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Shakespeare the Man
A leading historian probes into Shakespeare's background and creative genius in an attempt to create a portrait of the Elizabethan
253 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
36 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Rowse
276 books13 followersAlfred Leslie Rowse, CH FBA, known professionally as A. L. Rowse and to his friends and family as Leslie, was a prolific Cornish historian. He is perhaps best known for his poetry about Cornwall and his work on Elizabethan England. He was also a Shakespearean scholar and biographer. He developed a widespread reputation for irascibility and intellectual arrogance.
One of Rowse's great enthusiasms was collecting books, and he owned many first editions, many of them bearing his acerbic annotations. For example, his copy of the January 1924 edition of The Adelphi magazine edited by John Middleton Murry bears a pencilled note after Murry's poem In Memory of Katherine Mansfield: 'Sentimental gush on the part of JMM. And a bad poem. A.L.R.'
Upon his death in 1997 he bequeathed his book collection to the University of Exeter, and his personal archive of manuscripts, diaries, and correspondence. In 1998 the University Librarian selected about sixty books from Rowse’s own working library and a complete set of his published books. The Royal Institution of Cornwall selected some of the remaining books, and the rest were sold to dealers.
One of Rowse's great enthusiasms was collecting books, and he owned many first editions, many of them bearing his acerbic annotations. For example, his copy of the January 1924 edition of The Adelphi magazine edited by John Middleton Murry bears a pencilled note after Murry's poem In Memory of Katherine Mansfield: 'Sentimental gush on the part of JMM. And a bad poem. A.L.R.'
Upon his death in 1997 he bequeathed his book collection to the University of Exeter, and his personal archive of manuscripts, diaries, and correspondence. In 1998 the University Librarian selected about sixty books from Rowse’s own working library and a complete set of his published books. The Royal Institution of Cornwall selected some of the remaining books, and the rest were sold to dealers.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 23, 2014
This book was recommended to me by a retired Professor of the Humanities with decades of experience teaching Shakespeare. I read it as part of my research for a book I am writing for St. Martin's Press, which allowed me to compare Rowse's book with some of the latest biographical research on Shakespeare's life and times. As such, I am disappointed to report that 'Shakespeare the Man' is a painfully flawed book written by an even more painfully unprofessional scholar.
You need read no further than the preface of 'Shakespeare the Man' to realize your time shared with author A.L. Rowse will be unpleasant. He shamelessly dismisses virtually every other biographer's writing on Shakespeare as "confused" in what might be the most rambling intro I ever read to a scholarly work. He, meanwhile, portrays scholarly theories as absolute facts and takes jingoistic pride in virtually every aspect of Shakespeare's life--even when he gets his facts wrong. Rowse's stratospheric esteem for himself makes the many times he falls flat on his face even more unpleasant to read.
With that said, it would be wrong to completely ignore this work if only because such a dismissive approach is what crippled Rowse as a scholar. He paints an intimate, perceivable picture of Shakespeare as a man, which ultimately is what this book is supposed to accomplish. Rowse's eclectic familiarity with Shakespeare's plays is also a welcome feature since it catalogs countless references to Shakespeare's private life which he concealed in his works. This is a useful book, albeit one that is unpleasant to read and even more difficult to take for its word.
As such, I recommend this book only as a supplemental text to additional research. There are some gems in this dunghill, but they are not Rowse's. They're Shakespeare's.
You need read no further than the preface of 'Shakespeare the Man' to realize your time shared with author A.L. Rowse will be unpleasant. He shamelessly dismisses virtually every other biographer's writing on Shakespeare as "confused" in what might be the most rambling intro I ever read to a scholarly work. He, meanwhile, portrays scholarly theories as absolute facts and takes jingoistic pride in virtually every aspect of Shakespeare's life--even when he gets his facts wrong. Rowse's stratospheric esteem for himself makes the many times he falls flat on his face even more unpleasant to read.
With that said, it would be wrong to completely ignore this work if only because such a dismissive approach is what crippled Rowse as a scholar. He paints an intimate, perceivable picture of Shakespeare as a man, which ultimately is what this book is supposed to accomplish. Rowse's eclectic familiarity with Shakespeare's plays is also a welcome feature since it catalogs countless references to Shakespeare's private life which he concealed in his works. This is a useful book, albeit one that is unpleasant to read and even more difficult to take for its word.
As such, I recommend this book only as a supplemental text to additional research. There are some gems in this dunghill, but they are not Rowse's. They're Shakespeare's.
October 8, 2011
Unauthoritative, inaccurate, and at its best, an unreliable biography of Shakespeare. It is amazing that something so wrong can be written with such confidence. Rowse was a fine writer who would be a pleasure to read if he did not present his guesses as established facts. Steer clear, unless you study Shakespeare biography.
May 24, 2014
This was a very good read! I'm sad it took me so long to find it. I've read several biographies of Shakespeare, and several of them claimed there was a dearth of information. Rowse, however, shares a lot of information that I hadn't read in any of the others, even having discovered who the Dark Lady of the Sonnets was.
I like the way Rowse ties the plays to the times in Shakespeare's life and finds certain biographical information within the plays, poems, etc. I guess Rowse is a New Historian critic, but that makes no difference to me, as I have often not liked all the labels that are bandied about. If information is useful to better understanding the plays and the man who wrote them (I know there are those who believe that another wrote them, but that's for another book and another review), then that information is welcome to me.
If you're interested in Shakespeare, theatre, plays, Elizabethan England, or just like to read biographies, I recommend this book. I plan to re-read it, at least once, but probably several times...
I like the way Rowse ties the plays to the times in Shakespeare's life and finds certain biographical information within the plays, poems, etc. I guess Rowse is a New Historian critic, but that makes no difference to me, as I have often not liked all the labels that are bandied about. If information is useful to better understanding the plays and the man who wrote them (I know there are those who believe that another wrote them, but that's for another book and another review), then that information is welcome to me.
If you're interested in Shakespeare, theatre, plays, Elizabethan England, or just like to read biographies, I recommend this book. I plan to re-read it, at least once, but probably several times...
800-899-literature
December 9, 2019822.3
October 27, 2014
A new voice to me.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews