Shakespeare's World

Rating:
Summary: Readable and Informative
Review: Johanyak's book offers a useful approach to Shakespeare by examining the world that influenced the culture in which his works emerged. As stated in the preface, _Shakespeare's World_ enlightens readers with information that illuminates the landscape of Shakespeare's creative genius. Chapters on the northern Renaissance, the Reformation, and European colonialism, for example, help us to understand "his" world--a world untouched by 21st century perspectives. The book also offers helpful tools, such as a list of referenced geographical regions in Shakespeare's works, simple plot summaries of the plays and narrative poems, and an especially helpful chronology of key period events that set the stage for Shakespeare's literary accomplishments.

This is a handy companion for literature students and general readers who may be curious about the early modern period and its influences on Elizabethan England's greatest playwright. The book utilizes a simple, approachable writing style accented by period artwork that should satisfy the hungry mind.

Rating:
Summary: D. L. Johanyak's Insightful Book Is A Must-Have Companion!
Review: This well-researched, articulate, and richly detailed account describing the life, times, influences, and global society of one of the world's best loved & eternal writers is a must-have companion for students, professors, and bard-lovers around "The Globe." It is an exceptional complement to all of the mainstay texts in providing illumined treatment of Shakespeare's life and times uncommonly found in those staple works.

Beginning with the basic information of Shakespeare's life in chapters one and two, Johanyak aptly describes and characterizes his works in the chapters following while providing a synopsis of his professional progression. Later chapters pertaining to Elizabethan Society and social order, European and Christian influences, effects of the Renaissance, and European collonialism provide a detailed yet approachable vision of the Bard's time and place as an intersection of conflicting ideas, institutions, and motivations which probably influenced Shakespeare profoundly. Johanyak's treatment of this epochal intersection focuses on how Shakespeare perceived his society, how his society might or actually did perceive him, and the relevance of his global awareness. Paying meticulous attention to the details of his language in the best-known works, Johanyak proceeds to correlate Shakespeare's knowledge of the world, his viewpoints (subtle and obvious), and his keen, almost mystic, understanding of human nature within this idea intersection of his era.

Johanyak's piece is well-written, scholarly, but not mundane or prone to the stilted language which often characterizes other similar works. Geared toward the serious Shakespeare student, organization, or admirer, this book is still accessible to the casual reader, thereby demonstrating Johanyak's mastery of the complex subject matter and the sublime ideas inherent therein.

Rating:
Summary: D. L. Johanyak's Insightful Book Is A Must-Have Companion!
Review: This well-researched, articulate, and richly detailed account describing the life, times, influences, and global society of one of the world's best loved & eternal writers is a must-have companion for students, professors, and bard-lovers around "The Globe." It is an exceptional complement to all of the mainstay texts in providing illumined treatment of Shakespeare's life and times uncommonly found in those staple works.

Beginning with the basic information of Shakespeare's life in chapters one and two, Johanyak aptly describes and characterizes his works in the chapters following while providing a synopsis of his professional progression. Later chapters pertaining to Elizabethan Society and social order, European and Christian influences, effects of the Renaissance, and European collonialism provide a detailed yet approachable vision of the Bard's time and place as an intersection of conflicting ideas, institutions, and motivations which probably influenced Shakespeare profoundly. Johanyak's treatment of this epochal intersection focuses on how Shakespeare perceived his society, how his society might or actually did perceive him, and the relevance of his global awareness. Paying meticulous attention to the details of his language in the best-known works, Johanyak proceeds to correlate Shakespeare's knowledge of the world, his viewpoints (subtle and obvious), and his keen, almost mystic, understanding of human nature within this idea intersection of his era.

Johanyak's piece is well-written, scholarly, but not mundane or prone to the stilted language which often characterizes other similar works. Geared toward the serious Shakespeare student, organization, or admirer, this book is still accessible to the casual reader, thereby demonstrating Johanyak's mastery of the complex subject matter and the sublime ideas inherent therein.

Rating:
Summary: Who Was William Shakespeare?
Review: Who was William Shakespeare? Some people believe he never existed as one person but rather many. Others claim that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, is the true Shakespeare, or that the earl of Essex, the earl of Derby, or Sir Walter Raleigh, wrote his works.
Did he have a family? What influenced his writings? Did he travel? Was he educated? Was one of the greatest literary figures a truly a man of the world?

These are some of the questions that University of Akron Wayne College Professor Debra L. Johanyak explores in her book, Shakespeare's World.

As the author mentions in the preface to her tome, during the past few years there has been an immense amount of books devoted to Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, the European Renaissance, and New World Colonialism that would probably fill many library shelves.
This book combines perspective from these different realms in a kind of multidisciplinary approach to the study of Shakespeare.
Johanyak recognizes that the fast changing nature of research in any discipline does not respect traditional boundaries between disciplines. Consequently, in order to fully appreciate and understand Shakespeare's works, it is necessary to understand the world Shakespeare lived in.

The author's meticulous research has provided the reader with a book filled with colorful and entertaining detail.
The book divides itself into several sections dealing with Shakespeare's life, his poems and plays, performance and criticism, Elizabeth's England, Shakespeare's society, Christianity, the Elizabethan social order, the European effect, the Renaissance, Eastern Empires, and Western Worlds. Within these sections readers are exposed to succinct descriptions of many of Shakespeare's works, and how external factors influenced them.

Thought provoking questions, critical thinking and research project suggestions found at the end of each chapter, as well as the brief summary of the chapter, examine the facts and allow readers to apply what they have learned. These sections together with a comprehensive list of sources and reference texts also serve as guides for further research.
No doubt, our appetite to find out more about Shakespeare's life, education, and external factors that influenced his writing is to a great extent satisfied.
Use of plain informal language makes the reading all the more palatable.

Although the book may have been geared towards students, it will nevertheless prove to be an invaluable tool for anyone who wishes to gain an insightful survey of the world of Shakespeare.
The book undoubtedly enhances our appreciation and understanding of his works, and is an invaluable addition to any collection.

Rating:
Summary: Who Was William Shakespeare?
Review: Who was William Shakespeare? Some people believe he never existed as one person but rather many. Others claim that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, is the true Shakespeare, or that the earl of Essex, the earl of Derby, or Sir Walter Raleigh, wrote his works.
Did he have a family? What influenced his writings? Did he travel? Was he educated? Was one of the greatest literary figures a truly a man of the world?

These are some of the questions that University of Akron Wayne College Professor Debra L. Johanyak explores in her book, Shakespeare's World.

As the author mentions in the preface to her tome, during the past few years there has been an immense amount of books devoted to Shakespeare, Elizabethan England, the European Renaissance, and New World Colonialism that would probably fill many library shelves.
This book combines perspective from these different realms in a kind of multidisciplinary approach to the study of Shakespeare.
Johanyak recognizes that the fast changing nature of research in any discipline does not respect traditional boundaries between disciplines. Consequently, in order to fully appreciate and understand Shakespeare's works, it is necessary to understand the world Shakespeare lived in.

The author's meticulous research has provided the reader with a book filled with colorful and entertaining detail.
The book divides itself into several sections dealing with Shakespeare's life, his poems and plays, performance and criticism, Elizabeth's England, Shakespeare's society, Christianity, the Elizabethan social order, the European effect, the Renaissance, Eastern Empires, and Western Worlds. Within these sections readers are exposed to succinct descriptions of many of Shakespeare's works, and how external factors influenced them.

Thought provoking questions, critical thinking and research project suggestions found at the end of each chapter, as well as the brief summary of the chapter, examine the facts and allow readers to apply what they have learned. These sections together with a comprehensive list of sources and reference texts also serve as guides for further research.
No doubt, our appetite to find out more about Shakespeare's life, education, and external factors that influenced his writing is to a great extent satisfied.
Use of plain informal language makes the reading all the more palatable.

Although the book may have been geared towards students, it will nevertheless prove to be an invaluable tool for anyone who wishes to gain an insightful survey of the world of Shakespeare.
The book undoubtedly enhances our appreciation and understanding of his works, and is an invaluable addition to any collection.