Shakespeare: A Life in Drama [Hardcover]

Stanley Wells (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995

Considering the playwright and his work, the author theorizes that Shakespeare's elusive personality is a result of his supremacy as a dramatist--that he submerged his identity in his characters--and assesses evolving meanings of the plays and poems.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Wells, who is director of the Shakespeare Institute in England and general editor of the "Oxford Shakespeare," shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in this study, which will appeal to anyone with an interest in Shakespeare's work. Wells examines what is known about Shakespeare's life and speculates about his personality but he emphasizes that Shakespeare had a unique ability to transcend his own identity and imagine himself into the roles of his characters. Wells sees Shakespeare above all as a man of the theater, and in the chronological survey of the plays and poems that constitutes the bulk of his book, Wells emphasizes the theatrical qualities, often citing examples from particular performance. Wells also shows how the meanings attached to the plays have evolved over the centuries and why they still appeal to us today: Shakespeare addresses fundamental human concerns, and, ultimately, what shines out of his work is compassion for his fellow human beings.
Bryan Aubrey, Fairfield, Ia.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 403 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc; First Edition. first american edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393037657
• ISBN-13: 978-0393037654
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,361,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very readable & interesting, December 2, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Shakespeare: A Life in Drama (Hardcover)

I'm no Shakespeare scholar, that's for sure, so I admit I was a bit apprehensive when I bought this book, thinking that perhaps it would be an "insider" book with obscure referents and references--you know, the kind that Shakespeare fanatics who write "tho" instead of "though," &tc. This book, though certainly filled with formidable scholarship, is a wonderfully readable book for everyone (or almost everyone!). I loved every page of it (or almost every page).