Reviews

The Rape of Lucrece by William Shakespeare

sarahfullybooked's review against another edition

dark

2.75

tquinton's review against another edition

3.0

Good, but  alarming🤨

ebutton11's review

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

byrenical's review against another edition

2.0

Not the best choice to read before bed.

bkoser's review against another edition

Better than Venus and Adonis. Lucrece's soliloquy (is it called a soliloquy when it's not a play?) after Tarquin leaves is the high point, literarily.

Read: The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd edition
- Introductory essay
- Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare - The Rape of Lucrece chapter

sophielisa's review against another edition

4.0

A beautiful account of a terrible and tragic story. Shakespeare’s writing is always incredible, and this was no exception. The imagery, the metaphors and the literary allusions in particular were beautiful, as was the language generally. A bit dissatisfying in that it ended before we got to witness the promised revenge, but otherwise I was relieved to find that the rape and the rapist were condemned, and the innocent women recognised (for the most part at least) as blameless (although she still took her own life out of her own shame and self-condemnation).

mz_olson_8's review against another edition

4.0

Once again, his long poetry isn't my favorite, but I think this piece of writing is significant. For several lines of the poem, Shakespeare not only explores the morality of the treatment of women, but he goes so far as to write from the viewpoint of Lucrece, and his portrayal of the feminine perspective is incredibly articulate and accurate. The topic is difficult, but when we're able to see inside the soul of a character and feel his/her heartbreak, isn't that the very essence of good writing? I've got to say, the more I read Shakespeare's work, the more impressed I am at the depth of his writing.

cgonya1's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

3.0

hannah_bookworm's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Sexual violence, Death, Self harm, and Violence

windspice's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault