Advantages: A movie with it all
Disadvantages: None

...Having a few recent conversations it strikes me that 1998's Shakespeare In Love is an incredibly misunderstood movie, furthermore those that are in the category "misunderstood" have some serious wrong views of exactly what Shakespeare In Love is about, many believe it is a straight laced romance. From first viewing 8 years ago it has become one of my favourite movies; a great romance, an epic tale, a intriguing romance, and last but not least a hysterical sense of humour. The owner of the Rose theatre Henslow (Geoffrey Rush) is in severe dire straits financially, owing money to everyone it seems. But Fennyyman (Tom Wilkinson) for whom he is most in debt too is by far the most eager to get his money from Henslow. To avoid a terrible torture Henslow promises to get dried up author William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) to write a new play... Read review

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Advantages: Highly entertaining, approachable, wittily-illustrated guide
Disadvantages: Purists may cringe occasionally!

...William Shakespeare would weep if he could see the manner in which his works are sometimes studied today. He would surely be bemused to see the seriousness with which lines of wit from his comedies have been dissected and analysed to extract their double-or-treble-or-quadruple entendres when it is a well-known fact that humour is lost when jokes have to be explained. I wonder what he would make of some of today’s productions at the Globe Theatre, or the many film versions of his plays. Would he on balance be amused or incensed were he ever to view a video of “Shakespeare in Love”? Would he smile as he read Lamb’s tales, or be irritated by their over-simplifications? Would he roll with laughter at a performance by the Reduced Shakespeare Company? Or lament the irreverence shown to some of the more serious themes... Read review

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Advantages: Like most Shakespeare, stick at it and you'll enjoy it
Disadvantages: A little slow to get into, depending on how well you grasp Shakespeare's work

...nemesis, he now sides with would make the news even harder for Antony to accept. Antony’s reaction of immediately sending on Enobarbus’ treasure along with a heart-felt message exemplifies his still-felt loyalty towards Enobarbus, despite his departure. It also further demonstrates to the audience Antony’s noble qualities, which until now have been portrayed more by people’s words of praise rather than his behaviour and actions. By demonstrating Antony’s nobility in action rather than just words, Shakespeare gives the audience the opportunity to begin to appreciate how he has earned his reputation over the years. This is something that is important when trying to understanding Antony, and the respect and loyalty that other’s extend towards him. There are two very different types of loyalty demonstrated... Read review

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Advantages: A simple play
Disadvantages: Quite long and bits are confusing

...'Macbeth' is a real twisted story of a young man who is forced to kill his own king through ambition. The play is like another of 'shakespeare's'~ Romeo and Juliet. The whole plot is based on ambition and is a very gruesome tale. THE PLOT~ Macbeth the main character is a nobleman and fights for his country. One day on the way back from winning a battle with his best friend Banquo 3 witches appear in front of them and tell the couple their futures. Banquo's is unfortunate, his children will get the luck but young Macbeth is told that he will recieve 3 titles. He will become the Thane of Cawdor, the thane of Glamis and become king of his country, Scotland! WHAT HAPPENS~ I really wouldn't like to spoil and spill the story to you all so let's just say that Macbeth recieves the first two titles but awaits to become king! So basically... Read review

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Advantages: Lots to write about
Disadvantages: Very long

...Hi everyone, its good to be back!! Been away a while studying, but im back for a bit to get your valued opinion on my last peice of English Literature corsework, i struggle with Shakespeare and I would greatly appretiate your honest opinion, which i know you will do otherwise you would not be a ciaoer!!!! thanks. #################################### How would a modern day audience respond to the presentation of women in Hamlet? William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in 1603. Hamlet is a play of its time in the presentation of female characters. There are only two women in Hamlet. Gertrude, Hamlets mother, and Ophelia, Hamlets lover, the daughter of Polonius. Hamlet was written in the Elizabethan period, in this time many women were confined to the domestic sphere, they were often unhappy, oppressed, and commonly abused... Read review

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Advantages: central position, low priced, friendly staff & beautiful building
Disadvantages: needs renovating, breakfast, not handicapped accessible

...When I went to London last summer with my English class, our teacher chose the Shakespeare hotel for our stay. As there wasn't enough room for all, some of our group stayed at the Dolphin hotel next door, but I was one of those who were fortunate (?) enough to stay at the Shakespeare hotel. Hotel in general The Shakespeare hotel is located very central at Norfolk square, north of the Hyde Park and 2 minutes away from the Paddington station. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and supermarkets nearby, but we didn't try any of them except for the coffee shop where we used to get our breakfast. It is located in a very quiet tree lined street and there is a small park directly outside the hotel which makes it look even more peaceful. From outside the hotel looks really beautiful and exclusive and when I first saw it I... Read review

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Advantages: Good plays, cheap prices
Disadvantages: lots of restricted view seats, open air if the weather is bad

...The Globe is situated on Bankside, between the Tate Modern and London Bridge and although it has only been (re-)opened for a few years, it has managed to establish, for itself, a place in the hearts of Londoners and tourists alike. The Globe is an attempt to reconstruct the Globe from Shakespearean times, complete with open 'yard' where the 'groundlings' (or people who watch, standing in the Yard) stand. The theatre itself is surprisingly small, especially by modern standards. There is a lovely new box office building, which has details about shows, schedules and events, as well as a gift shop with lots of (unsurprisingly) Shakespeare memorabilia. As for the productions, well, each season, (which runs roughly from mid-May to mid-September) they run three productions. Usually they have been three of Shakespeare's plays... Read review

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Advantages: The plot keeps you hooked
Disadvantages: There are a few irregularities

...'Othello' by William Shakespeare is often described as on of his 'problem plays', a 'domestic tragedy' that does not rank in the same league as the likes of 'Macbeth' or 'Hamlet'. I beg to differ. 'Othello' offers audiences the most interesting of all Shakespeare's creations - Iago, the epitome of all malcontents. Iago is singularly responsible for Othello's downfall and Desdemona's death. Granted, there are times when Will conveniently uses coinincidence to aid Iago's manipulative plot, but whoever said life wasn't made up of fascinating coincidences? The key to Iago's success in the play is directly linked to Shakespeare's use of one word - HONEST. At the time Shakespeare was writing the meaning of the word honest was shifting. In its original context, honest meant something along the lines of 'the art of taking advantage... Read review

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Advantages: Easy reading and humorous
Disadvantages: complicated

...This is my favourite Shakespeare play. It just has everything - drama, romance, laughter, and lot of tongue-in-cheek humour. Anybody who likes a bit of fantasy and fairy tale, like I do, will love this. It is real escape from the everyday and is very easy to read, as far as Shakespeare plays go. I have read it about 5 times in all and have loved it every time. If you ever get the chance to go and see it performed, you must. And see as many performances as you can because each one is interpreted differently and have different representations of the characters. Set in a magical forest, the play is all about match making and infidelity, mischief and romance. All of the characters are strong and have wonderful personalities. I would really recommend this book to anyone trying to get into Shakespeare or anybody fed up of reading... Read review

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Advantages: Great help with understanding almost everything
Disadvantages: the "activites" at the end of each act

...Like all students I had to learn Shakespeare ... boring, difficult and hard to understand, well untill I purchased the Heinemann Shakespeare book Romeo and Juliet. The Heinemann Shakespeare series is designed specially for 11 to 16-year-old students and because it is designed specially for 11 to 16-year-old students it has lots of help to understand difficult words and phrases. Like all books designed for kids illustrations are important and this book has very good illustrations to help you follow the story. The best example of this is at the start where the illustrator has drawn all the characters of the play. I think this book it a must have for ALL students that are studying Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.... Read review

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