Ages of Man: Readings from Shakespeare

by William Shakespeare, John Gielgud (Narrator)

Here are some of Shakespeare's finest speeches performed by one of the greatest Shakespearean actors of this century. It ranges from the youth of Jaques' introduction to life, 'All the world's a stage!' in "As You Like It" to the aged Prospero's goodbye to Ariel and Shakespeare's own farewell to his muse in "The Tempest": 'Now my charms are all o'erthrown!' Sir John's masterful reading brings delight to the ear and joy to the heart.

Genres: Shakespeare, Plays, Audiobook, Classics, Poetry

Audio Cassette

First published May 1, 1986

About the author

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

Reviews

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that the edition that I had was an abridged edition, if I had known that, I would have waited and searched for the unabridged. Aside from that, now I want to read more Shakespeare.

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stellar collection of monologues and sonnets from Shakespeare. Best for those who are familiar with the plays, or at least the general plot/stories.

Gielgund delivers a classical performance—as fun as it is to read Shakespeare's play, this is a strong reminder that they were written to be read aloud.

A great way to dip into Shakespeare without reading an entire play.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learnt this poem at my school and since then, I have always loved and treasured this great sonnet of Shakespeare, borrowed from 'As You Like It'! A beautifully true poem about humans and how different emotions capture them at different stages of life.

[Rolls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. If you love Shakespeare you HAVE to hear this. Clurman said listening to Gielgud was like hearing Shakespeare think. He was absolutely right.