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The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy
Designed for "teaching the conflicts," this critical edition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest reprints the authoritative Bevington text of the play along with 21 selections representing major critical and cultural controversies surrounding the work. The distinctive editorial material helps readers grapple not only with the play’s critical issues but also with cultural debates about literature itself.
The second edition includes four new readings, revised headnotes that more helpfully contextualize the critical essays, a portfolio of visual representations of Caliban, and an appendix on writing about critical controversies and The Tempest.
The second edition includes four new readings, revised headnotes that more helpfully contextualize the critical essays, a portfolio of visual representations of Caliban, and an appendix on writing about critical controversies and The Tempest.
422 pages, Paperback
Published December 27, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 13, 2016
It is irritating when certain of the essays in this book literally get the facts wrong about _The Tempest_. When, for instance, Ronald Takaki writes that "the scene of the play was actually the mainland near the 'Bermoothes' - Virgina," he is making a factual statement which is not equivalent to pointing out that the play's description of the island on which it takes place is inspired by "contemporary documents about the New World" - the latter does not mean the former, and the play takes place, as Takaki himself admits, on an "island." Both sides of the "critical controversy" here are equally at fault, however, for the postcolonial Takaki is matched by the New Critic Reuben A. Brower who, evidently, in the 1950s was under the rather bizarre impression that Claribel was Antonio's sister (where did this come from? Just. . . where?).
That having been said, I have now been alerted thanks to this book to the existence of a man named Randall McCleod who used at various points in his career the pseudonym "Random Cloud," which I find more endearing than I can fully express.
I think my colleague would find this book very useful!
No, I haven't read any books this year not related to _The Tempest_. Why do you ask?
That having been said, I have now been alerted thanks to this book to the existence of a man named Randall McCleod who used at various points in his career the pseudonym "Random Cloud," which I find more endearing than I can fully express.
I think my colleague would find this book very useful!
No, I haven't read any books this year not related to _The Tempest_. Why do you ask?
September 10, 2024
3.75
I can’t imagine NOT having a political reading of this play, and I can’t imagine NOT reading Caliban as a sympathetic character. Y’all stay safe tho
“Hell is empty, / and all the devils are here!”
“You taught me language, and my profit on ’t / Is I know how to curse.”
“What’s past is prologue.”
“We are such stuff / As dreams are made on.”
Goodnight, Shakespeare
I can’t imagine NOT having a political reading of this play, and I can’t imagine NOT reading Caliban as a sympathetic character. Y’all stay safe tho
“Hell is empty, / and all the devils are here!”
“You taught me language, and my profit on ’t / Is I know how to curse.”
“What’s past is prologue.”
“We are such stuff / As dreams are made on.”
Goodnight, Shakespeare
March 25, 2024
We didn't read the whole book for class, also I am WAY too busy to finish the book for fun. The play was interesting, but the discussions at the latter half took it out of me.
March 4, 2026
This is a very informative edition. When I was perusing the used book bookstore looking for my next read, I wasn't really considering rereading the Tempest. I had read the Tempest two previous times and did not get anything out of it. In fact all I could remember of the play was that there was an old guy with a daughter who were shipwrecked on an island. I couldn't remember anything else. So as I was leafing through this book, my thought was that maybe I needed the guidance of Shakespeare and Elizabethan experts to help me understand the play. So I bought this particular edition.
This edition has good discussions on the current Elizabethan issues that people would most likely have been discussing, in particular that this was the age of conquest of the New World, of which Shakespeare would have had some awareness. The commentaries indicate that the issue of the cruel treatment of the inhabitants of the New World were well known at the time and were discussed publicly. Once one understands that these issues were prevalent, the play becomes more than about a love story between a shipwrecked woman with her father and a shipwrecked youth who are fated to fall in love. The play becomes more interesting as we begin to discern the outline of the way people understood the issues around the new conquests.
Well, as they say, "third time's a charm."
This edition has good discussions on the current Elizabethan issues that people would most likely have been discussing, in particular that this was the age of conquest of the New World, of which Shakespeare would have had some awareness. The commentaries indicate that the issue of the cruel treatment of the inhabitants of the New World were well known at the time and were discussed publicly. Once one understands that these issues were prevalent, the play becomes more than about a love story between a shipwrecked woman with her father and a shipwrecked youth who are fated to fall in love. The play becomes more interesting as we begin to discern the outline of the way people understood the issues around the new conquests.
Well, as they say, "third time's a charm."
July 11, 2011
shipwreck, spiritual possession, loss of life, limb, progeny, sanity, home, or plot, conspiracies of wizards with dunces, revenge stories gone awry, random accidents. You know what scares me?
Putting this play on in the park in 6 months. Scary.
Actually got some good out of this copy that works as a crit with primary documents! Reminding me of Montaigne.
Putting this play on in the park in 6 months. Scary.
Actually got some good out of this copy that works as a crit with primary documents! Reminding me of Montaigne.
June 9, 2024
I read The Tempest last year and loved it! This semester I got back to the university to complete my degree and The Tempest was one of the readings, so I read it again, this time in a different context. I got so much more from the discussions in class. I love Complex books, and The Tempest couldn't be more complex and more fun at the same time. I'd love to see it live in a theater one day.
December 1, 2021
Very funny with a lot of great character development. Makes poignant commentary on the life of the playwright and post-colonialism. Not my favorite of Shakespeare's works, but I enjoyed it. Anti-Stratfordian's must hate this play hahahahahaha.
October 27, 2022
so i guess this is my 100th book of 2022 completely by accident. i’ll just pretend it’s 101 so my 100th one can be more impactful. i do really like the tempest though, and i think i’m going to read all of shakespeare’s plays soon.
February 14, 2009
The Graff/Phelan edited edition is a good one to teach as the Tempest is framed as a controversial text.
April 3, 2011
dreams vs. assurances, foison and books. man.
(ps. what happened to the helen mirren "Tempest" adaptation?)
(ps. what happened to the helen mirren "Tempest" adaptation?)
April 4, 2015
I only read the play, not the academic analysis.
September 28, 2017
read for uni!
October 8, 2019
Please don't read....I got brain fucked
June 11, 2022
Willy Shakes never fails to make me cackle
February 7, 2023
Second time reading this play for CMPL 250.
January 28, 2023
Really enjoyed the critical essays in this edition!
Read
February 6, 2026had this copy from my first college english class!
movie accompanying this unit: the tempest (2010) dir. julie taymor 🌊💨
movie accompanying this unit: the tempest (2010) dir. julie taymor 🌊💨
February 13, 2025
wlt 100 cannibals, witches, virgins (the tempest)
November 23, 2024
normally i wouldn’t put books for class on goodreads but i read this in a day because i enjoyed it so i believe it deserves acknowledgement
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews