I Want Shakespeare in Novel Form.Can you Help Me? - Page 2

Namekuseijin · 12-18-2011, 01:05 PM

I'm with Harry, though I'd say there's more than just using language as art form (poetry) or story in Shakespeare. Perhaps not original stories, but plenty of great human drama condensed in unforgettable phrasing...

elemenoP · 12-19-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vugtitan

these appear to be full proper novelizations instead of the shakespeare for retarded dummies lobotomized versions intended for the MTV generation.

Well anybody can read what they like, but I do find it a bit strange that the OP puts such a value judgement on "the MTV generation" when one could argue that any "novelization" of Shakespeare is a "for retarded dummies lobotomized version."

eP

vugtitan · 12-19-2011, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm a bit baffled by this whole concept. The whole "point" of Shakespeare is not the stories - Shakespeare didn't invent a single of one his stories; they are all taken from other sources. The reason Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest ever English playwright is his use of language. A novelization deprives you of that. What on Earth is the point? Might just as well read a "Cliff Notes" version of the plays if you just want to know what happens in them

no it not about what happens in them at all.
we know that already.

the point is reading without the tedium and stress of the original text.

the link above gives you the reason why he turned them into novels as he is shakekspeare fan.

have YOU read the plays...they are hard which is why everyone hates them...

HarryT · 12-19-2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vugtitan

have YOU read the plays...they are hard which is why everyone hates them...

The whole point is that you're not supposed to READ them - you're supposed to WATCH them; they are, after all, plays. Would you read a TV script instead of watching the programme? I wouldn't.

But, to answer your question, yes, I have read them all.

Do try to go and see a decent Shakespeare production; it may well change your opinion of the "tedium and stress" of the plays.

DiapDealer · 12-19-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

have YOU read the plays...they are hard which is why everyone hates them...

Yes. All of them... and I didn't hate a one of them. In fact, I rather liked more than a few. That's why my copy of The Riverside Shakespeare is so nicely worn and broken in.

I have no problem with you hating them. Just don't be so presumptuous as to think you're somehow speaking for everyone.

HarryT · 12-19-2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Yes. All of them... and I didn't hate a one of them. In fact, I rather liked more than a few. That's why my copy of The Riverside Shakespeare is so nicely worn and broken in.

I like the "Arden" Shakespeare series myself. I have the whole thing, in paperback.

DiapDealer · 12-19-2011, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I like the "Arden" Shakespeare series myself. I have the whole thing, in paperback.

My Riverside was free... from some idiot college student who left it on top of a dumpster at the end of the semester—twenty-odd years ago. Beggars can't be choosers.

HarryT · 12-19-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

My Riverside was free... from some idiot college student who left it on top of a dumpster at the end of the semester—twenty-odd years ago. Beggars can't be choosers.

Absolutely! His loss was your gain

.

covingtoncat73 · 12-19-2011, 01:24 PM

My favorites are A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest, of course, as I am into fantasy. I would love to see good productions of those. I was disappointed with the movie of AMSND that came out in the 1990s and I have yet to see the Helen Mirren Tempest but it got bad reviews.

The point of Shakespeare is the beautiful language and his amazing insight into human nature. May I suggest listening to some of the "Shakespeare Monolouges" at librivox.org?

As to good dramatizations, I thought the Al Pacino Merchant of Venice was good as were the Kenneth Branagh versions of Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, and Hamlet.

Also, the Charles and Mary Lamb was not written for the "MTV generation" or it would not be in the public domain. I do believe it was intended to introduce young children to Shakespeare, though, which is a good thing.

ficbot · 12-19-2011, 11:28 PM

The Norton Shakespeare was the single most expensive book I purchased for my English degree back in Ye Olden Times of 1997. I enjoy Shakespeare for the most part, but I have to read a little more slowly and carefully now that my degree is long-done and I am out of practice with this sort of text. I still enjoy it, but I can't zip through a play a day anymore. And I never did like the histories. They all seemed to have the same people in them and I couldn't keep everyone straight.

jehane · 12-22-2011, 03:37 AM

I've read the Lamb prose version. It was given to me as a birthday present when I was about 8? I also got a huge volume of classic children's literature. Devoured them both very quickly. They are simplified versions, about novella length. I think I still have it at home. I got my parents to buy me a complete works for my 18th, and also now downloaded my favourites from Gutenberg.

I used to love The Taming of the Shrew, until I grew up and read it with a bit more mature eye. My favourites now are Much Ado and Twelfth Night. King Lear is very powerful but a bit too depressing for me, and Hamlet, well, I just want to slap him! Personally I love the comedies, not keen on most of the tragedies (the less said about R+J the better) and haven't read/seen enough of the historicals to have an informed opinion.

In Australia there is a theatre company that specialises in modernised Shakespeare - Bell Shakespeare, which is very good. One of them was shown on tv not long ago - might have been King Lear? I missed it unfortunately. There also used to be (might still be going) Shakespeare in the Park, which used to perform one play for the summer in an outdoor setting. In Perth it was Kings Park. And of course The Complete Works (abridged)

BBC made a 4-part series a few years ago of modernised ones. Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth were two of them, can't remember the other two right now. Quite good though. And then there was the rash of Hollywood teen comedies a few years back - I was just watching 10 Things a week or two ago.

I haven't yet seen the Mirren version of Tempest, but from the reviews I read it sounded quite good.

12-19-2011, 01:24 PM	#24
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	My favorites are A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest, of course, as I am into fantasy. I would love to see good productions of those. I was disappointed with the movie of AMSND that came out in the 1990s and I have yet to see the Helen Mirren Tempest but it got bad reviews. The point of Shakespeare is the beautiful language and his amazing insight into human nature. May I suggest listening to some of the "Shakespeare Monolouges" at librivox.org? As to good dramatizations, I thought the Al Pacino Merchant of Venice was good as were the Kenneth Branagh versions of Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, and Hamlet. Also, the Charles and Mary Lamb was not written for the "MTV generation" or it would not be in the public domain. I do believe it was intended to introduce young children to Shakespeare, though, which is a good thing. Last edited by covingtoncat73; 12-19-2011 at 01:28 PM.

12-22-2011, 03:37 AM	#26
jehane Book addict Posts: 441 Karma: 2650464 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Antarctica/Australia/Ohio Device: Sony PRS-300/T1/Asus TF101	I've read the Lamb prose version. It was given to me as a birthday present when I was about 8? I also got a huge volume of classic children's literature. Devoured them both very quickly. They are simplified versions, about novella length. I think I still have it at home. I got my parents to buy me a complete works for my 18th, and also now downloaded my favourites from Gutenberg. I used to love The Taming of the Shrew, until I grew up and read it with a bit more mature eye. My favourites now are Much Ado and Twelfth Night. King Lear is very powerful but a bit too depressing for me, and Hamlet, well, I just want to slap him! Personally I love the comedies, not keen on most of the tragedies (the less said about R+J the better) and haven't read/seen enough of the historicals to have an informed opinion. In Australia there is a theatre company that specialises in modernised Shakespeare - Bell Shakespeare, which is very good. One of them was shown on tv not long ago - might have been King Lear? I missed it unfortunately. There also used to be (might still be going) Shakespeare in the Park, which used to perform one play for the summer in an outdoor setting. In Perth it was Kings Park. And of course The Complete Works (abridged) BBC made a 4-part series a few years ago of modernised ones. Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth were two of them, can't remember the other two right now. Quite good though. And then there was the rash of Hollywood teen comedies a few years back - I was just watching 10 Things a week or two ago. I haven't yet seen the Mirren version of Tempest, but from the reviews I read it sounded quite good. Last edited by jehane; 12-22-2011 at 03:40 AM.

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12-18-2011, 01:05 PM	#16
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	I'm with Harry, though I'd say there's more than just using language as art form (poetry) or story in Shakespeare. Perhaps not original stories, but plenty of great human drama condensed in unforgettable phrasing...

12-19-2011, 11:28 PM	#25
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	The Norton Shakespeare was the single most expensive book I purchased for my English degree back in Ye Olden Times of 1997. I enjoy Shakespeare for the most part, but I have to read a little more slowly and carefully now that my degree is long-done and I am out of practice with this sort of text. I still enjoy it, but I can't zip through a play a day anymore. And I never did like the histories. They all seemed to have the same people in them and I couldn't keep everyone straight.

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