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eely225's review against another edition
3.0
The parameters for reading this book fruitfully are pretty narrow. Van Doren has an essay of variable length for each of Shakespeare's plays (excluding, to no one's dismay, Two Noble Kinsmen). The challenge is that each essay depends on minimally-explained allusions not just to the play in question, but also to the rest of Shakespeare's corpus and the preceding essays in the book.
As such, in order to feel engaged with Van Doren's text the reader should have already read most or all of Shakespeare's plays. Additionally, because Van Doren does so much quoting with so little context, it is best if the reader has read the play in question quite recently or retains it in a deeper part of themselves.
So in order to feel like you're following properly, the reader should have previously read all the plays and currently be reading the plays again, stopping after each to reflect with Van Doren.
Now, frankly, that sounds like a fine time. But it's a lot of pressure to put on one book that is as much a reference as anything. There are many moments where Van Doren shines, particularly in the plays that shine for him; I found myself underlining and nodding along throughout his section on Hamlet (have I ever written something so pretentious?). But when the plays drag for him he drags the reader with him. Extended quotations after which Van Doren writes, in effect, "Now you see how dumb that quote was, right?" do not inspire much page turning.
I am glad I own this, and I do imagine I'll revisit it in small doses as I revisit the plays over the years. But as a standalone book read in sequence, it can get a bit bumpy.
As such, in order to feel engaged with Van Doren's text the reader should have already read most or all of Shakespeare's plays. Additionally, because Van Doren does so much quoting with so little context, it is best if the reader has read the play in question quite recently or retains it in a deeper part of themselves.
So in order to feel like you're following properly, the reader should have previously read all the plays and currently be reading the plays again, stopping after each to reflect with Van Doren.
Now, frankly, that sounds like a fine time. But it's a lot of pressure to put on one book that is as much a reference as anything. There are many moments where Van Doren shines, particularly in the plays that shine for him; I found myself underlining and nodding along throughout his section on Hamlet (have I ever written something so pretentious?). But when the plays drag for him he drags the reader with him. Extended quotations after which Van Doren writes, in effect, "Now you see how dumb that quote was, right?" do not inspire much page turning.
I am glad I own this, and I do imagine I'll revisit it in small doses as I revisit the plays over the years. But as a standalone book read in sequence, it can get a bit bumpy.
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