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King Lear Audiobook, by William Shakespeare Play Audiobook Sample
King Lear Audiobook, by William Shakespeare Play Audiobook Sample
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Read By: a full cast Publisher: Arkangel Listen Time: at 1.0x Speed 2.17 hours at 1.5x Speed 1.63 hours at 2.0x Speed Series: The Arkangel Shakespeare Collection Release Date: October 2005 Format: Audio Theater Audiobook ISBN: 9781572708891

Quick Stats About this Audiobook

Total Audiobook Chapters:

26

Longest Chapter Length:

23:15 minutes

Shortest Chapter Length:

54 seconds

Average Chapter Length:

07:14 minutes

Audiobooks by this Author:

190

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

Publisher Description

This shattering drama of isolation and loss is one of the greatest tragedies in world literature.

King Lear of Britain has three daughters: the hard-hearted Goneril and Regan, and the good and gentle Cordelia. He determines to divide his kingdom between them, giving the largest share to she who can say she loves him the best. Lear’s tragic lack of judgement and self-knowledge is paralleled by the blindness of the loyal Gloucester who is persuaded to reject his virtuous son Edgar in favor of the villainous Edmund.

Lear is played by Trevor Peacock and Gloucester by Clive Merrison. Penny Downie is Goneril, Samantha Bond is Regan, and Julia Ford is Cordelia. Edgar is played by David Tennant, Edmund by Gerard Murphy, and the Fool by John Rogan.

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"There's much to admire in this serviceable performance of Shakespeare's great tragedy. The characterizations aren't quite so vivid as in Paul Scofield's classic account on Caedmon, but the sound quality is infinitely superior and the production values are excellent. Anton Lesser, Clive Merrison and David Tennant stand out as Kent, Gloucester and Edgar."

— Mark (4 out of 5 stars)

Quotes

  • “Hearing Lear, rather than seeing it, emphasizes the power of Shakespearean language. As the aging king who gives up his throne, Trevor Peacock deteriorates from petulance to madness. Gerard Murphy delivers Edmund's monologue on his bastard condition with masterful control, humanizing evil with an anger born of oversensitivity to injustice. Julia Ford brings a gentle strength to Cordelia; her voice alone is enough to convince that she is virtuous but not weaker for it.” 

    — AudioFile
  • “A rhapsody of words, assembled for the ear. This venture marries scholarship and accessibility on an unmatched scale.”

    — New York Times, praise for the series

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About the Authors

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.

Travis Baldree has been in love with the art of narration since first hearing Frank Muller’s audio work. An AudioFile Earphones Award winner, he has a versatile voice and a facility for character and dialog. Travis also runs a successful video game studio.

Robert Kiyosaki is best known as the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad—the bestselling personal finance book that has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world manage their finances . An investor, entrepreneur, and educator, his perspectives on money and investing fly in the face of conventional wisdom. In 1994 he sold his business and, through his investments, was able to retire at the age of forty-seven.

Robert Kiyosaki is best known as the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad—the bestselling personal finance book that has challenged and changed the way tens of millions of people around the world manage their finances . An investor, entrepreneur, and educator, his perspectives on money and investing fly in the face of conventional wisdom. In 1994 he sold his business and, through his investments, was able to retire at the age of forty-seven.

About a full cast

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