
As Lear sinks into rage and madness he is deserted by everyone except his "bitter" Fool, the loyal Kent and the exiled Cordelia. The play descends into a nighmarish theatre of cruelty and absurdity as Lear realises he has "ta'en / Too little care" of the poverty and corruption of his kingdom, and his loyal but foolish friend Gloucester has his eyes gouged out. Metaphors of monstrosity and perversions of nature structure the dramatic action, and the play's ending remains one of the most harrowing in all of Shakespeare. Many see a profound despair and nihilism in King Lear, and would agree with Kent's conclusion that "All's cheerless, dark and deadly". Other writers have identified a radical but pessimistic critique of contemporary conceptions of kingship and absolutist authority, yet it remains a remarkable tragedy of public misjudgement and intensely private grief and anguish. --Jerry Brotton--This text refers to the Paperback edition. Review Praise for "William Shakespeare: Complete Works" "A remarkable edition, one that makes Shakespeare's extraordinary accomplishment more vivid than ever." -James Shapiro, professor, Columbia University, bestselling author of "A Year in the Life of Shakespeare: 1599" "Two eminent Shakespeareans . . . have applied modern editing techniques and recent scholarship to correct and update the First Folio. . . . Superb." "-The New York Times" "A feast of literary and historical information." "-The Wall Street Journal" "I look forward to using it over many years, enjoying Bate's perceptive comments, trusting Rasmussen's textual scholarship." -Peter Holland, president of the Shakespeare Association of America and editor of "Shakespeare Survey"
"From the Trade Paperback edition."
As Lear sinks into rage and madness he is deserted by everyone except his "bitter" Fool, the loyal Kent and the exiled Cordelia. The play descends into a nighmarish theatre of cruelty and absurdity as Lear realises he has "ta''en / Too little care" of the poverty and corruption of his kingdom, and his loyal but foolish friend Gloucester has his eyes gouged out. Metaphors of monstrosity and perversions of nature structure the dramatic action, and the play''s ending remains one of the most harrowing in all of Shakespeare. Many see a profound despair and nihilism in King Lear, and would agree with Kent''s conclusion that "All''s cheerless, dark and deadly". Other writers have identified a radical but pessimistic critique of contemporary conceptions of kingship and absolutist authority, yet it remains a remarkable tragedy of public misjudgement and intensely private grief and anguish. --Jerry Brotton--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
ISBN | 0660190036 |
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出版社 | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |
作者 | William Shakespeare |
尺寸 | 0开 |