The death of Cordelia is as effective here as anywhere else. Is it Will or is it Ian.

Or both?

Read this book. It is not a waste. Do not look down upon it in your pretensions. It is like great theatre in your hand. Do not be embarrassed. Do not be ashamed. This book gets it across, and carries as much of the text as you will find anywhere else outside of King Lear (Arden Shakespeare) or The Oxford Shakespeare: The History of King Lear (The Oxford Shakespeare), and it brings it with a driving force, a living power, straight to the heart and the mind.

So the characters appear to be caricatures, with Edmund especially a rather Karloff Frankenstein demeanor, but with the eloquence as originally written by Shelley. Will wrote them rather as caricatures, yet compelling. Read this book. It will be a great comfort, a revelation, a great friend. And greatly informative for our own curious times.

The introduction itself is brilliant and worth the small price of admission. You find herein all that is within Lear, and more. A brilliant supplement to your essential King Lear (Norton Critical Editions) and The Tragedy of King Lear (The New Cambridge Shakespeare) in any case! Hide it within those tomes in class; bring it alone to bed afterwards! Learn here Lear.