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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
One of Shakespeare's most famous but also enigmatic plays, for many years the story of Prospero's exile from his native Milan, and life with his daughter Miranda on an unnamed island in the Mediterranean, was seen as an autobiographical dramatisation of Shakespeare's departure from the London stage. The Epilogue, spoken by Prospero, claims that "now my charms are all o'erthrown", appeared to reflect Shakespeare's own renunciation of his magical dramatic powers as he retired to Stratford. But The Tempest is far more than this, as recent commentators have pointed out. The dramatic action observes the classical unities of time, place and action, as Prospero uses his "rough magic" to lure his wicked usurping brother, Antonio, and King Alonso of Naples to his island retreat to torment them before engineering his return to Milan.
However, the play is full of extraordinary anomalies and fantastic interludes, including Gonzalo's fantasy of a utopian commonwealth, Prospero's magical servant Ariel, and the "poisonous slave" Caliban. The creation of Caliban has particularly fascinated critics, who have noticed in his creation a colonial dimension to the play. In this respect Caliban can be seen as an American Indian or African slave, who articulates a particularly powerful strain of anti-colonial sentiment, telling Prospero that "this island's mine, by Sycorax my mother,/ Which thou tak'st from me". This has led to an intense reassessment of the play from a post-colonial perspective, as critics and historians have debated the extent to which the play endorses or criticises early English colonial expansion. --Jerry Brotton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
The best notes of any edition I've used. (Lewis Ward, Exeter University )
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I recently went to see Patrick Stewart in an RSC production of The Tempest and thought I would buy a copy of the play to look again at some of the speeches. Although I'm a little way past GCSE level I found this Cambridge School edition provided clear presentation of the text, with the play displayed down the right hand side and study notes opposite.
However, the book's real selling point is the inclusion of wonderful colour and black and white photographs of various productions of The Tempest. Several of these are from The Globe Theatre, London so provide a glimpse of what Elizabethan theatre (probably) looked like.
On the downside, some of the further study suggestions are a little simple-minded ("Draw a theatre poster advertising The Tempest featuring Ariel") but overall this is an attractively-presented guide which implicitly steers students towards the idea that Shakespeare's plays were meant to be seen and heard rather than read.
However, the book's real selling point is the inclusion of wonderful colour and black and white photographs of various productions of The Tempest. Several of these are from The Globe Theatre, London so provide a glimpse of what Elizabethan theatre (probably) looked like.
On the downside, some of the further study suggestions are a little simple-minded ("Draw a theatre poster advertising The Tempest featuring Ariel") but overall this is an attractively-presented guide which implicitly steers students towards the idea that Shakespeare's plays were meant to be seen and heard rather than read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Shakespeare with a good set of footnotes to explain anything thats difficult to understand, short explanations as to any references. All of which is easily ignored if you dont want/need it. Definately usable as a basic Shakespeare text (perfect for GCSE or A Level) or usable for English at Degree level with a really useful introduction and the articles at the back are perfect for Literature.
I strongly recommend this version of the text for anybody studying The Tempest.
I strongly recommend this version of the text for anybody studying The Tempest.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Tempest is rightly regarded as being one of the Bard's greatest works, containing some of his deepest thoughts on the nature of power and the relationship between rational man as controller of nature, and the animal man always to be at the mercy of the passions both of himself, others, and the world around him. In fact, this play could be thought of as representing Shakespeare's final and definitive statement on topics that he had explored throughout his cannon. But profound as the philosophy is, and despite the beauty of the poetry and the many magical elements contained within the play, the fact is that as far as the average attention lacking teenager is concerned, not a lot happens. This is why this Cambridge schools edition scores over most others. It is almost entirely activity focused, the expressed aim being to 'bring the play to life'. With at least one suggested activity beside each page of Shakespeare's text (as well as a decent amount of background notes and interpretation), every teacher armed with this book should be able to enthuse his charges with the very real relevance of this play to the world which we have bequeathed them.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
At least it has all its pages
Eventhough it wasnt all that fresh, it had all its pages and thats what matters and the notes were written in pencil so its all good. Im satisfied.
Published 2 months ago by Nanz_x
Quality of service and product
This book arrived promptly and in perfect condition. It was offered at a reduced price and, in addition, there was no charge for the postage making it a very economical purchase.
Published 12 months ago by F. Jacobsen
not my cuppa tea
I recently bought this book to study at school. I personally don't like Shakespeare's plays but i thought that the book explained everything very well. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Lucyyy :)
The Tempest (New Penguin Shakespeare)
At one penny this book, in perfect condition, was, to say the least, a bargain. It arrived within a few days, well packaged. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2009 by Alan Purslow
bigup Shakespeare!
its written by one of the greatest writers of all time...so its bound to be good...and is it? YES INDEED! Read more
Published on 25 July 2006 by Miss.S.R.A
Amazing play
It's Shakespeare, what more is there to say? I've studied this play for A-Level and it is absolutly amazing. Beautifully written, good plot, well developed characters etc. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2005
An engaging escape
An interesting play. It is more focussed on the ideological, rather than physical. There is a second meaning in everything that is often enhanced elsewhere. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2004 by Gregory
A thought-provoking yet magical creation
The Tempest is a wonderful play that caught my imagination from the minute I began to study it for A level. Read more
Published on 8 July 2001
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