Imagining Shakespeare: A History of Texts and Visions

by Stephen Orgel

In this beautifully illustrated book, one of the foremost Shakespeareans of our time explores the ways in which Shakespeare has been imagined from his time to ours. Drawing on performance history, textual history and the visual arts (including a fascinating chapter on portraiture), Imagining Shakespeare displays throughout the cultural versatility, elegance, lucidity and wit which have become the hallmarks of Stephen Orgel's style.

Genres: Shakespeare, Literary Criticism, Literature

188 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2003

Reviews

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

A high level examination of some of Shakespeare' specific plays and even elements of plays. It all revolves around a very high concept question of what really is Shakespeare; though his works are canon and seemingly immutable, they are and have always been eminently mutable from performance to performance by Shakespeare and his company and from era to era of English and global history where plays continue to be shaped by publishers, actors, critics, and audiences. Pretty deep stuff that I would have benefited from some conversation about to truly pick apart and digest a lot of the nuance, but even on its own it was a fun bunch of ideas and learning.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part of my Shakespeare reference collection, which includes:

A Companion to Shakespeare
Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare
Essential Shakespeare Handbook
Imagining Shakespeare
Northrop Frye on Shakespeare
Shakespeare After All
Shakespeare: An Oxford Guide
Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human
The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare
The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare

For the plays I’ve read, I’ve also read the relevant sections in these reference books. When I pick up the next play in my Shakespeare reading list, I start by reading the relevant section in the reference books, and also to refer back when necessary to get the background, history of performance and literary criticism.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first serious foray into Shakespearean discussion and criticism (which, considering this is sort of a conversational, table-top book, isn't that impressive), and I have to say, I don't recall exactly what I expected, but this definitely wasn't it. This book took me some pretty unexpected places (Italian Renaissance erotic art, anyone?), and I loved every second of it. It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed myself immensely. Coming away from the book, I feel as though I have a better sense of the complex interplay between Shakespeare the person, Shakespeare the concept, the play itself, the actors, and the audience. Or, at the very least, I can now acknowledge this interplay exists.

[John Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A concise, stimulating reminder that the meaning of "Shakespeare," even what we think he looked like, has varied over time. This idea is more or less a consequence of the historicism that arose in the 19th century, hence it's not original with Orgel, but his demonstration ranges across textual history, portraiture, and the history of performance and design. The book's illustrations, even in the black-and-white versions of my advance uncorrected proofs, are rewarding in themselves.