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joannaautumn's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely one of his darker comedies review to come.
gillothen's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A true masterpiece. I've read this many more than three times, of course - I first encountered it at A Level in 1972. Dark, complex, ambiguous, and most characters are hard to like, but the scenes fizz and the poetry is spectacular.
annepw's review against another edition
3.0
This is a gloriously tricky little play. Most of the interest comes from what is not said (think Isabella in the final scene). The only production I've seen of this was brilliant, and I don't know if the text of the play outside of that interpretation is as effective on its own, but there's a lot that's interesting here.
bellai2602's review against another edition
3.0
disgustingly relevant. also i love lucio my favorite fuckboi.
rc90041's review against another edition
4.0
A strange, discomfiting, uncomfortable play. As Harold Bloom calls it, a “problem play.” A problem in that the reader has no idea what to make of it: the available boxes for the plays—comedy, tragedy, history, romance—don’t seem to be appropriate categories in which to file this play, technically a comedy, but full of darkness, lust, corruption, spite, and pain.
The play contains some profound passages, especially Vincentio’s meditation on death (III.i.10-41):
(III.i.5-13.)
The play never flies, though, as it’s caught in the mire of this strange, noisome Vienna. And even the superficial sweetness of the ending is marred by raw cruelty. A strange but crucial play in Shakespeare’s oeuvre, and one that’s worth revisiting.
The play contains some profound passages, especially Vincentio’s meditation on death (III.i.10-41):
Be absolute for death: either death or life
Shall thereby be the sweeter. Reason this with life:
If I do lose thee, I do lose a thing
That none but fools would keep; a breath thou art,
Servile to all the skyey influences
That dost this habitation where thou keeps’t
Hourly afflict; merely, thou art death’s fool,
For him thou labors’t by thy flight to shun,
And yet run’st toward him still.
(III.i.5-13.)
The play never flies, though, as it’s caught in the mire of this strange, noisome Vienna. And even the superficial sweetness of the ending is marred by raw cruelty. A strange but crucial play in Shakespeare’s oeuvre, and one that’s worth revisiting.
manoncremers's review against another edition
2.0
Due to a lack of originality, I hereby present to you, a meme:
marinav13's review against another edition
5.0
Love the humanity and power of the female characters, who are just killing it within the boundaries set by the patriarchy. Another super dark read by Shakespeare. Love a mopey clown.
lu2cy_i's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0