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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very interesting questions of gender and sexuality, I enjoyed exploring those themes throughout the story. Not my favorite storyline.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Here's the thing; it's Shakespeare, so it's lovely. It also has some of my favorite Shakespearean insults, but its combination of so many different dramatic elements from his previous plays (the retreat into the forest from Midsummer, or the cross-dressing like in Merchant of Venice, usurpation of power like in Richard III, etc) made it come off as a recycling and odd combination of every successful theme he had previously hit upon. And of course I know that we couldn't seriously claim extreme originality from the majority of Shakespeare's plays, but this one just seemed more contrived.
challenging
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
another comedy to tick off my list! and a very entertaining one. not my favourite, but it did its job.
and another cross dressing comedy, at that. it is such a common theme in these plays - twelfth night, merchant of venice. im glad to have completed the set.
such a classic ending too! four weddings in one! its questionable as to how many of them will be a happy marriage (phoebe definitely wanted nothing to do with the man she was essentially forced to marry, and touchstone's intentions were definitely not pure) but it was fun regardless.
i really enjoyed the relationship between sisters and brothers that this play offers. when orlando and oliver eventually make up, the parallel that their scene together offers with the celia and rosalind one earlier is great.
im slowly getting through all these plays. i fear it may have to be a history next.
(also i forgot to mention i watched the 2009 globe production alongside my reading)
and another cross dressing comedy, at that. it is such a common theme in these plays - twelfth night, merchant of venice. im glad to have completed the set.
such a classic ending too! four weddings in one! its questionable as to how many of them will be a happy marriage (phoebe definitely wanted nothing to do with the man she was essentially forced to marry, and touchstone's intentions were definitely not pure) but it was fun regardless.
i really enjoyed the relationship between sisters and brothers that this play offers. when orlando and oliver eventually make up, the parallel that their scene together offers with the celia and rosalind one earlier is great.
im slowly getting through all these plays. i fear it may have to be a history next.
(also i forgot to mention i watched the 2009 globe production alongside my reading)
Such a fun gender-bender comedy! I can't believe this play isn't more well-known. I am always impressed when jokes are still funny a decade later... Imagine how well-written this is to be funny several centuries later!
As I detest reading plays, I listened to the BBC radio play (with Helena Bonham Carter as Rosalind) while I read the Penguin annotated script. Hearing the voices helped a whole lot, and they really do sing the songs with instruments. The BBC play is abridged, just FYI, and really is not able stand alone without a thorough knowledge of the plot and characters (or reading along at the same time). Paired together was great, though.
As I detest reading plays, I listened to the BBC radio play (with Helena Bonham Carter as Rosalind) while I read the Penguin annotated script. Hearing the voices helped a whole lot, and they really do sing the songs with instruments. The BBC play is abridged, just FYI, and really is not able stand alone without a thorough knowledge of the plot and characters (or reading along at the same time). Paired together was great, though.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No