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The Thing in Itself
Mar. 20th, 2025 11:24 pmJan-Mar, Aug-Sep 2023
Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare – Isaac Asimov – Wings Books, 1970
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So this is a bit outrageous. It is a 1500-page commentary on all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays and two epic poems, written by an author most famous for stories about robots and intergalactic politics. What could a science fiction writer possibly have to add to the centuries of analysis and criticism that have been lavished on these texts? I can almost hear the sneers of the literary establishment from here.
Well, to some extent the establishment is right. If you want deep insights into Shakespeare's language or his characters, you won’t find them here. What you will get is a refreshing new approach which focuses on explaining the mythic and historical contexts behind the plays. It’s not entirely successful, but it is interesting.
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