“The World as Stage” by Bill Bryson is a book that supposedly discusses William Shakespeare, world renown play and sonnet writer. It seems to me that it is more of a 16th century history book. One of the keys to writing an impeccable essay is an introduction that pulls one in. It is almost impossible to do that with this subject’s lackluster. One of Bryson’s first personal statements of “The World as Stage” is his claim that the book was not written to fill the overflowing bookshelf of Shakespeare writings. His intention of this book is “to see how much of Shakespeare we can know, really know from the record.” (21) He makes his goal of the book clear. For me, it makes me better understand an informative book when the writer states
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(142) He also greatly explains in depth of the history of England during Shakespeare’s life. Shakespeare was born into the world of death. To further prove Bryson’s point, he mentions that the birth rate was lower than the death rate. (22) He attempts to throw Shakespeare’s name into the history such as “Many of the exotic-sounding diseases of Shakespeare’s time are known to us by other names.” (23) If one wanted to learn about Shakespeare, one would want to know about him as a person. Bryson makes a great comparison saying “he is kind of literary equivalent of an electron-forever there and not there.” (9) It seems he tries to fill the lack of information of Shakespeare’s life by filling it with the history of England during his time. While this does fit in with the introduction of his father John Shakespeare (11), the abundance of English history is still too much. It seems Bryson attempts to imply that this book was not a bibliography. To me, that is one of the downfalls of this book as it explains every single detail of England during his time. This book is incredible for history majors and Shakespeare scholars. For the everyday reader who wants to be entertained? It just doesn’t do it. Unless one has a knack for Shakespeare and life in England
(142) He also greatly explains in depth of the history of England during Shakespeare’s life. Shakespeare was born into the world of death. To further prove Bryson’s point, he mentions that the birth rate was lower than the death rate. (22) He attempts to throw Shakespeare’s name into the history such as “Many of the exotic-sounding diseases of Shakespeare’s time are known to us by other names.” (23) If one wanted to learn about Shakespeare, one would want to know about him as a person. Bryson makes a great comparison saying “he is kind of literary equivalent of an electron-forever there and not there.” (9) It seems he tries to fill the lack of information of Shakespeare’s life by filling it with the history of England during his time. While this does fit in with the introduction of his father John Shakespeare (11), the abundance of English history is still too much. It seems Bryson attempts to imply that this book was not a bibliography. To me, that is one of the downfalls of this book as it explains every single detail of England during his time. This book is incredible for history majors and Shakespeare scholars. For the everyday reader who wants to be entertained? It just doesn’t do it. Unless one has a knack for Shakespeare and life in England