Este libro del gran crítico literario Harold Boom marca una revolución en los estudios sobre Shakespeare. Es un texto, monumental y definitivo, un lúcido análisis de la obra de quien, como afirma Bloom, nos creo al cual somos. Desde el ingenio de Falstaff a la sublime inteligencia de Hamlet, del aterrador infierno de Macbeth a la agudeza malévola de Yago, Bloom recorre en su análisis la inmensa variedad de personalidades shakespereanas, resaltando aquello que las ha hecho únicas e imprescindibles para la literatura universal. Este es, en suma, un libro provocativo para el pensamiento que despierta la moción de releer al gran dramaturgo isabelino.

The eminent critic Harold Bloom explores Shakespeare in this large book. Bloom’s argument is that before Shakespeare we didn’t have human characters as we know them except on rare occasions. Of course, there was Marlowe and Chaucer, but with Marlowe, it seems that a lot of his characters were hyperbolic parodies. I read “Tamburlaine,” “Dido, Queen of Carthage,” “Doctor Faustus,” and I think the Jew of Malta. Therefore, I am somewhat familiar with Marlowe. As for Chaucer, I believe I read most of Canterbury Tales. Now when I say I read them, I mean that I passed over them once or twice. I didn’t go and study the plays and stories extensively. This might be to my detriment in this case.

Bloom goes through each play that is accepted in the Shakespeare Canon and discusses how these characters act in a believable manner that makes them good characters. So you get a summary of each play along with some of the more important lines. It explores those lines and tells you what those lines mean. Even in his earliest plays, Shakespeare had a faint glimmer of genius. Of course, a lot of his works borrow a great deal from Marlowe, which is why I mentioned him. Eventually, Shakespeare took off the training wheels and makes his own characters.

It is a great new take on the plays of Shakespeare. Even though I had to read Shakespeare in school, examining his works in this light brings a whole new dimension of meaning to what is said. Even Romeo and Juliet becomes interesting again since he explores it in a way that was not acceptable when I read it in high school. Take the character of Mercutio. It might have been revealed to me that he was a bawdy sort that only cared about sex and whatnot, but I think I would have remembered that, especially as a hormone-ridden teen. Even Bloom’s favorite Shakespearean character, John Falstaff, was someone I never encountered when I was younger. I only read Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, and Macbeth when I was in school. I also read some of the sonnets, but those are not included in this book. So I never met Rosalind either, since I didn’t cover any of his comedies or histories.

I don’t really have any issues with this book. It flows really well and the book is organized in a manner that makes it easy to find what you need. It might be a bit of a hassle if you don’t know the order of the Shakespeare Canon, but that is what a Table of Contents is for. It is quite informative and a great resource. If you only read one book on Shakespeare let this one be it. ( )

A scholarly, yet not pretentious look at Shakespeare's works as a reflection of human nature. A very good reference work. Read Bloom's take on any play before reading/seeing it, and you will surely get much more out of it. ( )

I'm not all the way sure I agree with Bloom's ideas on Shakespeare, but I'd be the first to add that Bloom is very hard to disagree with. ( )

Typical Bloom - some extremely insightful and enlightening insights, and some that are completely bizarre and absurd. Good for referencing Shakespeare and for finding interesting bits. I admit that this is a bit beyond my fragmentary experience with Shakespeare, so I'll just give it three stars and try again after I've read some more. ( )