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Searching... Monmouth Public Library | YA GN SHAKESPEARE 2009 | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Othello and As You Like It are the newest additions to the imaginative world of Manga Shakespeare . In the face of the false evidence produced by the conniving Iago, Othello
cannot trust his wife, and his mistrust leads to the play's tragic conclusion. In As You Like It , Rosalind, dressed like a boy, falls in love with Orlando. A mistaken-identity comedy follows, with a happy ending (or the ultimate justice served) for those who deserve it. Both plays have been refreshingly updated in the style of manga while maintaining Shakespeare's beautiful language. F&P level: Z
Author Notes
William Shakespeare, 1564 - 1616 Although there are many myths and mysteries surrounding William Shakespeare, a great deal is actually known about his life. He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, son of John Shakespeare, a prosperous merchant and local politician and Mary Arden, who had the wealth to send their oldest son to Stratford Grammar School.
At 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, the 27-year-old daughter of a local farmer, and they had their first daughter six months later. He probably developed an interest in theatre by watching plays performed by traveling players in Stratford while still in his youth. Some time before 1592, he left his family to take up residence in London, where he began acting and writing plays and poetry.
By 1594 Shakespeare had become a member and part owner of an acting company called The Lord Chamberlain's Men, where he soon became the company's principal playwright. His plays enjoyed great popularity and high critical acclaim in the newly built Globe Theatre. It was through his popularity that the troupe gained the attention of the new king, James I, who appointed them the King's Players in 1603. Before retiring to Stratford in 1613, after the Globe burned down, he wrote more than three dozen plays (that we are sure of) and more than 150 sonnets. He was celebrated by Ben Jonson, one of the leading playwrights of the day, as a writer who would be "not for an age, but for all time," a prediction that has proved to be true.
Today, Shakespeare towers over all other English writers and has few rivals in any language. His genius and creativity continue to astound scholars, and his plays continue to delight audiences. Many have served as the basis for operas, ballets, musical compositions, and films. While Jonson and other writers labored over their plays, Shakespeare seems to have had the ability to turn out work of exceptionally high caliber at an amazing speed. At the height of his career, he wrote an average of two plays a year as well as dozens of poems, songs, and possibly even verses for tombstones and heraldic shields, all while he continued to act in the plays performed by the Lord Chamberlain's Men. This staggering output is even more impressive when one considers its variety. Except for the English history plays, he never wrote the same kind of play twice. He seems to have had a good deal of fun in trying his hand at every kind of play.
Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, all published on 1609, most of which were dedicated to his patron Henry Wriothsley, The Earl of Southhampton. He also wrote 13 comedies, 13 histories, 6 tragedies, and 4 tragecomedies. He died at Stratford-upon-Avon April 23, 1616, and was buried two days later on the grounds of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. His cause of death was unknown, but it is surmised that he knew he was dying.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Shakespeare's romantic comedy takes place in a contemporary setting in which Asian characters reside in the forest of Ar-Den. Full-color images accompanied by a brief Shakespearean quote provide a delightful introduction to the multiple players who will encounter one another in the forest. These vibrant pages conclude with a spread of the final romantic attachments, leaving no doubt about the happy conclusion. Many aspects of this play work especially well in a manga format. The story is vividly brought to life as readers observe the emotional tension between Oliver and Orlando; the close relationship between Rosalind and Celia; and the high-action wrestling match between Charles and Orlando. Readers are made aware that this is an intelligent woman who knows her own mind. Using an entirely different style of graphic art for Jacques' famous "All the world's a stage" speech, Corin's account of the slaying of the deer and Oliver's retelling of Orlando's encounter with the lion help readers visualize these "stories within the story." Teens unfamiliar with the original may require supplemental material to appreciate this comedy fully because of its complicated plot, multiple characters, mistaken identities, and cross-dressing. Those who have prior exposure to it or who are willing to invest in some background preparation will enjoy this delightful re-creation of Shakespeare's exploration of the tractable nature of the human heart and the delights of love.-Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
If Charles and Mary Lamb were reworking Tales from Shakespeare today, they might have developed something like this take from the Manga Shakespeare line. While maintaining considerable Shakespearian language, the plot is staged in a thoroughly manga manner, with Japanese settings, hairstyles, and posturing readily recognizable to the contemporary teen manga fan. Oliver, for instance, is not only sullen but also wears his long hair in an ominous cascade across the right side of his face and rides in a chauffeured vehicle: he is the embodiment of a tyrannical character in wholly twenty-first-century manga trappings. The plot summary at the book's end is straightforward, and readers would be well served to read that first if they know nothing about the original story. All in all, this is an excellent choice not only as curriculum support but also for manga readers who have no overt interest in connecting their comics reading to a familiarization with Shakespeare.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2009 Booklist