Monday 23 April 2012

A-Z ... THE TEMPEST






This year for the A-Z challenge, I've been posting an A-Z list of books taken from my to-read shelf at GoodReads. For today's title starting with "T", I've chosen a work by an author I haven't read any of except in small portions (like when I had to read bits in school):






T


The Tempest - William Shakespeare

In The Tempest, long considered one of Shakespeare's most lyrical plays, Prospero - a magician on an enchanted island - punishes his enemies, brings happiness to his daughter, and comes to terms with human use of supernatural power. The Tempest embodies both seemingly timeless romance and the historically specific moment in which Europe begins to explore and conquer the New World.
Its complexity of thought, its range of characters - from the spirit Ariel and the monster Caliban to the beautiful Miranda and her prince Ferdinand -its poetic beauty, and its exploration of difficult questions that still haunt us today make this play wonderfully compelling.


Why do I want to read it? If there is any classic author I should read before I die, it's Shakespeare, right? And seriously, I have yet to read any complete work of this guy's, despite studying him a bit in school and university.

15 comments:

  1. I just realized that I never read The Tempest. I thought I had read everything published by Shakespeare. Guess I better get to reading. :)

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  2. I haven't read this one either, but I'll definitely have to check it out. Thank you for sharing! :)

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  3. Well, at least you guys have read SOME of the guy's plays. haha

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  4. I love The Tempest! I've seen performed several times and have read it. Like running, Shakespeare gets easier the more you read.

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  5. I needed my teacher's help to understand what the heck Shakespeare was saying, but I agree with Dee Dee that it gets easier as you go. I'm hardly choosing one of his plays for my pleasure reading, though. I think I enjoyed "Othello" the most, and "Romeo and Juliet" is also good.

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  6. I can't see reading Shakespeare for pleasure. My dad could though.

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  7. I don't think I have read the whole thing. An excerpt though.

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  8. My sister performed as a witch in The Tempest, so I saw it then.

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  9. I did read this one at A-level. Some beautiful language, but I was constantly referring to the explanatory sidenotes. The story was good.

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  10. Hahahaha! Love your "like when I had to read bits in school". I saw the Tempest at an outdoor performance. It was wonderful. I have never read it. I think Shakespeare was meant to been seen and not read. That's how I justify not reading it :D

    ScribblesFromJenn
    Happy A to Z-ing!

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  11. I have never read The Tempest but I LOVE A Midsummer Night's Dream. I have read it several times and seen the play 3 or 4.

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  12. I've read a couple of his works but not The Tempest.

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  13. I had to study the Tempest in school. As odd as this sounds, I actually enjoyed it.

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  14. I love the IDEA of reading The Tempest...it is just the actual reading that I don't like. I don't enjoy reading his writing. I love his stories, but olde English drives me bananas... :-)

    I followed you on G+ gr, and Twitter. Great idea having your buttons posted on the blog like that :-)

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