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davehershey's review against another edition
2.0
Not included in my complete works of Shakespeare, I guess because it was only somewhat recently seen to be included among Shakespeare's writings (though I also read it is believed someone else helped write large portions, or possibly finish it). At any rate, I am preparing to read Shakespeare's great history plays so first I read King John, then Marlowe's Edward II and now this one. I say those others are great based on reputation. These so far have just been good. Edward III is not really memorable....I am honestly having a hard time remembering what happened and I only finished it a few days ago. Edward spends the first part pining for the queen of Scotland and once he gets the message to stop being a creep, he moves on to fighting in France. Unless I missed it, there is little connection here and thus it seemed disjointed.
Anyway, I am taking a break from Shakespeare to read something else, but I do hope the Richards and Henrys are better than the Johns and Edwards.
Anyway, I am taking a break from Shakespeare to read something else, but I do hope the Richards and Henrys are better than the Johns and Edwards.
gillothen's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting mishmash. The Countess of Salisbury scenes, considered to be by Shakespeare, are interesting in the way they parallel the later invasion of France - the King demands power and submission in both cases, wrongly in both.
katescholastica's review against another edition
3.0
I’m finished (or almost finished) with all of shakespeare’s histories and this one ranks somewhere in the lower half but not bottom. Love the Countess’ speeches, and the events in Scotland, but sort of drags on in the second half despite being a very short play
lckeser7's review against another edition
3.0
Perhaps not even written by Shakespeare, but as I try to read The Complete Works this year, I had to read it just in case.
It definitely doesn't read like Shakespeare all the time, but it was surprisingly okay. It's a middling play among the histories. Not near the best, not near the worst. I'll probably never read this one again, but I'm glad I took the time.
It definitely doesn't read like Shakespeare all the time, but it was surprisingly okay. It's a middling play among the histories. Not near the best, not near the worst. I'll probably never read this one again, but I'm glad I took the time.
herodotean's review against another edition
3.0
Not surprising that this play's authenticity was contested for so long. I doubt I will ever feel the need to reread it.
nwhyte's review against another edition
"http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1232142.html[return][return]It's actually a play of two very distinct halves. The first two acts concern Edward III's attempts to seduce the Countess of Salisbury, which she successfully repulses; Acts III-V cover the Black Prince's campaigns in France, including the Battle of Cr
mikewomack's review against another edition
3.0
Edward III is an odd little play that feels disjointed but definitely not bad. It has been partly attributed to William Shakespeare, perhaps as much as 50% and as either revisionist of an original script or a true co-written work. In either part, Shakespeare is part of Edward III and so I read on.
My reading and enjoyment of the play was probably aided by watching at production of it a few months back at The Shakespeare Tavern. I anticipated a performance I'd sit through in order to scratch it from my Cannon list but ended up enjoying the show. I found the same experience when I read it. The writing is okay and the story line is bumpy but it's not bad. The first third of the play doesn't seem to mesh with the later parts. The lusty Edward struggles to jive with the warrior Edward. None-the-less, I'm glad I read (and watched) the apocryphal play.
Favorite quotes:
"To die is all as common as to live / The one in choice the other holds in chase; / For from the instant we begin to live / We do pursue and hunt the time to die."
My reading and enjoyment of the play was probably aided by watching at production of it a few months back at The Shakespeare Tavern. I anticipated a performance I'd sit through in order to scratch it from my Cannon list but ended up enjoying the show. I found the same experience when I read it. The writing is okay and the story line is bumpy but it's not bad. The first third of the play doesn't seem to mesh with the later parts. The lusty Edward struggles to jive with the warrior Edward. None-the-less, I'm glad I read (and watched) the apocryphal play.
Favorite quotes:
"To die is all as common as to live / The one in choice the other holds in chase; / For from the instant we begin to live / We do pursue and hunt the time to die."
adastra_hh's review against another edition
2.0
This play is ostensibly by Shakespeare; the Oxford edition asserts that he wrote 3 of the 18 scenes. I just couldn't get into it, personally.