Shakespeare on the Double! Julius Caesar [Paperback]

William Shakespeare (Author), Mary Ellen Snodgrass (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Shakespeare on the Double! | Publication Date: September 5, 2006

"But, for my own part, it was Greek to me."

Now you can appreciate Julius Caesar in plain English. Political intrigue. Ambition. Envy. Conspiracy. Hypocrisy. Betrayal. Assassination. Pride. Suicide. The Ides of March. The tides of war. Julius Caesar makes today's political scene seem boring! If the original text seems Greek (or geek) to you, now you can read and enjoy it in a modern translation that's easy to understand. Special aids make following the action and grasping the meaning a snap:

• A brief synopsis of the plot and action
• A comprehensive character list that describes the characteristics, motivations, and actions of each major player
• A visual character map that shows the relationships of major characters
• A cycle-of-death graphic that pinpoints the sequence of deaths and includes who dies, how they die, and why
• Reflective questions that help you understand the themes of the play

Shakespeare on the Double! Julius Caesar helps you appreciate this play and the sad, oft-quoted question, "Et tu, Brute?"

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"But, for my own part, it was Greek to me."

Now you can appreciate Julius Caesar in plain English. Political intrigue. Ambition. Envy. Conspiracy. Hypocrisy. Betrayal. Assassination. Pride. Suicide. The Ides of March. The tides of war. Julius Caesar makes today's political scene seem boring! If the original text seems Greek (or geek) to you, now you can read and enjoy it in a modern translation that's easy to understand. Special aids make following the action and grasping the meaning a snap:

• A brief synopsis of the plot and action
• A comprehensive character list that describes the characteristics, motivations, and actions of each major player
• A visual character map that shows the relationships of major characters
• A cycle-of-death graphic that pinpoints the sequence of deaths and includes who dies, how they die, and why
• Reflective questions that help you understand the themes of the play

Shakespeare on the Double! Julius Caesar helps you appreciate this play and the sad, oft-quoted question, "Et tu, Brute?"

About the Author

Mary Ellen Snodgrass is an award-winning author of textbooks and general reference works and a former columnist for the Charlotte Observer. A member of Phi Beta Kappa, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Appalachian State University and holds degrees in English, Latin, psychology, and the education of gifted children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 193 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470041579
• ISBN-13: 978-0470041574
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,287,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Drama > History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent support, some questions remain..., January 3, 2009

By 

John Robinson "john" (Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shakespeare on the Double! Julius Caesar (Paperback)

I bought this book yesterday.

1. What I like:

The presence of "normal" English on every facing page means that my brain can take a break if it gets tired of the Elizabethan English on the left-hand page.

It's kind of like those platforms that break up a long stairway. They are meant to give the heart a rest but not by stopping your walking (you can stop on the steps, too, after all).

Both science and experience have shown that continuing to climb stairs, without a horizontal segment to break the stress, causes the cardiac tension to build and build until, in some cases, heart failure occurs. Even a short interval of a couple of seconds of horizontal walking is enough to break that cycle. This is why those platforms are mandated.

The modern English in this book serves the same purpose. For a few moments, your brain can just...relax. Yet, you are still reading and making progress. You don't need to stop (which is dangerous because you might not start again!). The cycle of tension is broken and you can continue, refreshed.

2. What I don't like:

Some things are not explained.

For example, "Pompey's blood..." Most readers will assume this means the blood of his body, since he was, after all, killed in battle by Caesar's forces.

According to Asimov (Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare), this is incorrect. "...blood" actually refers to Pompey's son, who was recently killed in Spain. This Spanish battle was the occasion for the triumph being discussed in this section of the play (Act I, scene i). This book does not explain this at all, and yet explaining these kinds of ambiguous words is the very raison d'etre of this book.

Conclusion:

If you need a little support when reading Shakespeare (and I certainly do), I highly recommend this book. But, take it with a small grain of salt. It is excellent support but it is not perfect.

What it will do is this: it will get you back to reading Shakespeare!

I sure wouldn't want to walk upstairs without those little platforms to break the stress.

Buy it now.