King Lear (Abridged) Audiobook, by William Shakespeare Play Audiobook Sample

King Lear (Abridged) Audiobook

King Lear (Abridged) Audiobook, by William Shakespeare Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: Full Cast, Paul Scofield, a full cast Publisher: Caedmon Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 2.00 hours at 1.5x Speed 1.50 hours at 2.0x Speed Release Date: December 2003 Format: Abridged Audiobook ISBN: 9780060743284

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

6

Longest Chapter Length:

37:54 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

16:38 minutes

Average Chapter Length:

30:58 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

189

Other Audiobooks Written by William Shakespeare: > View All...

Publisher Description

I am a man more sinned against than sinning.

A Shakespeare Society Production.

The complete play in five acts.

Download and start listening now!

"This is an absolutely terrific edition of King Lear. Slowing picking my through the text (taking pains to absorb all the footnotes along the way) proved to be an enormously rewarding experience. "

— Kelly (5 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “King Lear is a masterful play, one full of tragic grandeur and which, with all the power that great poetry can muster, points its readers to the bleakness of existence…The final lines are nothing more than a lament for the passing of an old man's life that held no joy: "The oldest hath borne most: we that are young / Shall never see so much, nor live so long.”

    — classiclit.com
  • “It's a great pleasure to hear Paul Scofield as King Lear in a recording published to coincide with the actor's eightieth birthday. The famous tenderness of his voice is well suited for the intimate medium of recorded drama…Kenneth Branagh, who played Edmond in a 1994 BBC recording of the play, here delivers a compassionate performance as the Fool. Alec McCowen also stands out as Gloucester and conveys the range of the old man's credulity, bitterness, and humanity. John Tydeman's direction oversees a moving production.”

    — AudioFile

Awards

  • Audie Award Finalist

King Lear Listener Reviews

Overall Performance: 3.75 out of 53.75 out of 53.75 out of 53.75 out of 53.75 out of 5 (3.75)
5 Stars: 3
4 Stars: 4
3 Stars: 4
2 Stars: 1
1 Stars: 0
Narration: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Story: 0 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 50 out of 5 (0.00)
5 Stars: 0
4 Stars: 0
3 Stars: 0
2 Stars: 0
1 Stars: 0
Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " This was required reading in my freshman comp class at Bellarmine. This play was included in our literature anthology, "The Experience of Literature" by Lionell Trilling. "

    — David, 5/21/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I'd give Lear 4.5 stars if I could. Not five, because only books that mean a lot to me personally get five; but this is a gorgeous play, and definitely in my top five of Shakespeare's works. "

    — Leigh, 5/20/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Didn't get around to this until my senior year of college. How'd I miss it for 22 years? "

    — David, 5/17/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " I liked reading it but I didn't like reading it for school. "

    — Jessica, 5/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " An assault on age and custom. Touching, but not my favorite of the Bard's tragedies. "

    — Jbdean, 5/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " I didn't much care for this play. "

    — Huma, 5/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Read for school. It was sad when Cordelia died - but then it's a tragedy, isn't it? "

    — Giselle, 5/6/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Still as wonderful as ever. "

    — Nancy, 5/1/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " It is such a pleasure to re-read something and find it to be even better than remembered. I think one must be over 50 to really get this. "

    — Clint, 4/29/2011
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " Rating: 2,5I liked it the least from the Shakespeare's play I read so far. Though it is filled with morals I didn't particularly found it interesting. In this edition there is a lot of extra materials, some more interesting and helpful than others. "

    — Magda, 4/28/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This was a pretty good tragedy. It was enjoyable to read in class and the story kept moving along. "

    — Michael, 4/27/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " it is a good classic book "

    — Yasser, 4/22/2011

About William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and dramatist of the Elizabethan and early Jacobean period, is the most widely known author in all of English literature and often considered the greatest. He was an active member of a theater company for at least twenty years, during which time he wrote many great plays. Plays were not prized as literature at the time and Shakespeare was not widely read until the middle of the eighteenth century, when a great upsurge of interest in his works began that continues today.

About the Narrators

Frank Lovejoy (1912–1962) was an American film, radio, and television actor who played a number of detectives, reporters, and soldiers over the course of his career. His gritty voice was ideal for radio, and he went on to star on such shows as Night Beat and Gangbusters.

Paul Scofield is noteworthy for his striking presence and distinctive voice. He won a Tony Award for his role in A Man for All Seasons, and an Academy Award for the same role in the film adaptation.

Bleak December Inc. is a multimedia company founded by Canadian actor and filmmaker Anthony D.P. Mann.