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alliebarlow's review
3.0
Read this for university. Enjoyed looking at Renaissance tragedy written by a playwright other than Shakespeare. However, I feel like I won't be re-reading this one any time soon.
gillothen's review
5.0
Superb classically gory tragedy by one of the best in the business. Based loosely on events in Florence around fifty years earlier, but with added violence and extra death. Some amazing roles for women - Livia and Bianca both offer a range of emotions, a real challenge for a young man.
Read as part of the ongoing REP King's Men Repertoire Zoom group read in the bleak winter of 2021.
Read as part of the ongoing REP King's Men Repertoire Zoom group read in the bleak winter of 2021.
georgiaand's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
allie_english's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
3.0
I had to read this for university. A tragedy play that is very different to Shakespeare but would recommend to people looking to broaden their understanding of the genre.
amyvl93's review against another edition
4.0
'Women Beware Women' is a really intriguing Jacobean tragedy.
Set in Florence, it follows the stories of Bianca and Leonato (I think), who elope from Venice and when they arrive in Florence, Leonato becomes paranoid that someone will see Bianca and want to steal her so insists that she stay indoors, or wear a mask if she leaves the house. However, Bianca appears on the balcony of their house and The Duke spots her, and instantly falls in love.
Elsewhere, Hippolyto realises that he is in love with his niece, Isabella, but knows that he cannot act on his desires, as that would mean going against nature.
However, both the Duke and Hippolyto have links to the widow Livia, who agrees to 'help' both men. She distracts Bianca's mother-in-law with a chess game, which mirrors the seduction of a frustrated & trapped Bianca by the Duke-and Bianca becomes his mistress. She also informs Isabella that Hippolyto is not really related to her; meaning that Isabella accepts his advances. Of course, as is typical of Jacobean tragedies, there is a masque where everyone meets quite brutal ends.
Middleton crafts a very twisted world, and Livia struck me as an almost female Iago; controlling the other characters around her. I really enjoyed reading this.
Set in Florence, it follows the stories of Bianca and Leonato (I think), who elope from Venice and when they arrive in Florence, Leonato becomes paranoid that someone will see Bianca and want to steal her so insists that she stay indoors, or wear a mask if she leaves the house. However, Bianca appears on the balcony of their house and The Duke spots her, and instantly falls in love.
Elsewhere, Hippolyto realises that he is in love with his niece, Isabella, but knows that he cannot act on his desires, as that would mean going against nature.
However, both the Duke and Hippolyto have links to the widow Livia, who agrees to 'help' both men. She distracts Bianca's mother-in-law with a chess game, which mirrors the seduction of a frustrated & trapped Bianca by the Duke-and Bianca becomes his mistress. She also informs Isabella that Hippolyto is not really related to her; meaning that Isabella accepts his advances. Of course, as is typical of Jacobean tragedies, there is a masque where everyone meets quite brutal ends.
Middleton crafts a very twisted world, and Livia struck me as an almost female Iago; controlling the other characters around her. I really enjoyed reading this.
quixoticreader's review against another edition
4.0
This is so confusedly plotted it is almost funny, if it was not laden with murder and misogynistic themes. A proper Jacobean tragedy, they say