Royal Hunt of the Sun a Play Concerning the Concerning the Con Est of Peru (Acting Edition) [Paperback]

Peter Shaffer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Acting Edition | Publication Date: June 1965

This volume is part of a series of novels, plays and stories at GCSE/Key Stage 4 level, designed to meet the needs of the National Curriculum syllabus. Each text includes an introduction, pre-reading activities, notes and coursework activities. Also provided is a section on the process of writing, often compiled by the author. This play centres on Pizarro, who leads an army of Spanish Conquistadors to Peru, to conquer the golden kingdom of the Incas. The soldiers claim to be "huntsmen of God". But what are they really hunting? And what is the reason for the strange bond that develops between Pizarro and the Inca king?

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

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Shaffer was born in Liverpool in 1926. Among his plays, The Salt Land (1954), Equus (1973) which won Shaffer the 1975 Tony Award for Best Play as well as the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, Amadeus (1979) which won the Evening Standard Drama Award and the Theatre Critics Award for the London production. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Independent Pub Group (June 1965)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0573013888
• ISBN-13: 978-0573013881
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,479,466 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a play concerning the conquest of Peru, October 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Royal Hunt of the Sun a Play Concerning the Concerning the Con Est of Peru (Acting Edition) (Paperback)

Royal Hunt Of The Sun contains three tragedies: One of destruction of the great Inca empire; the tragedy of Pizarro, who destroys something for which he has been searching all his life, and the tragedy of Martin Ruiz, whose youthful idealism is destroyed by his experience in Peru. The main theme of this play which concerns the search for religion. All through the play Shaffer contrasts the beauty and high values of the Incas and the greed and ugliness of the Spanish.

4.0 out of 5 stars Longman Edition Lacks Vital Stage Directions, January 14, 2001

By 

Renee Thorpe (Karangasem, Bali) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Royal Hunt of the Sun a Play Concerning the Concerning the Con Est of Peru (Acting Edition) (Paperback)

A great play about the slaughter of the Incas, idealism lost, compromise and corruption. Excellent characterizations. Interesting subtext covers the pitfalls of imperialism. both Incan and Spanish.

Caveat: Longman Literature version (Editor: Graham-Adriani and Series Editor Blatchford, ISBN 0-582-06014-1) should be avoided. Vital and if not merely enriching stage directions are not included in this publication/edition.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars hard to read but wothwhile, January 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Royal Hunt of the Sun a Play Concerning the Concerning the Con Est of Peru (Acting Edition) (Paperback)

I have found this play very exciting to read, but the getting in was a little bit difficult. But I admire the variety of the vocabulary that Shaffer made use of. He handled a couple of topics, which are very interesting: I.e. the existence of god, different cultures and their organisation, religion and a motive that goes through the whole story: The word. Shaffer encourages the reader to make his own opinion about questions like: «Is it justified to break the word if you act in consciousness and for the good of your crew?»

Pizarro's problem as an illegitimate son and his existential questions are not discussed. Something that makes this play very special is the fact that Old Martin occurs time after time and tells about his experiences and the happenings, when he had been in Peru.

In short: + Interesting play with a demanding vocabulary - Hard to get in