Richard Dreyfuss in Julius Caesar (Audio Cassette)

~ William Shakespeare (Author)

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 an alternate Audio Cassette edition.

Review

'Daniell's edition is a hefty piece of serious scholarship that makes a genuine contribution.' -- Eric Rasmussen, University of Nevada at Reno, Shakespeare Survey

'This is a stimulating new look at a play which is too often exhibited in a critical museum.' -- Paul Dean, English Studies 81,1, --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Listening Library (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807235687
• ISBN-13: 978-0807235683
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,214,580 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Sean Ares Hirsch (Swan Lake, New York) - 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.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Not All Greek., December 24, 2005

By	tvtv3 "tvtv3" (Sorento, IL United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Julius Caesar (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

When I first read JULIUS CAESAR as a sophomore in high school, I found it to be a decent play, but other than some really cool lines, didn't think it was that great. After having re-read the play and now having taught it to my own classes of sophomore English students, I have a much greater appreciation for the play. Granted, JULIUS CAESAR is not one of Shakespeare's greatest plays nor is it even one of his best histories. And despite much of it being written in the classic Shakespearean iambic pentameter, it really isn't all that poetic. There are moments when the language is extremely vivid and moving, e.g. Mark Antony's speech to the citizens of Rome or some of Brutus' personal soliloquies. However, compared to HAMLET or KING LEAR or HENRY V, the play seems juvenile by comparison. However, it is that very unpolished, amatuerism that makes the play so relevant and easy to connect with younger audiences.

Though Julius Caesar is the title character, the play isn't really about Caesar. Instead, the play is about Caesar's closest friend, Marcus Brutus. Through Brutus, the play examines exactly what it means to be noble, what is honor, and the nature of friendship. In the course of the play, Brutus is led to believe and becomes convinced that in doing a most dishonorable act, he is doing the most honorable thing he possibly can to save Rome and all the ideals he has staked his life upon. Yet, his decision brings him to kill his best friend and ultimately brings about the end of the republic which he had tried to save.

Contrary to what I had been led to believe before I began teaching this play, students really enjoy JULIUS CAESAR. It is full of murder and betrayal. They enjoy the violence and the theme of betrayal is something they are all able to relate to. I have also found that student seem to sympathize much more with Caesar than with Brutus. They can't understand why Brutus would kill his best friend. The concept of caring more about a group of people (family, country, etc.) than one single person seems beyond them. I've tried to use Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE to help them understand this better (in that story the question is "If you were able to stop Hitler before he became Hitler, even if he was your closest friend, would you?").

Overall, though JULIUS CAESAR is not one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, it is a great play to introduce people both to the brilliance of Shakespeare and to one of history's most pivotal moments; the time when Rome became an Empire.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Shakespeare Classic, February 12, 2006

By	Elijah Chingosho "Dr Elijah Chingosho" (Nairobi, Kenya) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Julius Caesar (Shakespeare, Signet Classic) (Paperback)

Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar in about 1599. The play was the first of three Roman plays. Shakespeare based the source material for the play on a translation of a work by the Greek philosopher and biographer Plutarch, called "The lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans". Shakespeare, like Plutarch, praises and criticises the actions of the main characters in the assassination of Julius Caesar. However, the historical events in the play are fairly accurate, although the playwright sometimes changed the sequence and timing of events and added his limitless imagination to produce a timeless play that has been enacted and enjoyed by millions of people worldwide over the centuries.

The play is set in a period of political instability in Rome. The people of Rome celebrate Caesar victory over Pompey, their former leader. However, there are officials that are concerned about Caesar's growing power. The Romans were then aware that absolute power is open to abuse (there are people today who still do not know this simple fact). Among those concerned about the growing power of Caesar are Cassius and Brutus, who are both followers of Caesar.

Cassius persuades Brutus that something needs to be done to thwart Caesar's growing ambitions. Brutus has a problem with his conscience but ultimately decides that it is in the best interests of Rome that Caesar is eliminated.

Caesar receives warnings about the impending danger. During a festival that Caesar attends, he is warned "Beware the Ides of March". Caesar, however, dismisses the Soothsayer's warnings. When the Ides of March arrive and while Caesar is due to go to be crowned, warnings in the form of storms, bad omens and his wife's horrible dreams initially persuade Caesar to stay at home. However, Caesar decides to go after being advised that if he did not show up, Senators might change their minds about crowning him emperor. On entering the capitol, the conspirators stab Caesar to death.

Mark Anthony, a very close ally of Caesar, initially pretends to go along with the conspirators but he is determined to avenge his death. When Brutus addresses the confused crowd to drum up support for the assassination, Mark Anthony cleverly and expertly manages to turn the crowd against the conspirators and incites them to riot. With popular support in Rome, the triumvirs Anthony, Octavious and Lepidus plan to fight Brutus and Cassius. Brutus's conscience still troubles him and he sees Caesars ghost. Fighting takes place and Cassius and Brutus are defeated and both commit suicide to save their honour. The triumvirs then seize power after avenging Caesar.