Customer Reviews

Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Made Easy)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The original text is why you buy it: nothing can beat the beauty of Shakespeare's English. BUT! Side-by-side with the modern English is why you UNDERSTAND it. Granted, all versions in print have the little notations which translate individual words. This book, however, also has stage directions, asides, nuances, historical references and translations of entire passages. With the true meaning in mind, you then go back to Shakespeare's version and it only enhances the beauty of how he penned it. I cannot praise this series enough. I only wish ALL of his plays were published this way (instead of just 10 of them).

...as when I told them about this book. It makes both content and context much easier. They understand what is being said and why it is important. I recommend this series to anyone studying Shakespeare. It cuts through all the language barriers and leaves you with and easily understandable text.

It was the first play from Shakespeare I read, and it was really hard work for me to find out what sense of humour Shakespeare uses. In a way, all the characters in that play are fools, all in a different way. For example Orsino is a fool because he doesn't realise, that Olivia doesn't love him. He sends servants all the time for reading love poems to her. The only person who isn't a fool is the clown, who you expect to be the greatest fool of all. But he is a very intelligent man and knows the intentions of every person in the play. In a satiric way he shows them how ridiculous they really are. After a difficult start I really enjoyed reading the play, I just had to understand the old language of Shakespeare and his humour, which is so important for the comprehension of the play. this version of course helps a lot

After reading Twelfth Night, I realized that I have never read a better Shakespearean work. Not only does this have signs of comical mischef, but it has so many deeper meanings as well. The first deep message that I uncovered was the fact of gender confusion. Viola, using the power of a man to her advantage, begs the question to whether or not she is struggling with issues of gender identity. Her conversation even begs the question much futher, and by the end of the play leaves the reader with so many questions....This was a wonderful read, and quite possibly one of Shakespeare's best works.

The Twelfth Night and others in this this series was used by my kids in several homeschool co op classes. It has made their understanding much clearer. We will continue to use these.

I have my degree in English... I like reading and teaching with this version as "help" not as a substitution. It gives a clearer understanding to Shakespeare for people who have difficulty with it.

Of all Shakespheare's plays I've read so far, I like Twelfth Night the best. I read it so many times I even lost my dependence on the modern language translation and I could read the Elizabethan language with the right conversational rhythm, losing all the awkwardness. I particularly liked the role of the snobby servant Malvolio, who tries to move up to the level of his Countess Olivia and leave his other "inferiors" behind. There is a couple of elaborate pranks being played upon characters in the play, in which Malvolio becomes one of the victims. Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria are the comic "team" that set these pranks in motion, all with amusing results. I just like the playfulness of these characters and their continual search for fun.

The main plot of the play is little less interesting involving the old disguised, mistaken, or confused identity ploy that Shakespheare uses from time to time. This time out a woman named Viola is a character pretending to be a man who is sent to woo Countess Olivia for Duke Orsino. She has a brother that looks just like her, especially now since she is dressed like a man. Identity confusion ensues. Also the pranks of the subplot mesh with the main plot for an amusing end.

I liked the play. It was pretty interesting. Shakespeare writes in the most beautiful language I know. Even though I did not understand everything, I really enjoyed reading it.
However I think the end is a little bit too facile. I do not like love stories with such easy happy endings. I suppose the play should have been a little bit longer so that Orsino could have had enough time to fall in love with Viola. This just went on too fast. Maybe it is the way men are. But well, such is life...

I must say it is a great book. I had never read Shakespeare before and I was really amazed about his writings. We read the book in modern English and it was easy to understand. I had my problems with the old English. I didn't understand very much but I think when you read Shakespeare you have to read it in English because the words are typical for his writings an it's only very Shakespeare in this "language". I like the action of the story. There are a lot of different characters (Viola, Orsino, Sir Toby, Maria and so on) and I think that makes the story interesting. At the beginning I couldn't imagine what would happen. Towards the end I could but that was not so bad. Although I don't normally like stories where I can already say after reading a few pages what will eventually happen. The content of the story is funny. The part with Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Fabian and Malvolio is the funniest part. How Malvolio speaks when he has found the letter is very amusing..
I am going to read another Shakespeare play again because I think he is such a good playwright. What I din't like in this book is the end because suddenly the whole story is over so fast and they married and that's it. That's one thing that bothered me. But all in all it is a very funny play.

I was very glad, when I saw the „translation" in modern English! So it was possible for me to understand the story. Shakespeare is really a wonderful writer! I wonder that his plays are so funny and ribald! have I always imaged that they were serious and boring. His ideas are incredible: Viola as Cesario, Olivias love for Cesario, Violas love for Orsino, the deception of Malvolio, the confusion with Viola and Sebastian - really a lot of confusion, but it is all resolved in the end!