Customer Reviews

Timon of Athens (Folger Shakespeare Library)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Although the Folger Shakespeare Library editions are not my favourite mass market pb editions of Shakerspeare (I prefer the Bantam/Signet editions, with their wealth of commentary that follows the text of the play), for single reading editions of the plays they are easy and superbly presented. The text is printed in single column on the right, with extensive commentary/explanation and occasional illustration to the left. The introductions are functional and usually interesting. This play was never printed in Quarto in Shakespeare's lifetime, and its first publication was in the First Folio of 1623, assembled by two gentlemen players from Shakespeare's acting troupe (people often ask, "Where are the MSS of Shakespeare's plays, why didn't he leave them to someone in his will; but obviously his acting troupe owned the original copies, from which they assembled the First Folio). TIMON OF ATHENS has never been one of the poet's popular plays, but it is fascinating. The BBC production is quite good. This was the favourite play of Karl Marx! In his 2007 edition of the Complete Works, editor and scholar Jonathan Bate states that the play may have been written in collaboration with Thomas Middleton. It is a dark play sans humor, deeply pessimistic and troubling. There are some great speeches, especially in the latter half, particularly in Act IV. I believe one may view the entire BBC televised production, in segments, on YouTube.

I was very pleased with the condition in which the book I ordered, Timon of Athens, came. It was a used copy, but looked practically new.

I would not presume to review Shakespeare. This is not one of my favorites, but it is still Shakespeare and beyond my criticism.