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beforeviolets's review
5.0
I’m not kidding when I say that every single person should read this book. I don’t care if you engage with Shakespeare or not, if you consume media, you should read this book!!!
Through exploring racial depictions and associations in and around Shakespeare’s work, Farah Karim-Cooper opens doorways to understanding marginalization in media and popular culture from early modern England to the modern day.
This is such an accessible read, and it does an incredible job of breaking down the dangers of putting Shakespeare (and other literary greats) on pedestals. It brilliantly explains the history of racialized imagery, language, and ideals throughout the Bard’s plays, how they’ve consequently affected our subliminal associations, and even discusses the act of reckoning with those ideals in our own classrooms, theaters, and minds.
I genuinely cannot sing this book’s praises enough.
Through exploring racial depictions and associations in and around Shakespeare’s work, Farah Karim-Cooper opens doorways to understanding marginalization in media and popular culture from early modern England to the modern day.
This is such an accessible read, and it does an incredible job of breaking down the dangers of putting Shakespeare (and other literary greats) on pedestals. It brilliantly explains the history of racialized imagery, language, and ideals throughout the Bard’s plays, how they’ve consequently affected our subliminal associations, and even discusses the act of reckoning with those ideals in our own classrooms, theaters, and minds.
I genuinely cannot sing this book’s praises enough.
gemblebeeb's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Learned a lot! And really interesting to view these plays through a lens I’m not familiar with. Definitely warrants multiple listen throughs.
bibliophilicwitch's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
An interesting introduction to reading Shakespeare critically in regards to race and class. Not perfect, but a good place to spark introspection and thought.
liamurph's review against another edition
Too dense/academic of a read right now. Will pick up at a later time.
cqs's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
An absolutely fascinating, necessary text about how our cultural memory of Shakespeare has shifted over time. In the centuries since he lived, Shakespeare has been elevated to white ideals of philosopher-king level gravitas. This author brings him down to earth, placing him in the context of his time and illuminating the many ways in which Shakespeare and his work were the tip of the spear in spreading colonization and a specific Anglo-Saxon brand of white supremacy worldwide.
readingtheend's review against another edition
3.0
enjoyable if maybe a little more 101 than I was hoping! I told a friend that it very much reads like a book read by the director of education at the Globe. one thing that struck me is that she feels like there's an ongoing need to keep performing problematic plays like The Merchant of Venice, rather than sweeping them under the rug. I'm just not sure why! why can't we direct our energies elsewhere! I say study that play but don't stage it; there are other plays; I can imagine there may even be plays BY JEWISH PLAYWRIGHTS from this era, idk just one idea among many.