ellaamelia's review against another edition
4.0
Such an interesting, subversive, and entertaining play to both read and watch. It was an absolute joy delving into more Shakespeare and I would certainly recommend this play to friends.
josiahdegraaf's review against another edition
4.0
While Shakespearean comedy is generally not my cup-of-tea, this play was surprisingly enjoyable. The presence of a female lead protagonist (extremely rare in Shakespeare; this may have been the first one I've ever seen in his works, though my memory is really fuzzy on As You Like It, and Rosalind may also fit this category), a rapidly-twisting plot that constantly kept me on-edge, and a lack of the comic relief plot lines that tend to annoy me in most of his comedies (there is one in this play, but it's not as central and it has more of a point) all made this play one of my favorites of Shakespeare's comedies.
Of course, this is also one of Shakespeare's most morally ambiguous plays as well. =P Helena's decision to procure herself a husband by trickery and manipulation was certainly original and made the play very interesting, but I wasn't sure what to feel about the fact that she actually succeeds in this. Bertram is far from being a shining example of virtue either, so perhaps she'd soon realize that manipulating her way into a marriage with him wasn't exactly a wise decision on this part. But given that normally marriages in Shakespeare are supposed to be good things, the fact that neither Helena nor Bertram seems fit for a marriage relationship leaves the play rather tenuous toward the end.
Taken as a whole, this is probably one of my favorites among Shakespeare's comedies. And while it isn't a terribly moral story, it raises a bunch of interesting moral questions and keeps its characters in interesting situations. The characters may not be terribly sympathetic. But they're certainly empathetic. And that created a fascinating and intriguing comedy.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
Of course, this is also one of Shakespeare's most morally ambiguous plays as well. =P Helena's decision to procure herself a husband by trickery and manipulation was certainly original and made the play very interesting, but I wasn't sure what to feel about the fact that she actually succeeds in this. Bertram is far from being a shining example of virtue either, so perhaps she'd soon realize that manipulating her way into a marriage with him wasn't exactly a wise decision on this part. But given that normally marriages in Shakespeare are supposed to be good things, the fact that neither Helena nor Bertram seems fit for a marriage relationship leaves the play rather tenuous toward the end.
Taken as a whole, this is probably one of my favorites among Shakespeare's comedies. And while it isn't a terribly moral story, it raises a bunch of interesting moral questions and keeps its characters in interesting situations. The characters may not be terribly sympathetic. But they're certainly empathetic. And that created a fascinating and intriguing comedy.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
emmarj's review against another edition
5.0
Okay so my kids needed all the jokes explained to them but they still liked the story
bubblegumbook's review against another edition
2.0
I read this for my Shakespeare after 1600 class. I don't think Shakespeare and I click. I like the modern adaptations of his plays in film form, but I don't like reading them in the original text format. It is too hard for me to understand at a glance. But this story was intriguing and I think the ending was weird, it did not seem that positive even though it appeared like everyone got what they wanted. But go off Helena for chasing her dreams I guess. LOL.
ashep's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
ashleejuanita's review against another edition
3.0
Bertram is pretty much the worst. But Helena got him
carmelitasita's review against another edition
3.0
I didn't like this play near as much as others of Shakespeare.
katescholastica's review against another edition
3.0
All three stars are for Helena and Helena alone!! We love an icon.
If I could see a live performance, I really feel like this would be a 4 or even 5, it’s just hard to deal with some of the supporting characters in this (cough cough BERTRAM)
If I could see a live performance, I really feel like this would be a 4 or even 5, it’s just hard to deal with some of the supporting characters in this (cough cough BERTRAM)
sophiefahey's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
annelives's review against another edition
1.0
No one would read this and think it's anything special if someone other than Shakespeare had written it. I hated this even more than Romeo and Juliet. At least the writing in Romeo and Juliet had substance.