Julius Caesar (The New Folger Library Shakespeare) (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "Enter Flavius, Marullus, and certain, Commoners, including a Carpenter and a Cobbler, over the stage..." (more)
Key Phrases: Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Enter Brutus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Folger Shakespeare Library

The world's leading center for Shakespeare studies

Each edition includes:

• Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play

• Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play

• Scene-by-scene plot summaries

• A key to famous lines and phrases

• An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language

• An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play

• Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essay by Coppélia Kahn

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs.

About the Author

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit www.folger.edu.

Barbara A. Mowat is Director of Academic Programs at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Editor of Shakespeare Quarterly, Chair of the Folger Institute, and author of The Dramaturgy of Shakespeare's Romances and of essays on Shakespeare's plays and on the editing of the plays.

Paul Werstine is Professor of English at King's College and the Graduate School of the University of Western Ontario, Canada. He is the author of many papers and articles on the printing and editing of Shakespeare's plays and was Associate Editor of the annual Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England from 1980 to 1989.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743482743
• ISBN-13: 978-0743482745
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,922 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a Casual Read., May 27, 2004

By	Samuel J. Ettinger (South Pasadena Middle School, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Before I begin, I would like to point out three things. One, I am only a middle-school student (this was an honours class project); two, this is my first review; three, I am reviewing the unabridged, original dialogue version. Thank you.

William Shakespeare is hailed as the greatest writer ever, yet (based on people I've met) very few people have read even a single one of his works. I expected it to be required reading in high school or, at the very least, college. Alas, it is not. This is a disappointment, as I truly enjoyed reading this play, my first encounter with Shakespeare.

Julius Caesar is a tale of honor and betrayal. Pompey, a beloved Roman leader, is defeated in civil war with Caesar. A small brotherhood, let by Marcus Brutus, is still devoted to him after his death, and wants nothing less than the assassination of their new leader. I had expected Caesar's death ("Et tu, Bruté? Then fall Caesar.") to be near the end of the book. However, it turned out to be within the third of five acts. The rest of the book is devoted to the attempts by Brutus's followers and Marc Antony (a dear friend of Caesar, and Brutus's enemy) to get the populace to believe in and follow that person's views, and turn them against the other people's ideals. Marc Antony, an orator with the ability to, in essence, brainwash an entire city with a short speech ("Friends, Romans, Countrymen, / Lend me your ears!"), convinces Rome to turn on Brutus's brotherhood. How their conflict is settled is, by far, the most captivating and entrancing parts of the play.

With the plot discussed, I will move on to what makes this a challenging read: dialogue. Being a work from the Elizabethan Era, I (naively) expected words such as "forsooth" and manye more wordse endinge ine "e". As it turned out, this was not the case. There were archaic words that would elicit cocked heads of confusion from the average person. My saviour from the confusion turned out to be the footnotes in one of the versions I read. The phrase "They fall their crests, and like deceitful jades / Sink in the trial" becomes "They let their necks droop and, like weary nags, fail the test" (Brutus, A4 S2, L26/27). One is forced to scrutinise every single word, in order to receive a complete understanding of the goings-on.

The unabridged version of Julius Caesar is definitely not a piece one reads in one's free time; rather, it should be considered a serious task. Once you put the book down, you transform from reader to philosopher. You will instinctively begin to ponder the issues in whatever part of the book that you have just completed. I, personally, read one act at a time, then closed my eyes (or reread the act) to mull over what had just transpired. I was left with a better understanding of that portion, and a greater respect for the genius of Shakespeare.

Though this and the following sentences have nothing to do with the above review, I am obliged to put them in. My crusade in life is to get as many people as possible to read Congo, by Michael Crichton, and this is as good as any other place to post my propaganda. Please take the time to at least try the book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The classic book report... with a twist., February 15, 2006

By	Andy Kelley (Johnson City, TN USA) - See all my reviews

We all know the story of Julius Caesar. The tragic event that led to chaos. Though it is a popular television and movie theme, we know it in large part due to Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare's famed play. It includes moving scenes such as Caesar's infamous "Et tu Brute", and Marc Antony's moving "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears." This book, put together by Folger Shakespeare Library, helps to bring this story to life.
This book, about 239 pages total, features "explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play." While these notes may not answer every question you might come up with, I believe they are very helpful to the average reader (such as myself). These pages also provide plenty of room for anyone who prefers to annotate, or write down thoughts, in their books.
Also featured on these pages is a scene summary for every scene. The scene summaries really helped me truly understand the Shakespearian language. I am very grateful I ordered this copy of Julius Caesar, since it has the tools necessary for the average reader to fully grasp what is happening. I picked it up right here on Amazon.com.
I can hardly find negative aspects to this edition. The best I can come up with is that the words and phrases noted are not already underlined or marked somehow by the publisher. (I know, not a big deal.) The story is great, a must-read for all history buffs or even the casual reader. All-in-all, if you are looking to read Julius Caesar, or just some Shakespeare to impress your friends or teachers with, check out the Folger Shakespeare Library's edition of Julius Caesar. I highly recommend it.
So, what are you waiting on? Get to it!

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating , September 28, 2004

By	A Book Lover "crystalofcolors" (California) - See all my reviews

This play by William Shakespeare, is a fascinating study of human drama composed of a group of Romans who wish to assassinate the would be king, Julius Caeser.

Each character is significantly drawn, and each has flaws, and is quite interesting. Brutus is the hero of the play, even though it's named Caesar, Caeser is not the main character, more like the unifying force. Anyway, Brutus is a hertofore honorable soldier brought into the assassination plot by the more sinister Cassius. Caeser has a god complex, and his right hand man is Mark Antony, who is a party boy turned avenging angel. These are the main characters, rounded out by Octavius Caeser who joins the cast near the end.

Clever dialogue, and thought provoking story make a fascinating read. This has made a Shakespeare fan out of me.