Shakespeare's Tragedies

By: Clare R. Kinney, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Clare R. Kinney

Shakespeare's contributions to stage and language are unequaled, audiences left breathless for the past four centuries, his artistry as evident in moments of insensate rage as it is in moments of heartbreaking tenderness.

But beyond his astonishing feats of language and dramatic impact, Shakespeare also left us a legacy in the explorations of suffering and transgression offered in the six great mature tragedies—Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and Coriolanus—that make up the astonishing body of work he produced from 1600 to 1608.

This series of 24 exciting lectures from an award-winning teacher takes you deep within each play to observe Shakespeare's protagonists struggling to make choices in the face of competing social, moral, and psychological pressures and "clawing [from] their pain and horror," as Professor Kinney puts it, " [to] a kind of insight."

Whether you're a veteran lover of Shakespeare, someone new to his work, or an old lover returning after too long away, you'll find this course a delight, as Professor Kinney offers insights that give you a nuanced understanding of each play's meaning. It's a gift that will increase the dramatic impact of every Shakespearean tragedy you see on the stage or screen, or visualize as you read them, as well as enhance your ability to form insights on your own with each reading or performance.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2007 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2007 The Great Courses

Too Dark

These stories are extremely Dark, however, interesting. The narrator brings excitement to the Tragedies. I was extremely interested in hearing all of the lectures.

Among the very best Shakespeare series

I listen to every Shakespeare series I see, and this ranks at or near the top. Professor Kinney offers a somewhat new (to me) perspective on these masterworks, and added much to my appreciation of the Bard. For one small example, I never considered Gertrude on her own terms, but only through Prince Hamlet's jaundiced though compelling language. For me, the lectures on MacBeth were the highlights of a superb intellectual journey. Brava!

Enlightening and well presented

Professor Clare Kinney does an excellent job of bringing fascinating insights to each of the plays she speaks to in this course. Her lectures are well structured, the information is accessible for the lay reader and above all, these lectures will invite and encourage those who have only a high school or college course experience with Shakespeare's tragedies to invest the intellectual energy toward a deeper understanding of the plays.

Note that she doesn't speak to Romeo and Juliet, but (wisely in my view) includes Antony and Cleopatra. However, it would have been excellent if she had included both, in addition to the most popular tragic plays. Undoubtedly, she would also treat R & J with expert analysis as well. She left me curious and wondering what she would have to say.

I wish that producer of The Great Courses would have left out the music and clapping between each lecture. I find that a bit annoying and that it adds nothing to the audio experience.

Great introduction to the tragedies

An excellent lecture series on the tragedies. Kinney is clearly passionate about her subject. Her reading of quotes was masterful.

motivation to read Shakespeare

Would you listen to Shakespeare's Tragedies again? Why?

Probably not. I wanted a launching off point and this was it.

What did you like best about this story?

I didn't always know where to focus my attention in reading Shakespeare's plays on my own. The wordplay and vocabulary present stumbling blocks to a new reader. Prof. Kinney introduces the important themes, as well as key lines, and when you read the plays alongside the course, comprehension is less of a challenge and the timeless themes of the work emerge. As a native English speaker, comprehending Shakespeare was a reward by itself. Every other form of literature opens up.

Which character – as performed by Professor Clare R. Kinney – was your favorite?

I like Hamlet and Coriolanus. Hamlet is a sympathetic character who seems trapped by fate and his soliloquies on death and existence are some of the most famous lines in English literature. Coriolanus is a talented warrior turned politician undone by his own arrogance, which seems to be a timely political theme.