Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

In William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Viola and her twin brother Sebastian are separated by a disastrous shipwreck. Viola, believing her brother dead, finds her way to the court of Duke Orsino in Illyria. There, dressed as a man, she becomes the confidant of the Duke under the name Cesario. Orsino is madly in love with Olivia, a wealthy countess. The duke sends Viola to woo Olivia in his name, but Olivia falls in love with Viola and Viola falls in love with the Duke.

While all the wooing and falling in love is happening, Sir Toby Belch, kinsman to Olivia, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek, a friend of Sir Toby's and suitor to Olivia, pull a practical joke on Olivia's steward, Malvolio. Maria, Olivia's lady in waiting, forges a letter that she drops where Malvolio will find it. The forged letter convinces the steward that Olivia is in love with him. It instructs him to dress and act in a way guaranteed to annoy the Duchess. Upon doing so, Malvolio is thought to be mad and finds himself confined to the cellar.

Sebastian, rescued by the sea captain Antonio, now arrives in Illyria. Antonio gives Sebastian his purse to use while sightseeing. Antonio cannot go with Sebastian because he is a wanted man in Illyria, and so leaves to find lodging. Meanwhile, Sir Toby decides to prank Sir Andrew, convincing him to challenge Viola/Cesario to a duel over Olivia. Sir Toby conspires to convince both would be combatants that a duel is unavoidable. When the fracas begins, Antonio stumbles in and intervenes, mistaking Viola for Sebastian. Antonio is promptly arrested. He asks Viola for his purse, hoping to pay his way out of his legal troubles, but she of course knows nothing about it. Antonio curses the confused Viola.

Sebastian, while wandering about the city, encounters Olivia. The countess takes him for Viola and bundles him off to the church where they are married in secret. Later, Orsino visits the Countess. When he once again proclaims his love, Olivia reveals the secret marriage to Sebastian. But it Viola in attendance, not Sebastian. Viola denies the marriage, but the priest is called in to verify it. Orsino curses Viola as a betrayer and Viola is finally forced to reveal the truth that she is a woman. Orsino falls in love with Viola. Sebastian returns to the court and is reunited with his sister. Malvolio is freed from the cellar. Everyone agrees that his was badly used, but Malvolio remains angry and stalks off at the end of the play.

I rather enjoyed this play. It is certainly not on the level of Hamlet or King Lear, but it was a delight to read. I would recommend it if you have already read Shakespeare's great plays already, but this is not where I would recommend the new reader of Shakespeare begin.

4.00/5

Read for:

• Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge - an extra because it's Shakespeare and he is that good.


• Numbers Challenge


• GLBT Challenge - because of Viola's cross-dressing and Antonio's professions of love for Sebastian along with what he says about his time with Sebastian: ... and for three months before, / No interim, not a minute's vacancy, / Both day and night did we keep company.

Othello by William Shakespeare

In William Shakepeare's Othello, Iago seeks revenge upon Othello, a general in the Venetian army, when Othello passes him up for promotion. Instead, Othello steers the promotion to one of his friends, Cassio, provoking Iago to fury. The ensuing mayhem of Iago's revenge destroys many, including Othello, his new wife Desdemona, Brabantio, and even Iago himself. Want to find out what happens? Well then get thee to a library or a bookstore to get a copy of Othello to read.

Othello is another fantastic play by William Shakespeare, fully on par with King Lear and Hamlet. Iago is a wonderfully delicious villain, unapologetic in his evil ways. Othello, Iago's unfortunate dupe, is sympathetic, even though it is his own anger that leads to his downfall and the tragic end of the play. And what can we say about poor innocent Desdemona? Really, do go out and find a copy of this play to read. You won't regret it.

4.75/5

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

A Thousand Acres epitomized for me what the Reading Challenges are all about because it is a book that, but for the challenge, I would not have read. It struck me as much more Women's Literature than I would normally enjoy.

A Thousand Acres is a retelling of William Shakespeare's King Lear. In Iowa of the 1970s, Larry Cook decides to split his farm, all 1000 acres, among his three daughters. The youngest daughter, Caroline, is not interested so the farm is split among the remaining two, Rose and Ginny. But the family is soon torn apart by both new and old wounds.

Jane Smiley is a wonderful writer. She did a fantastic job of describing both the land and farm life. The book deserves its Pulitzer Prize. However, I did not find the book itself to my taste. I did like that in Smiley's retelling of King Lear the two older daughters are not villains but victims, a change that added nuance and ambiguity to the story. Be warned though, a monster lurks in the pages of the book; a monster that made reading many parts of the book an uncomfortable experience.

3.75/5

Love's Labour Lost by William Shakespeare

Often called one of Shakespeare's most intellectual plays, Love's Labour Lost is a witty comedy full of wordplay. The King of Navarre and his three companions swear an oath to live an austere life of academic study for three years, most notably swearing to give up the company of women. No sooner is the oath sworn than the Princess of France visits Navarre's court as an emissary from her father. She has with her three ladies in waiting. Unsurprisingly, the King and his three companions fall in love with the French women and high jinks ensue.

I did not originally intend to read this play for the Much Ado About Shakespeare Challenge but I happened to record Kenneth Branagh's 2000 film of it. So, before attempting to watch the film, I read the play, which is a good read, but not as spectacular as Hamlet or King Lear. The film, on the other hand, is atrocious. Branagh adapted the play into a musical. Now, I have nothing against musicals per se, but Branagh's adaptation reminded me of Cop Rock, a very short lived television show which could have been called Law & Order: The Musical. Both the television show and Branagh's film had singing in all the wrong places. I didn't watch more than the first ten minutes.

If you really dig Shakespeare, give Love's Labour Lost a read. It is one of eminent critic Harold Bloom's favorites. But, if you are just looking for a taste of Shakespeare, you would be better served sticking to some of his more acclaimed plays.

3.25/5

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a fantastic play. This is my third reading of the play, my first using the Arden series. In the introduction, the editors of the play discuss King Lear beginning to eclipse Hamlet in popularity. Having just read King Lear, I would have to agree somewhat. Before reading King Lear, Hamlet was my favorite Shakespearean play. However, I did enjoy King Lear more than I did this reading of Hamlet. Hamlet is about a young man and King Lear about an old man. Perhaps as I age, I have more sympathy for Lear than for Hamlet.

This is not to take away from Hamlet. It remains a superb play; one that every reader of the English language should read. So, if you haven't, go out and get a good copy, the Arden or Oxford would be my recommendation, and read it as soon as possible.

4.5/5

Fool by Christopher Moore

Wow! Fool by Christopher Moore is a hilarious romp through Shakespeare's universe. And not just the play King Lear, but others too, like Macbeth. Moore tells the story of Lear's fool, Pocket, and the events that surround King Lear's retirement. All the characters from King Lear make an appearance, but Moore adds so much more and tells the story so well, you can easily read Fool with no knowledge of King Lear or any of Shakepeare's other plays.

Be warned. While the novel is full of side splitting humor, Fool is also as bawdy as the book's blurbs promise. If you are easily offended by sexual humor, this is not the book for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a really funny book to read and you can stomach racy comedy, I highly recommend Fool. I, for one, will have to go to the library as soon as possible to get more books by Moore.

4.75/5

King Lear by William Shakespeare

In this masterpiece by Shakepeare, King Lear decides to retire and divide his kingdom among his three daughters. Courting tragedy, the king decides to test his daughters by asking which loves him the most. The conniving Gonoril and Regan flatter their father, the king, with words of love, but Lear's youngest daughter, Cordelia, refuses to play along. For this she is disinherited and banished. When the Earl of Kent speaks up on Cordelia's behalf, King Lear banishes him too. Meanwhile, another plot is afoot. Edmund, the bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester schemes to have his legitimate brother, Edgar, disowned and thereby inherit his father's lands and title. These two different plot lines collide in an orgy of violence, death, and tragedy not to be missed by any serious reader.

Though Hamlet is still my favorite Shakespearean play, King Lear comes in a close second. I really enjoyed the two different plot lines that run through the play. The characters were all engaging. The only negative was the frequent lines of the play that I did not understand and apparently scholars are unable to explain But, those unintelligible lines are but a minor distraction in a great work of literature that everyone should read.

4.75/5