This is Shakespeare

This Is Shakespeare examines twenty plays from Shakespeare's canon through a contemporary analytical lens. Smith strips away centuries of reverence to present the works as they might have appeared to their original audiences. The book takes a play-by-play approach, with each chapter focusing on key questions and uncertainties within individual works. Rather than smooth over textual problems or contradictions, Smith highlights these gaps and ambiguities as essential features of Shakespeare's dramaturgy. Smith challenges traditional interpretations while maintaining scholarly rigor, drawing from historical contexts and textual evidence. Her analysis spans the comedies, tragedies, histories, and late plays, tracing recurring patterns across Shakespeare's career. The work presents Shakespeare not as a remote genius but as a working playwright whose plays gain power from their openness to interpretation. Through close readings that avoid both oversimplification and academic density, Smith reveals how the plays continue to resonate by resisting fixed meanings.

Readers appreciate Smith's accessible, conversational tone and her focus on the plays' ambiguities rather than providing definitive interpretations. Many note that the book makes Shakespeare feel relevant to modern audiences without oversimplifying the material. Common praise: - Breaks down complex themes for newcomers while offering fresh perspectives for scholars - Addresses controversial aspects head-on - Uses contemporary references that help connect the plays to present day Common criticism: - Some chapters feel rushed or superficial - Not enough historical context - Too much emphasis on gender/sexuality themes according to some readers - Several note the informal writing style can come across as flippant Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (450+ ratings) Representative review: "Smith manages to make Shakespeare scholarship exciting without dumbing it down. Each chapter left me wanting to immediately reread the play being discussed." - Goodreads reviewer

The Year of Lear by Stephen Greenblatt The historical context of 1606 reveals how Shakespeare transformed a tumultuous year of plague, plots, and political tension into three of his greatest tragedies.

Shakespeare After All by Marjorie Garber A chapter-by-chapter examination of all 38 plays uncovers the historical, social, and literary forces that shaped each work.

Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt The life of Shakespeare interweaves with the politics, beliefs, and culture of Elizabethan England to illuminate the sources of his creative power.

Shakespeare's Language by Frank Kermode The evolution of Shakespeare's writing style emerges through close analysis of the plays' linguistic patterns and innovations.

Soul of the Age by Jonathan Bate The biography reconstructs Shakespeare's life through the cultural categories Renaissance people used to understand their world.

🎭 Emma Smith recorded the popular podcast series "Approaching Shakespeare" at Oxford University, which became the foundation for many ideas explored in "This Is Shakespeare" 📚 The book challenges the common "bardolatry" view of Shakespeare as an untouchable genius, instead presenting him as a collaborative playwright whose works are full of gaps and uncertainties ⭐ "This Is Shakespeare" was named one of the best books of 2019 by The Sunday Times, Financial Times, and The Times Literary Supplement 🎨 Each chapter focuses on a different play and opens with a contemporary cultural reference - from The Godfather to Amy Winehouse - connecting Shakespeare's works to modern life 📖 Smith deliberately chose to write about 20 plays rather than all 37 attributed to Shakespeare, allowing for deeper analysis and challenging the idea that certain plays are more "important" than others