Shakespeare After All Paperback – September 20, 2005

covers all of the plays in clear, friendly prose - perfect companion to heading out to see one of his plays. she's terrific.

As a fan of Shakespeare (both on the stage/screen and written page), I have added to my appreciation by reading various works about this playwright. First there was Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare, which was a well-written commentary on the historical contexts of the plays. Then, there was Harold Bloom's Shakespeare, The Invention of the Human, a scholarly work offset by a tone of high-toned intellectual snobbery and condescension. Now, there is Shakespeare After All, a work that fits between these two in quality.In Shakespeare After All, Marjorie Garber's 900+ page tome on the Bard's plays, we are given an opportunity to learn more of what makes Shakespeare Shakespeare. As a long-time Harvard and Yale lecturer on Shakespeare, Garber certainly has the credentials and experience to back up her extensive essays on the plays. If there is a problem with the book, it is only that she is perhaps too familiar with the plays and is unable to be truly critical of them.The book begins with a lengthy introduction which serves as a biography of Shakespeare and provides a bit of historical context for his body of work. Then we get a chapter on each of thirty-eight plays, including The Two Noble Kinsmen, which is not always included in Shakespeare collections. The plays are presented in rough chronological order and focus only secondarily on plot, with a greater emphasis on character and the use of language.Garber is a good writer, and each chapter is insightful. As this is written more as a collection of essays, there is not always perfect continuity between chapters and there is more than a little redundancy (which I suppose does make this easier to read this work in portions or out of order). As stated before, however, the principal flaw in her writing is that she refuses to say anything really critical about any of the plays. In Garber's view, Shakespeare batted 1.000, all hits and no misses. Henry VIII seems to be just as worthy of merit as Othello or Hamlet. Furthermore, there are no mistakes; any apparent contradictions or omissions are cleverly intended, not just an error.Certainly, Shakespeare is worth a lot of praise. When you consider what he did - writing over three dozen plays with an adeptness that is readily apparent - he is definitely deserving of the title "genius," but he wasn't perfect. It would be nice if Garber acknowledged this, but her strengths clearly outweigh her weaknesses, and if you are interested in learning more about Shakespeare's plays, this is a worthwhile way to get that education.

This is a marvelous collection of essays about Shakespeare's plays, useful to advanced middle school students, high school and college students, and any one about to watch a play. Throw away your "No Fear Shakespeare" -- to master a play, watch a cinematic version, read Marjorie Garber's essay, watch a complete version with subtitles, then read the Modern Library/RSC edition with footnotes (works great on a Kindle). Save the Arden version for advanced scholarship; the Modern Library edition footnotes are just right for early acquaintance.Earlier reviews of this book say there is no table of contents on the kindle version. There is; it is simply hard to find because it is not correctly linked. Go to the "cover" (not the "beginning") and page through about 10 pages until you get to the TOC. Bookmark it.Remember: Shakespeare wrote *plays* not novels -- see it first. Teachers who flog their students through page after page of reading (and footnotes) without having first enjoyed the play as a play quite mistake the matter. Likewise, teachers who assign No Fear Shakespeare - translating Shakespeare? Come now, we don't read it for the plots...Shakespeare After All provides just the right amount of background knowledge, appreciation of the good jokes, and political and historical context to move on to the next level of appreciating -- and more importantly, enjoying -- Shakespeare's plays.

Garber offers all-encompassing reviews of Shakespeare plays, paying attention to historical criticisms and stagings of the plays. While Garber does not zone in on or focus too strongly on any one reading of a certain play, Garber is nonetheless a go-to for a surface level critical history of the plays, offering the reader the chance to formulate their own views and opinions. Garber is no doubt passionate about Shakespeare, but my only critique is that her words do not read as passionately as other Shakespeare critics, for better or worse depending on the reader. Overall a recommended read for a surfeit of insights and information on all of Shakespeare's plays.

This is a monster of a book packed full of insight into the plays of William Shakespeare. Another reviewer has criticized the way Professor Gerber tackles each play, but I think she pitches her analyses pretty spot on. As she describes a play she will stop and detour into some aspect of the cultural mores of the England of Shakespeare's day and come back. I find ( as a layman ) that is exactly what I wanted. I wasn't looking for Heavy Textual Criticism that might only be understandable to other Eng Lit Professors. This is an excellent book for the layman - if you are prepared to concentrate and forgive Professor Gerber when she does occasionally throw in a semantics term that you have never heard of - USUALLY she explains them. But not always.

Reading Shakespeare is not easy for me. I get him and a love the plays, but at times the language keeps me from the flow so I prefer to stream or watch DVDs of Shakespeare. Marjorie Garber's "Shakespeare After All" changed this for me. She is eloquent and deep in her understanding and writing about the bard's work.

This is the 2nd time I've bought this book from you. Both times the book arrived safely and although it was used it was in good shape. The book deals with all the plays of the Bard and refreshes memories of characters, historic contexts, and issues of the day, in reality as well as in the play. I find it very valuable when we have tickets to a performance. It is good to know that the book is still being sold at such venues as the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario.

Not new but an excellent, easy to read, commentary on all Shakespeare's plays, in the chronological order in which they were written, allowing one to trace their interrelation and development.

Definitely the best introduction and companion to all of shakespeare's plays. Garner shows both her deep knowledge and love of Shakespeare and draws you into his world. She is such a good writer herself that 806 pages seem insufficient, leaving you to want more from her!A joy to read! Indispensable!

excellent service and product

Excellent companion to any Complete Works of Shakespeare.

Definitivamente, a melhor introdução e companheiro para todas as peças de Shakespeare. Garner mostra seu profundo conhecimento e amor por Shakespeare e atrai você para seu mundo. Ela é uma escritora tão boa que 806 páginas parecem insuficientes, fazendo com que você queira mais dela!