More help with 'old English' please

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by BookCat

Harry, I just wonder why anyone would need a Complete Works which is extensively annotated. For me, the purpose of the C Ws is to read the plays casually, like a novel, rather than for scholarly reasons. This is what I do with mine.

I don't suppose anyone does need one, but personally I enjoy having one. I find the footnotes useful when reading the plays. I have the complete set of Shakespeare audio productions that was produced by Arkangel many years ago (they weren't as expensive as that link shows when I bought them ), and I like to read the plays while listening to an audio version on my iPhone. It's convenient to have them all in one volume.

As always, each to their own . I guess I just like having complete sets of things.

[Plumadona]

Harry, do you have the Delphi Complete Works of Shakespeare, and if so, what do you think of it?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Plumadona

Harry, do you have the Delphi Complete Works of Shakespeare, and if so, what do you think of it?

Yes, I do.

I don't think a great deal of it. For me, at least, Shakespeare is an author I need help with in terms of word glosses and so on, so personally I'd always buy a commercial version from a publisher who does Shakespeare well.

[Plumadona]

Good point. I’ve looked at some, including the ones you mentioned, but they all need to be read on tablets. I was hoping to find a good collection readable on the Oasis or Kindle.

[HarryT]

This one is readable on a normal Kindle:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B071JYNGZB

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by HarryT

This one is readable on a normal Kindle:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B071JYNGZB

That's Print Replica, tablets and computers only

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

That's Print Replica, tablets and computers only

Sorry about that. There definitely used to be a normal ebook version of the Oxford Shakespeare (I have it!), but now all that’s coming up is that one which, as you rightly say, is a Print Replica edition.

[sjfan]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry about that. There definitely used to be a normal ebook version of the Oxford Shakespeare (I have it!), but now all that’s coming up is that one which, as you rightly say, is a Print Replica edition.

I can confirm, I have a normal ebook version of Oxford 2nd edition as well.

That and the RSC version are my 2 go-tos, RSC continues down the First Folio-based path that Oxford agitated for (though not strictly so; RSC includes, for instance, the Second Quarto “star-crossed lovers” prologue to Romeo and Juliet, albeit annotated to indicate that it's not part of the FF rendition).

Norton and Bevington are fine choices too, at least on paper (I don't have them in electronic form or know whether they're available).

Avoid Arden; the Arden individual plays are excellent, but the Arden complete works removes most of the commentary and is of limited value.

[JSWolf]

You can buy the Oxford Shakespeare from Kobo in the US and the UK. For the Kindle, you'd have to strip the DRM and convert as it's ePub 2.

US: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wil...mplete-works-1
UK: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/wil...mplete-works-1

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry about that. There definitely used to be a normal ebook version of the Oxford Shakespeare (I have it!), but now all that’s coming up is that one which, as you rightly say, is a Print Replica edition.

I see that this complete works is currently free.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Wi...dp/B07BDR9H7J/

"based on the 1974 Riverside Edition" text only I assume.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

I see that this complete works is currently free.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Wi...dp/B07BDR9H7J/

"based on the 1974 Riverside Edition" text only I assume.

The abbreviated names are really annoying and that means you have to remember the name that goes with the abbreviation.

Does the Oxford complete works have the name abbreviations?

[sjfan]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The abbreviated names are really annoying and that means you have to remember the name that goes with the abbreviation.

Does the Oxford complete works have the name abbreviations?

Nope, unabbreviated names are used in Oxford.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sjfan

Nope, unabbreviated names are used in Oxford.

That great. The unabbreviated names makes Shakespeare a lot easier to read then the abbreviated names. It can be hard enough to read the olde English. But add in the abbreviated names and forget it.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Sorry about that. There definitely used to be a normal ebook version of the Oxford Shakespeare (I have it!), but now all that’s coming up is that one which, as you rightly say, is a Print Replica edition.

It looks like you can get an ePub version at Feedbooks. I downloaded the sample and it's a normal eBook.

http://www.feedbooks.com/item/133122...complete-works

Also available from Barnes & Noble.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the...83?type=eBook#

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

I see that this complete works is currently free.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Wi...dp/B07BDR9H7J/

"based on the 1974 Riverside Edition" text only I assume.

Also available for free in America – but harder to find ...

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Will...1423516&sr=1-3

Both appear to be illustrated.