Henry VIII (Abridged) Audiobook

" Read this as a companion piece after I finished Wolf Hall. I didn't even know he wrote a play about Henry VIII, and now I know why: it pretty much sucks. And a total whitewash, which makes sense in retrospect. Where's the fucking beheadings, Will? "

" Not the best o' the the Bard, but fits in well with the histories. "

" Chewed through this mainly because I badly sprained my ankle and am stuck in bed, and saw the BBC production of it but could barely follow it and felt vaguely guilty, like I'd slighted Will or something. After reading it and viewing it once again and focusing on the long, detailed critical introduction by Jay L. Halio (which was quite good and hardly at all stiff), what strikes me is not how it's about Henry VIII -- because it isn't, really, just as King John isn't really about that king and Henry VI is a sort of marginal figure in the three plays which bear his name.....and come to think of it Henry IV isn't really the full focus of the two-parter with his name on it, either. (The two kings who seem to command their respective plays are Richards II and III. The effects of being named Dick rather than Harry are left as an exercise for the reader.) Halio emphasizes the linked way Buckingham, Katherine and Wolsey all foreshadow each other's downfalls, one worst than the next, and the tragic flaw causing it all isn't even really overweening ambition (as Wolsey's fate is presented) but rather the way Henry becomes an increasingly powerful juggernaut who can rid himself of troublesome nobles, his wife, and even the second most powerful man in England. But he remains a shadowy and contradictory figure, motivated not so much by lust (although Shakespeare explicitly makes desire for Anne, rather than worry over succession, his main motive) but the realization that whatever he wants -- Anne, a divorce, telling the Pope to piss up a rope -- he can just take. This exercise of absolute power casts a bit of a shadow over the celebratory joy at Elizabeth's birth which ends the play (IIRC, the Beeb just whacked the Epilogue, not even allowing it to be a VO, as happened to the Prologue). Personally, I went into the play detesting Wolsey and expecting some major fireworks from Anne Boleyn/Bullen, who is one of my favourite figures of that period, but wound up sympathetic to the Cardinal (well, with those fantastic final speeches Will gives him, can you blame me -- "he falls like Lucifer, Never to hope again") and v impressed by Shakespeare's portrayal of Katherine, one of his strongest and most dignified women. However, I just absolutely cannot STAND Henry VIII and this play did nothing to counteract that. People who think that this play glorifies Elizabeth's father are about as clueless as the ones who say that Henry V is a piece of pro-war jingoistic propaganda. I didn't enjoy reading this, exactly, but I'm glad I made the effort and dug into it and especially read the critical matter, which was very helpful. Shakespeare almost always rewards really engaging with the text -- doesn't Woolf call his influence 'fertilizing'? (No no, not like that. Smartasses.) "

" I listened on CD to Shakespeare's play. I'm glad the CD included scene descriptions and synopsis of what was happening. Very great writing, duh! "

" Actually, 2.5 stars. Not my favorite, but better than Merchant. King Henry V is still my favorite history. "

" It was a horrible historical drama for me! I can't figure out even now about why I don't like the old historical writings. It makes me confused, distracted and sometimes even irritated. Sorry to my one of the most favourite writer- Shakespeare! :) "

" So far, the only play I've read by Shakespeare that I don't like. "

" Why don't you just physically lift up Queen Elizabeths skirts and kiss her butt, you suck up "

" The book was okay. The only reason i read it was because i had to. The book was interesting and boring in certain parts. The ending was good though. My favorite character was Hotspur, and i think harry was a joke. "

" I didn't like this one as much as most of the other Shakespeare plays I've read, which surprised me - of all Shakespeare's history plays, you would think the one about Henry VIII wouldn't put you to sleep. I felt like the play lacked focus and needed more character development. "

" Required reading for a summer college English class. This was the most entertaining of the works to me. "

" I love Shakespeare, but the characters in this one didn't grab me, as they have in other of his works. "

" I was not disappointed. I'll definitely read it again sometime. I recommend for anyone who's interested in Shakespeare and his work, anyone who's intrigued by puzzles, and anyone who's interested in king Henry viii. "

" Honestly, I don't remember much about Henry the VIII, but I think he was as kooky as the rest of them. "

" I read this immediately after finishing a biography of Catherine of Aragon so I was into the plot. After the 372 page bio the play seemed light. "

" Can't say that I recall a single detail, line, or anything. Nada. "

" Meh was a bit too boring, just history lesson in play-form. "

" I listened on CD to Shakespeare's play. I'm glad the CD included scene descriptions and synopsis of what was happening. Very great writing, duh! "

" Why don't you just physically lift up Queen Elizabeths skirts and kiss her butt, you suck up "

" Now the play makes more sense. I got the gist of it, but I should make sure to read them first from now on. I'll probably understand them better having both read and seen. "

" Worth reading, but not as exciting as I would have hoped.But there is a lot of good stuff in it. "

" Beautifully written of course, some great quotes. There are others the Bard wrote that I like better though. Lot's of really good double talk. "

" Not sure why this is an unpopular play of Shakespeare's . . . I loved it! "

" Read this as a companion piece after I finished Wolf Hall. I didn't even know he wrote a play about Henry VIII, and now I know why: it pretty much sucks. And a total whitewash, which makes sense in retrospect. Where's the fucking beheadings, Will? "

" One of two Shakespeare co-author works. OK "

" Well, ranking on a scale, because its still Shakespeare with some memorable lines to be had, but definitely among the more forgettable. "

" The book was okay. The only reason i read it was because i had to. The book was interesting and boring in certain parts. The ending was good though. My favorite character was Hotspur, and i think harry was a joke. "