Books

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Made Easy)

Average customer rating:

kids romeo and juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Made Easy; Parallel Edition)
Romeo and Juliet (shakespeare Made Easy; Parallel Edition)
Great Study Tool!

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Made Easy)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Macbeth (Shakespeare Made Easy)
Romeo and Juliet (Cliffs Notes)
Julius Caesar (Oxford School Shakespeare Series)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Made Easy)
Hamlet (Shakespeare Made Easy)

ASIN: 0812035720

Book Description

Here are the books that help teach Shakespeare plays without the teacher constantly needing to explain and define Elizabethan terms, slang, and other ways of expression that are different from our own. Each play is presented with Shakespeare's original lines on each left-hand page, and a modern, easy-to-understand "translation" on the facing right-hand page. All dramas are complete, with every original Shakespearian line, and a full-length modern rendition of the text.

Customer Reviews:

kids romeo and juliet.......2007-05-09

These book is great. It came in very handy for my daughter while they were reading this in school

Romeo and Juliet .......2007-04-11

I was very pleased with this product from Amazon; including the expedited delivery.

Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Made Easy; Parallel Edition).......2006-12-22

This was a great resource while teaching "Romeo and Juliet" last year to my English 1 students. I was able to explain the more difficult passages to them as we read along in the book. I wish that I had the money to purchase this book for all of my students. I plan to use it again this school year.

Romeo and Juliet (shakespeare Made Easy; Parallel Edition).......2006-08-13

Book arrived first of the three ordered at the same time. Book was in excellent condition.

Great Study Tool!.......2006-07-04

This was THE difference between my son completely missing Romeo and Juliet and him "getting it". It shows the original text along side the "understandable" version. Extremely helpful.

Average customer rating:

No Fear Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet
NOW I get it!
No Fear is the best Shakespeare Ever

Romeo and Juliet (No Fear Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Hamlet (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
Macbeth (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (No Fear Shakespeare)
SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare Othello (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

ASIN: 1586638459

Customer Reviews:

No Fear Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet.......2007-03-09

I purchased this book for my freshman daughter, who is in Pre-AP English class. She says it has made reading and understanding Romeo and Juliet easy.

NOW I get it!.......2005-12-24

Echoing the review below...this helped me understand many things I was missing - even in other "helper" versions. After a few run-throughs of the "No Fear" side, you're ready for the "Real Shakespeare" side. Fabulous for students...of any age!

No Fear is the best Shakespeare Ever.......2004-06-30

This is only partially a review of the story, but mostly a review on how much I love the No Fear series. It's SO useful. You have Shakespeare on one page, and the 'translation' into modern English on one page. I understand Shakespeare so much better now. I thought I understood Shakespeare when I read version where you have a footnote at the bottom saying what 'grandshire phrase' or something means. I did get the gist of it, but now I understand what the characters are saying and feeling, and I get all the little jokes. I can appreciate Shakespeare now, which was impossible before (then again, I'm only 12, it's probably easier for other people).

Not to mention in other versions I would read a little bit, glance down at the footnotes, read, glance down, re-read to find the word in the footnote, et cetera and it was very tedious. Now I just read a page of Shakespeare and then a page of modern, or vice versa. I do vice versa because then I understand how the character feels before reading the lines out loud, making this version very useful for putting on the play.

There is one problem. In most editions, you have various essays and notes. They don't have this in here. I don't take of stars for this because I personally never read the essays, but some people might.

Anyway, the story itself. Shakespeare is very poetic, and you can appreciate it more if you know what he's talking about. How ever, I hate 'love at first sight' with a burning passion. If you get over that, the characters and plot are engaging.

I read this because I was in the play. But this edition is so good I'm going to read other Shakespeare plays for my own enjoyment.

Average customer rating:

helpful
Great for studying Hamlet!
Helpful edition; entertaining play.
A good reading copy
great story

Hamlet (Shakespeare Made Easy)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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King Lear (Oxford School Shakespeare Series)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
Macbeth (Shakespeare Made Easy)
Macbeth
The Tempest (Cambridge School Shakespeare)

ASIN: 0812036387

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

helpful.......2007-01-15

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.

Great for studying Hamlet!.......2007-01-10

I had to use this for a course I was taking. This book was very clear and very helpful. It definetely made reading Hamlet a lot clearer and simpler.

Helpful edition; entertaining play........2006-09-14

"Hamlet" was not a Shakespearean play I had plan on reading outside of my Movement in Theatre class and this edition made it one hundred times easier. I had to read the play in a week, so reading the modern English side made that process effortless. I then read over the original Shakespeare version when I had to focus on the character Ophelia. Overall, I found that this play was easier to read in Shakespeare's writing, as opposed to some of his other plays. The play is interesting, but I felt the ending to be boring. I "sorta" recommend.

A good reading copy.......2006-08-25

Once you get used to the layout, this is a good copy to read along with as you listen to the play. Some valuable insights too and not just for students.

great story.......2006-03-15

hamlet, one of my favorite kooks. everybody dies in the end. that's perfecto.

Average customer rating:

You'll get Shakespeare after reading this
Modern MacBeth above the Rest
Suits our needs
Yucketh
Nice translation of Macbeth

Macbeth (Shakespeare Made Easy)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Macbeth (Cliffs Notes)
Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Made Easy)
Hamlet (Shakespeare Made Easy)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Made Easy)
Julius Caesar (Oxford School Shakespeare Series)

ASIN: 0812035712

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

You'll get Shakespeare after reading this.......2006-05-21

My World Literature professor suggested the "Shakespeare Made Easy" series after I told her that I would have difficulty understanding the Bard. I not only (finally!) understood what was happening but, in the future, will buy the other books in the series to do some serious catching up on Shakespeare.

The translation was in Modern English but what will surprise the reader is that many things haven't changed from Olde English. As you're reading the Modern English version, take the few seconds to look at the corresponding Olde English (on the left) and see how much you can understand.

In any case, the price is just right for this book and you'll come away with a deeper knowledge and much appreciation for Shakespeare after you're done. - Donna Di Giacomo

Modern MacBeth above the Rest.......2006-03-10

Very helpful, affordable, and clear. Helped in more ways than I thought.

Suits our needs.......2004-03-28

I won't even attempt to critique Shakespeare's work, as some have done here. I'm not reviewing MacBeth, but this particular version of it. As a homeschooling Mom with three highschool students, the only way we could get through Shakespeare's works is by having a copy of Shakespeare Made Easy on hand. As it is, we completed 5 plays this year - all done orally, with each of us taking several parts. While I think it's important that my kids read Shakespeare in it's original format (and they did), I had the Shakespeare Made Easy translation handy so that I could give simple, concise explanations whenever they just didn't "get it". I recommend these books for that purpose - not for the watered down versions of these classics, but to make them understandable to the average student who might otherwise find Shakespeare's works boring and a waste of time (as many students do).

Yucketh.......2003-05-03

This version is horrible. I was looking for one of those Shakespeare versions that footnoted the words and phrases you didn't understand, so you could piece together the meaning yourself. Instead, this version gives you very a very simplistic interpretation of the text, every step of the way. I wouldn't recommend this edition to anyone.

Nice translation of Macbeth.......2001-12-17

This book is a nice translation from Shakespeare's language in Macbeth to the modern easy to read language of today. As a student myself, I recommend this book to other students studying Macbeth, if they feel they do not understand exact phrases from the play. If you are already good at 'translating' the lines from the play i do not recommend this book as strongly...... but still........ it helped me a great deal with my assignments.

Sticky Note Origami: 25 Designs to Make at Your Desk

Average customer rating:

great book
I DISAGREE WITH THE LAST REVIEW
A great disappointment
VERY CLEVER

Sticky Note Origami: 25 Designs to Make at Your Desk
David Mitchell
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Lost Art of Towel Origami
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The Guide to Hawaiian-Style Money Folds

ASIN: 1843402270

Book Description

It's clever, it's creative, and most of all, it's fun: super origami made with those stick-it desk notes found on every desk. These projects make work just a little more entertaining.

Everyone has them in the office and even at home: ordinary pads of sticky notes in a range of colors and sizes. With the help of innovative origami expert David Mitchell, they can quickly become attractive paper sculptures. All it takes is a few minutes to finish off something beautiful during an interminable phone call or while waiting for a meeting to begin. Each of the 20 projects-including 3-D animals, posies to put on a message, and geometric designs-feature detailed diagrams and a color photo of the completed piece. And every item was especially created to take advantage of the paper's sticky end. It's the sure-fire antidote to those boring moments on the job.

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-03-29

this book is very nice and i like it a lot there are some really cool models in this book like diamonds where if you put the mtogether it lookes like a 3 dimentional shape i like this book a lot i has some really cute models like wizards and cool shapes A great buy for anyone who gets bored at the desk (or school for that matter.)

I DISAGREE WITH THE LAST REVIEW.......2006-12-24

I thought the book was delightful. The directions for each design are extremely clear, which is NOT always the case with origami books. One great design is a sticky note take on a flexagon, which works very well since the paper comes with its own stickiness -- no transparent tape required. The models are relatively easy (till the last few), so this would be a good book for an origami novice. An experienced folder might want to take a look at a copy before purchasing.

A great disappointment.......2006-08-25

The book contains 25 designs. Many of these are pointless tile patterns. Most figures are standard designs - you join 2 post-its to make your starting square paper. A number of designs would require an explanation for a viewer to recognise what they are suppposed to be. When I ordered the book I expected I would end up with lovely little figures across my desk cleverly folded from post-its - there wasn't one figure I would display. Don't bother with this book - there are plenty better - even free stuff off the web is higher standard.

VERY CLEVER.......2006-04-26

You will need sticky notes of course
rectangles 38mm x 51 mm /1,5 x 2 inches
and 76mm x 127mm / 3 x 5 inches
squares 76mm / 3 inches

The models are
3 x 5 inches
and 1,5 x 2 inches
Plane, 3 sheets

3 x 5 inches
Elephants extreme
Flapping bird, two sheets

1,5 x 2 inches
Butterflies
Posy two sheets
My cheating heart by Oliver Zachary
Oblong carp
Shooting stars, four sheets
Octagon ring, eight sheets
Octagon star, eight sheets

3 inches
Shaggy dog
Basket hoop
Fred two, sheets
Alien, two sheets
Merlin by Oliver Zachary, two sheets
Paradox cubes, many sheets
Cairo tessalations, many sheets
Circle of squares, 32 sheets
Spinners, four sheets
Flexatron, four sheets
Simple structures by Tung Ken Lam, three sheets
Roll-up cube, six sheets
Upsilon, six sheets
Spiky ball, 18 sheets
Color-change collapsible cube, eight sheets

Macbeth (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

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No need to avoid Shakespeare anymore
very helpful

Macbeth (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Hamlet (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare Othello (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
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SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare: Julius Caesar (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

ASIN: 1586638467

Customer Reviews:

No need to avoid Shakespeare anymore.......2005-04-12

I consider myself to be a reasonably literate individual but, I have always avoided Shakespeare since I cannot make sense of the text. But now, I have fianally read Macbeth because, with "No Fear Shakespeare," each left hand page is written in the original whereas the right hand page is a plain English translation. So now I know, that when a porter says "it makes him stand to and not stand to," he is not referring about someone standing up on his feet. Instead, it means that alcoholic drinks make a man have an erection but then, lose the erection. How true is that and how cool is it to be able to understand that? Seriously, Macbeth is a great tale of ambition, deception and conscience. Thanks to this innovative book, I was able to read the original, then, after reading each page, I referred to the translation so I could understand. It was fun to read lines in the original, try to work out what I thought it meant and then check whether I was right. I recommend this as a way finally read and appreciate Macbeth.

very helpful.......2005-03-19

The translation is clear and it helps immensely that it is side by side with the actual text. That way it's easy to fully understand the meaning behing Shakespeare's language.

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Made Easy)

Average customer rating:

Another Shakespeare Classic
Mercy Versus Justice
Shakespeare's Worst Play
Shakespeare's Worst Play
Shakespeare Comes to Life!

The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare Made Easy)
William Shakespeare , and Tessa Krailing
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Macbeth (Shakespeare Made Easy)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Made Easy)
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Hamlet (Shakespeare Made Easy)

ASIN: 0812035704

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Another Shakespeare Classic.......2006-03-24

I read the "Merchant of Venice" after reading "Romeo and Juliet", another of Shakespeare's masterpieces, and I thoroughly enjoyed the play. The "Merchant of Venice" is an excellent play that explores moral and ethical issues of what is right or wrong, good or bad, vice or virtue. It teaches that ultimately good will win over evil, love over hate.

Shakespeare powerfully brings out the characters in his play in a compelling and unforgettable way. Portia is shown to be the perfect woman, full of wisdom and wit, loving with all her soul, and submitting with all her heart to Bassanio.

Antonio was a kind and generous man who often helped people who were indebted to Shylock, the greed moneylender, to repay their debts. Antonio offers to go into debt for a loan to enable his friend Bassanio to have enough money to impress Portia, a woman he wishes to court and marry. The cruel Shylock demands a pound of his flesh if Antonio cannot pay back the loan. Antonio fails to pay the loan on time and it is only the clever and witty Portia who saves Antonio by pointing out in court that the agreement with Shylock requires him to take exactly one pound of flesh and that no blood has to be shed.

Among the various interesting sub-plots was where various Portia's suitors had to choose between three caskets. According to her late father's will, Portia's suitor must choose the correct of three caskets that contained Portia's picture (gold, silver, and lead), and then, if correct, he may marry Portia. The Moroccan prince arrives to woo Portia and learns that if he chooses the wrong chest, he must swear to never ask any woman to marry him. The Moroccan prince chooses a chest to open and he incorrectly chooses the gold one. The Prince of Aragon arrives and chooses the silver chest, also the wrong one. Bassanio, whom Portia loved, correctly chooses the lead casket and wins Portia's hand in marriage.

The one aspect of this play that mars an otherwise perfect play is the characterisation of Shylock, the Jew to be a caricature of Jewish usury and greed versus Christian mercy and kindness.

Mercy Versus Justice.......2002-12-27

William Shakespheare in the Merchant of Venice, explores again, like so many of his other plays, the difference between vice and virture, the noble and ignoble. This time out he compares the hero Antonio's acts of mercy with the villian Shylock's desire for justice, the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law. Shakespheare shows throughout the play that he is very confident that Christianity and its followers are superior to Judaism and its followers and quite frankly, his portrayal of the Jewish moneylender Shylock is anti-Semitic and leaves out none of the negative stereotypes. The play seems to be a Christian polemic with its theological interest in Christianity's mercy versus Judaism's justice, as Shakespheare sees it. It may have also been a warning to its audience about the moneylenders of Shakespheare's time.

The story is one in which Antonio offers to go into debt for a loan so that his friend Bassanio can have enough money to impress Portia, a woman he wishes to court and marry. Antonio goes into debt to Shylock, a moneylender who demands a pound of his flesh if he cannot pay back the loan. Shylock hates Antonio because Antonio has payed off many loans of his indebted clients and also has badmouthed him as an unethical loan shark, trying to damage Shylock's business.

It is the tension of hate between the two, which give the play an intensity, especially at the climax when Shylock is about to take a pound of his flesh. Also the fear of losing flesh to the moneylender makes for good drama. The character Shylock has some juicy vitriolic lines during the scene. And there is a certain glee Shakespheare builds into the play to see Shylock's "justice" turned against him.

There is also a subplot involving Portia and her various suitors who have to choose between 3 caskets of gold, silver, and lead. Choosing the correct casket will make them the husband of Portia. It was interesting to read about the different reasonings that each suitor has for their choices. Portia also disguises herself as a judge during Antonio's trial in which she helps to set him free of the charges and his friend Bassanio is persuaded to give up his engagement ring to the judge out of gratitude, which gets him in trouble with Portia later who does not tell him she was the judge as she asks him what happened to the ring.

This is a good, tightly constructed play with none of diffuseness of King Lear. It had more drama too.

Shakespeare's Worst Play.......2002-12-06

This is one of the worst plays ever published. I thought Shakespeare was a fool after reading this complely pointless play. Do not wase your money on this book because it is completly worthless. A total waste of time to even read any of this play.

Shakespeare's Worst Play.......2002-12-06

Shakespeare Comes to Life!.......2002-07-27

I really enjoyed having the side by side version...I found myself reading most often in the original text first, and glancing over at the modern text for clarification of meaning and humor. It made it very quick and enjoyable to read. High recommendation!

Average customer rating:

The Tragedy of the Tragically Unaesthetically Pleasing Review
Great edition of a great play
Excellent Shakespeare Classic
It's Not All Greek.
Movers and Shakespeares

Julius Caesar (Shakespeare Made Easy)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Julius Caesar (Cliffs Notes)
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ASIN: 0812035739

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

The Tragedy of the Tragically Unaesthetically Pleasing Review.......2006-05-25

"The Tragedy of Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare proves to be an amazing read if one thoroughly enjoys the challenge of deciphering the selective form of writing and occasionally complicated dialect. This classic play is based on the true, factual account of the assassination of Julius Caesar as it truly took place in 44 B.C. Of course, Shakespeare has completely made the story his own through the use of comic relief, characterization, and wonderful original composition. Julius Caesar, the ambitious and prideful dictator of Rome, has returned home from a victorious battle against his fellow Triumvirate, Pompey. As he celebrates and relishes his absolute power, little does he suspect the growing opposition of conspirators, some of whom he would never expect. This read is certainly worthwhile if one has a good taste for tragedy and does not mind a challenge.

Great edition of a great play.......2006-03-08

I really enjoyed reading this edition of the play. Each scene is proceded by a summary of the secene and followed by commentary on the scene, and there are notes alongside the text explaining unusual words/phrases. As an actor, I have been reading Shakespeare for quite awhile, and I still found this book very helpful. If you are new to reading Shakespeare, I particularly recommend this because you will find it very helpful.

Excellent Shakespeare Classic.......2006-02-12

Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar in about 1599. The play was the first of three Roman plays. Shakespeare based the source material for the play on a translation of a work by the Greek philosopher and biographer Plutarch, called "The lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans". Shakespeare, like Plutarch, praises and criticises the actions of the main characters in the assassination of Julius Caesar. However, the historical events in the play are fairly accurate, although the playwright sometimes changed the sequence and timing of events and added his limitless imagination to produce a timeless play that has been enacted and enjoyed by millions of people worldwide over the centuries.

The play is set in a period of political instability in Rome. The people of Rome celebrate Caesar victory over Pompey, their former leader. However, there are officials that are concerned about Caesar's growing power. The Romans were then aware that absolute power is open to abuse (there are people today who still do not know this simple fact). Among those concerned about the growing power of Caesar are Cassius and Brutus, who are both followers of Caesar.

Cassius persuades Brutus that something needs to be done to thwart Caesar's growing ambitions. Brutus has a problem with his conscience but ultimately decides that it is in the best interests of Rome that Caesar is eliminated.

Caesar receives warnings about the impending danger. During a festival that Caesar attends, he is warned "Beware the Ides of March". Caesar, however, dismisses the Soothsayer's warnings. When the Ides of March arrive and while Caesar is due to go to be crowned, warnings in the form of storms, bad omens and his wife's horrible dreams initially persuade Caesar to stay at home. However, Caesar decides to go after being advised that if he did not show up, Senators might change their minds about crowning him emperor. On entering the capitol, the conspirators stab Caesar to death.

Mark Anthony, a very close ally of Caesar, initially pretends to go along with the conspirators but he is determined to avenge his death. When Brutus addresses the confused crowd to drum up support for the assassination, Mark Anthony cleverly and expertly manages to turn the crowd against the conspirators and incites them to riot. With popular support in Rome, the triumvirs Anthony, Octavious and Lepidus plan to fight Brutus and Cassius. Brutus's conscience still troubles him and he sees Caesars ghost. Fighting takes place and Cassius and Brutus are defeated and both commit suicide to save their honour. The triumvirs then seize power after avenging Caesar.

It's Not All Greek........2005-12-25

When I first read JULIUS CAESAR as a sophomore in high school, I found it to be a decent play, but other than some really cool lines, didn't think it was that great. After having re-read the play and now having taught it to my own classes of sophomore English students, I have a much greater appreciation for the play. Granted, JULIUS CAESAR is not one of Shakespeare's greatest plays nor is it even one of his best histories. And despite much of it being written in the classic Shakespearean iambic pentameter, it really isn't all that poetic. There are moments when the language is extremely vivid and moving, e.g. Mark Antony's speech to the citizens of Rome or some of Brutus' personal soliloquies. However, compared to HAMLET or KING LEAR or HENRY V, the play seems juvenile by comparison. However, it is that very unpolished, amatuerism that makes the play so relevant and easy to connect with younger audiences.

Though Julius Caesar is the title character, the play isn't really about Caesar. Instead, the play is about Caesar's closest friend, Marcus Brutus. Through Brutus, the play examines exactly what it means to be noble, what is honor, and the nature of friendship. In the course of the play, Brutus is led to believe and becomes convinced that in doing a most dishonorable act, he is doing the most honorable thing he possibly can to save Rome and all the ideals he has staked his life upon. Yet, his decision brings him to kill his best friend and ultimately brings about the end of the republic which he had tried to save.

Contrary to what I had been led to believe before I began teaching this play, students really enjoy JULIUS CAESAR. It is full of murder and betrayal. They enjoy the violence and the theme of betrayal is something they are all able to relate to. I have also found that student seem to sympathize much more with Caesar than with Brutus. They can't understand why Brutus would kill his best friend. The concept of caring more about a group of people (family, country, etc.) than one single person seems beyond them. I've tried to use Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE to help them understand this better (in that story the question is "If you were able to stop Hitler before he became Hitler, even if he was your closest friend, would you?").

Overall, though JULIUS CAESAR is not one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, it is a great play to introduce people both to the brilliance of Shakespeare and to one of history's most pivotal moments; the time when Rome became an Empire.

Movers and Shakespeares.......2005-08-09

Like du Maurier's Rebecca or Tolkien's Sauron, Julius Caesar is to the play which bears his name less a focal presence than a force largely off-stage which provokes the choices and actions of the more evident characters. Caesar does put in several brief appearances during the first three acts, but it is Marcus Brutus whose nobility, naivete, seduction, treachery, rationalization, and ultimate downfall make up the overarching plot. Shakespeare here avoids taking sides, however, and so provides us with a shrewd study in the diverse motives and attitudes that always precede insurrection, and in the chaos that inevitably follows.

As with most of the Arden series, this critical edition represents superior scholarship and valuable reader assistance. Its extensive footnotes should illumine most instances of unfamiliar language or allusion, and an Appendix provides relevant excerpts from Plutarch's LIVES, which Shakespeare consulted for many of his details. Those new to JULIUS CAESAR, however, are best advised to begin with the text of the play itself (in the volume's central section), saving the so-called 'Introduction' until afterwards; for Daniell's excellent discussion relies heavily on citations of the play's content, and his insights are apt to be lost on the reader who has, as yet, little or no frame of reference.

It should be noted, too, that the Arden Shakespeare editions are best suited to serious students and amateurs already acquainted with the Bard and aspiring to more advanced appreciation. Having come late to the field myself, I mean no condescension in suggesting that someone just setting out may find the wealth of material here a bit overwhelming. The potential rewards of Shakespearean discovery are incalculable, and it is always tragic when worthy ambition burns itself out, for want of patience, by attempting too much too soon. I began with more modest editions, such as the Signet Classics or Pelican, which I found very accessible and sufficiently annotated to provide the help I then needed. Arden, which has been issuing and revising its series since 1899, will still be around when one is ready for it.

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Hamlet Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare
Golden Gate to Shakespeare
Getting Into Shakespeare

Hamlet (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
William Shakespeare
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

ASIN: 1586638440

Customer Reviews:

Hamlet Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare.......2007-05-28

This is truly a No Fear way to understand Shakespeare. There is a modern day interpretation writing on one side of the book and the Shakespeare way on the other. It was a lifesaver!

Golden Gate to Shakespeare.......2006-01-25

Bravo to the writers, editors, and publishers of the entire No Fear Shakespeare series. Rendering Shakespeare into prosaic, colloquial American English not only explains what Shakespeare was saying, but reveals how much better he said it! Here's a few examples from HAMLET:

Hamlet sees the Ghost, but his mother doesn't. In modern lingo, she says, "This is only a figment of your imagination." That's a cliche. In the original, she says, "This is the very coinage of your brain." That's vivid.

Rosencrantz tells Hamlet in modern lingo, "You're not doing yourself any good by refusing to tell your friends what's bothering you." Sounds like a reprimand. The original line sounds like a threat: "You do surely bar the door upon your own liberty if you deny your griefs to your friend."

Hamlet remembers his mother's relationship with his father: "She would hang on to him, and the more she was with him the more she wanted to be with him; she couldn't get enough of him." Sounds good, but the original sounds disturbing: "Why, she would hang on him / As if increase of appetitite had grown / By what it fed on . . ." Change the word "she" to "it" and you have the image of a parasite. That alone says a lot about Hamlet's view of women and sex.

I know of no better guide to reading, understanding, and appreciating Shakespeare than Spark Notes' No Fear Shakespeare series.

Getting Into Shakespeare.......2005-10-29

Man, I wish I would've had this book 25 years ago!

I've always been interested in Shakespeare but it's been hard introducing anyone else I know to the greatness of his plays: the language is just too hard for most people to follow.

Thankfully, the No Fear Shakespeare books have come along, and I've been buying them for myself as well as others. It's wonderful to have a side-by-side comparison of the Bard's original lines with a modern translation that makes the play easy to read.

I hope the publishers do this with all of Shakespeare's plays!

Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

Average customer rating:

A Definite Grade Saver

Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
SparkNotes Editors
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Tempest (No Fear Shakespeare) (No Fear Shakespeare)
The The Taming of the Shrew (No Fear Shakespeare) (No Fear Shakespeare)
Hamlet (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)
A Midsummer Night's Dream (No Fear Shakespeare)
Spark Notes No Fear Shakespeare Othello (SparkNotes No Fear Shakespeare)

ASIN: 1586638505

Customer Reviews:

A Definite Grade Saver.......2006-08-29

The Merchant of Venice is perhaps one of Shakespeare's easier reads, but none-the-less, I don't think I could have gotten through it without this helpful guide. On one of the pages it is Shakespeare's original words, and on the opposite page it is translated into plain English so that the reader can better understand what is being said. You will be able to get through the play quickly and effectively without missing out on anything important. It helps to look at the plain English first and then read Shakespeare's original words, because along the way, you learn to understand what he is saying without having to read the translation. These no fear books are avaliable for many of Shakespeare's other works as well.

Aside from that, the story is an incredible one (warning, spoilers ahead). It is about friendship, love, betrayal, and mercy. In the end, good conquers evil, forgiveness is bestowed upon those who deserve it, and everyone finds and remains with their true love. No part of this play moved slowly, there was always something important going on so you aren't likely to get bored. I'm not usually a fan of Shakespeare, but perhaps with these no fear books, that may soon change. It's amazing how differently something can appear once you understand it.

Good luck to you all!

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