William Shakespeare

KLIATT

Those readers who pick up this slim volume with low expectations will be pleasantly surprised. Shellard offers a concise discussion of what we do and do not know about Shakespeare. Very few of the high quality pages of this book are simply text. There are numerous illustrations of key literary and political figures, places, maps, and extracts from the First Folio. Many of these are in vibrant color. In his preface, the author acknowledges that at the time he was writing his book, the British Library listed 17,099 books in some way devoted to Shakespeare. In justifying his addition to this total, Shellard explains that his aim is "to marshal what we do know about Shakespeare's life into a fluent narrative to provide a context against which his literary output can be judged." Thus, he devotes chapters to an understanding of Elizabethan England, the development of the theater, the importance of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, Jacobean England, and the King's Men, among others. A brief discussion of all of the plays known to have been written by Shakespeare is provided as well as commentary on some of the sonnets and other major poems. Shellard points out, for example, that Titus Andronicus "is the only work for which we have a contemporary drawing showing what the tragedians may have been wearing" and he includes that drawing. He observes that A Midsummer Night's Dream "is the most visual of all Shakespeare's works." In addition, Shellard notes in his remarks on King Lear that recent critical commentary questions earlier readings of the tragedies as demonstrating "a belief in the natural order of things." Expanding on the famous line of Ben Jonson that Shakespeare was "not of an age, but forall time," Shellard rightly observes that the works of Shakespeare not only "keep alive a rich and important period of British history," but also "help to inform us about ourselves and our modern society." For its readability, its insights, and its illustrations, this is a text well worth the reader's time. (The British Library Writers' Lives). KLIATT Codes: JSA*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1998, Oxford University Press, 120p, illus, bibliog, index, 24cm, $15.95. Ages 13 to adult. Reviewer: Anthony J. Pucci; English Dept. Chair., Notre Dame H.S., Elmira, NY January 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 1)

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up-With surprising depth, this readable history presents a sophisticated introduction to Elizabethan England, theater history, and the life of Shakespeare. Shellard's clean prose weaves the known facts of Shakespeare's life and times with archival fragments and the conjectures that have grown from them. The difference between fact and speculation is always clearly presented. Beginning with Henry VIII's split from the Catholic Church, the background of the Tudors is swiftly sketched. The religious rifts in the country are touched on, including consideration of whether the Shakespeare family may have been loyal to the Roman Church. Early versions of the Bard's "lost years," such as the story that he may have been forced to leave Stratford because of a poaching incident, are introduced, but subsequent arguments against such stories show why they are probably untrue. It is this respectful review of scholarship and the lively, concise voice that distinguish this title from the standard series biographies. The information is enhanced by excellent-quality full-color and black-and-white photographs, period reproductions, and drawings. The chronology is lengthier than most, quite a complete summing up, and includes interesting tidbits that keep it from being dry. Although the disappointing index, limited to proper names and titles, may frustrate some researchers, the list for further reading is carefully selected and should be helpful to students interested in going beyond this stimulating overview.-Sally Margolis, Barton Public Library, VT Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.