Shakespeare

by David Bevington

In this inspiring introduction to the extraordinary phenomenon of Shakespeare, leading scholar, David Bevington, asks what makes Shakespeare great, and why we still read and perform his works.

Genres: Shakespeare

205 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

David Bevington was an American literary scholar.

Reviews

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avoiding the traditional pattern of discussing/analyzing the plays through plot synopsis, Bevington employs a thematic structure. This puts plays together and reflects their commonalities. It also allows the reader insights into unacquainted plays. The writing is informative without being pedantic. The section on rhetorical devices was of particular interest.

[John Fredrickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good survey of major themes in Shakespeare, but I felt that much of it was familiar from other sources.