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trope was cut/disambiguated due to cleanup
* OnceOriginalNowCommon: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov relates a legend of someone who read ''{{Theatre/Hamlet}}'' for the first time and didn't understand why everyone enjoyed it; "I don't see why people admire that play so. It is nothing but a bunch of quotations strung together."
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* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov relates a legend of someone who read ''{{Theatre/Hamlet}}'' for the first time and didn't understand why everyone enjoyed it; "I don't see why people admire that play so. It is nothing but a bunch of quotations strung together."
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None
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Due to the depth of allusions, homages, and references, to events historical, mythological, and pop cultural, the volumes are quite packed, and only certain passages are excerpted for line-by-line analysis. Dr Asimov also made an unusual decision when ordering the plays. Most often, the plays are grouped as comedies, histories, and tragedies. In these volumes, however, the plays are grouped by region/time, with Greek, Roman, and Italian plays in the first volume, and the English plays in the second volume.
to:
Due to the depth of allusions, homages, and references, to events historical, mythological, and pop cultural, the volumes are quite packed, and only certain passages are excerpted for line-by-line analysis. Dr Asimov also made an unusual decision when ordering the plays. Most often, the plays are grouped as comedies, histories, and tragedies. In these volumes, however, the plays are grouped by region/time, with Greek, Roman, and Italian plays in the first volume, and the English plays in the second volume.
volume. [[note]]This scheme requires a bit of fudging, since four plays -- ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt'', ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'', ''Theatre/MeasureForMeasure'' and ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' -- are not set in any of those locations.[[/note]]
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None
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* ''Theatre/LovesLaborsLost''
to:
* ''Theatre/LovesLaborsLost''''Theatre/LovesLaboursLost''
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fixing wicks
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* LemonyNarrator: Dr Asimov takes delight in conversing directly to the reader, as if he and his audience is in the same room and holding a conversation about Creator/WilliamShakespere.
to:
* LemonyNarrator: Dr Asimov takes delight in conversing directly to the reader, as if he and his audience is in the same room and holding a conversation about Creator/WilliamShakespere.Creator/WilliamShakespeare.
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* UrExample: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov claims the association between Titania and the Queen of Fairies began with ''Theatre/MidsummerNightsDream''. Shakespeare took the name from the moon being a female Greek Titan.
to:
* UrExample: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov claims the association between Titania and the Queen of Fairies began with ''Theatre/MidsummerNightsDream''.''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''. Shakespeare took the name from the moon being a female Greek Titan.
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moving to Trivia due to In Memoriam
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* {{Dedication}}: The {{Omnibus}} is dedicated to the memory of Dr Asimov's father, Judah Asimov (1896-1969).
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** [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov explains the source of Cressida's name in ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida'': In ''Literature/TheIliad'', there are two women, named Chryseis and Briseis. In ''Literature/RomanDeTroie'', the second woman's name changes slightly, making the women Chrysies and Briseide. When Creator/GeoffreyChaucer wrote about them, the names merged into Criseyde. Creator/WilliamShakespeare misspelled the name as well, telling the tale of ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida''.
to:
** [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov explains the source of Cressida's name in ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida'': In ''Literature/TheIliad'', there are two women, named Chryseis and Briseis. In In ''Literature/RomanDeTroie'', the second woman's name changes slightly, making the women Chrysies and Briseide. When Creator/GeoffreyChaucer wrote about them, the names merged into Criseyde. Creator/WilliamShakespeare misspelled the name as well, telling the tale of ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida''.
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Published by Creator/IsaacAsimov in [[MultiVolumeWork two volumes]] in 1970, an {{Omnibus}} was later published with both volumes included. A work of NonFiction with the primary purpose of explaining each and every ShoutOut that Creator/WilliamShakespeare was making in his plays.
Due to the depth of allusions, homages, and references, to events historical, mythological, and pop cultural, the volumes are quite packed, and only certain passages are excerpted for line-by-line analysis. Dr Asimov also made an unusual decision when ordering the plays. Most often, the plays are grouped as comedies, histories, and tragedies. In these volumes, however, the plays are grouped by region/time, with Greek, Roman, and Italian plays in the first volume, and the English plays in the second volume.
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Greek]]
* ''Literature/VenusAndAdonis''
* ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''
* ''Theatre/TheTwoNobleKinsmen''
* ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida''
* ''Theatre/TimonOfAthens''
* ''Theatre/TheWintersTale''
* ''Theatre/TheComedyOfErrors''
* ''{{Theatre/Pericles}}''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Roman]]
* ''Literature/TheRapeOfLucrece''
* ''{{Theatre/Coriolanus}}''
* ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''
* ''Theatre/AntonyAndCleopatra''
* ''Theatre/TitusAndronicus''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Italian]]
* ''Theatre/LovesLaborsLost''
* ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew''
* ''Theatre/TheTwoGentlemenOfVerona''
* ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''
* ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice''
* ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing''
* ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt''
* ''Theatre/TwelfthNight''
* ''Theatre/AllsWellThatEndsWell''
* ''{{Theatre/Othello}}''
* ''Theatre/MeasureForMeasure''
* ''Theatre/TheTempest''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The English Plays]]
* ''Theatre/KingLear''
* ''{{Theatre/Cymbeline}}''
* ''{{Theatre/Hamlet}}''
* ''{{Theatre/Macbeth}}''
* ''Theatre/KingJohn''
* ''Theatre/RichardII''
* ''Theatre/HenryIVPartOne''
* ''Theatre/HenryIVPartTwo''
* ''Theatre/TheMerryWivesOfWindsor''
* ''Theatre/HenryV''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIPartOne''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIPartTwo''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIPartThree''
* ''Theatre/RichardIII''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIII''
[[/folder]]
----
!!Tropes used in [[TheAnnotatedEdition annotating]] the [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespearean plays]]:
* AdaptationNameChange:
** Because Creator/WilliamShakespeare was adapting the Greek stories mostly from {{Creator/Ovid}}, a Roman author, many of the characters have Roman names, rather than their proper Greek names. Dr Asimov handles that by explaining the two names and occasionally using both at the same time. Otherwise, he defaults to the name as Shakespeare used it (bemoaning that it feels "incorrect" to do so).
** [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov explains the source of Cressida's name in ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida'': In ''Literature/TheIliad'', there are two women, named Chryseis and Briseis. In ''Literature/RomanDeTroie'', the second woman's name changes slightly, making the women Chrysies and Briseide. When Creator/GeoffreyChaucer wrote about them, the names merged into Criseyde. Creator/WilliamShakespeare misspelled the name as well, telling the tale of ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida''.
* AnachronicOrder: Each of Creator/WilliamShakespeare's plays are linear stories, but he wrote them in non-chronological order, and due to copies/revisions, it is difficult to say which was written first. To that end, Dr Asimov says, many [[{{Anthology}} folios of the plays]] are categorised and ordered as comedies, histories, and tragedies. In these volumes, however, the plays are listed in [[AvertedTrope chronological order of the events they portray]].
* TheAnnotatedEdition: These volumes provide an overview of many details that are otherwise lost on people who are unfamiliar with the environment in which Creator/WilliamShakespeare was writing. So many details, in fact, that most of the lines are absent from the book itself, making this more of a companion book than a republished copy of William's folios. Dr Asimov recommends ''The Signet Classic Shakespeare'' books to read alongside these notes.
* {{Dedication}}: The {{Omnibus}} is dedicated to the memory of Dr Asimov's father, Judah Asimov (1896-1969).
* {{Doorstopper}}: The {{Omnibus}} is over 800 pages.
* LemonyNarrator: Dr Asimov takes delight in conversing directly to the reader, as if he and his audience is in the same room and holding a conversation about Creator/WilliamShakespere.
* MinimalisticCoverArt: At least one cover forgoes even a dust jacket, merely having a tan-brown blank cover, with the title printed on the spine. Due to the size of the {{Omnibus}}, said title takes up three lines.
* MultiVolumeWork: Because of [[{{Doorstopper}} the word count]], it was decided to release this work as two volumes at first. ''Volume One'' contains the Greek, Roman, and Italian plays. ''Volume Two'' contains the plays set in England. When binding technology improved, the work was re-released as an {{Omnibus}}.
* {{Omnibus}}: ''Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare'' was originally printed as [[MultiVolumeWork two separate volumes]], both released in the same year.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov identifies the period of mid-1592 to mid-1594 as a period of time where theatres were closed to prevent the spread of plague. Unable to work on plays, Shakespeare wrote two {{Narrative Poem}}s; ''Literature/VenusAndAdonis'' and ''Literature/TheRapeOfLucrece''.
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov relates a legend of someone who read ''{{Theatre/Hamlet}}'' for the first time and didn't understand why everyone enjoyed it; "I don't see why people admire that play so. It is nothing but a bunch of quotations strung together."
* ShoutOut:
** In the introduction, Dr Asimov says reading ''Literature/TheSignetClassicShakespeare'' books inspired him to create this work, and uses this series when quoting lines.
** ''Literature/HuonOfBordeaux'' is where ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' got the name Oberon from, and while explaining this, Dr Asimov goes off on a tangent about ''Huon'' being a representation of the French culture's Gaul, Roman, and Germanic roots.
** Dr Asimov references ''Literature/TheKingMustDie'' by Creator/MaryRenault because she has a conjecture for why Theseus deserts Ariadne (from Crete).
** Dr Asimov uses ''Literature/ThePrivateLifeOfHelenOfTroy'' by Creator/JohnErskine as an example of authors doing their own version of Homer's ''Literature/TheIliad''.
** ''Theatre/DrFaustus'', by Creator/ChristopherMarlowe, is referenced for its line "Was this the face that launched a thousand ships--".
** In a footnote, Dr Asimov says ''Literature/TheAngerOfAchilles'', by Creator/RobertGraves, is the English translation of ''Literature/TheIliad'' he uses when comparing Creator/WilliamShakespeare to the "original" Homer.
** ''Literature/TristanAndIseult'' is referenced as an example where stories of courtly love cast the woman's husband as the villain (because the male love interest must overcome challenges).
** ''Literature/TestamentOfCresseid'' is mentioned as a possible source for Shakespeare, but ultimately unrelated to the fifth act of Troilus and Cressida''
** ''Literature/DialoguesOfTheGods'', by Creator/LucianOfSamosata, is referenced as another fictional account of the title character in ''Theatre/TimonOfAthens'', contrasting Lucian's humorous treatment with Shakespeare's harsh denouncement.
* SelfDeprecation: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov explains that ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' was being written around the same time as ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'', and the subplot of ''[[ShowWithinAShow Pyramus and Thisby]]'' shares similarities to ''Romeo and Juliet''. Dr Asimov wonders at the order; did Shakespeare write the satire and decide to rewrite it seriously, or did he write it seriously first, and satirize his own work? The records are insufficient for a conclusion.
* {{Tagline}}: "A guide to understanding and enjoying the works of Shakespeare"
* UrExample: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov claims the association between Titania and the Queen of Fairies began with ''Theatre/MidsummerNightsDream''. Shakespeare took the name from the moon being a female Greek Titan.
* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: [ImpliedTrope] Dr Asimov mentions a number of [[AnachronismStew anachronisms]] in Shakespeare's plays, and usually dismisses them as irrelevant to the enjoyment of the story. Still, he's compelled to [[LemonyNarrator point them out]] and often give corrections.
----
Due to the depth of allusions, homages, and references, to events historical, mythological, and pop cultural, the volumes are quite packed, and only certain passages are excerpted for line-by-line analysis. Dr Asimov also made an unusual decision when ordering the plays. Most often, the plays are grouped as comedies, histories, and tragedies. In these volumes, however, the plays are grouped by region/time, with Greek, Roman, and Italian plays in the first volume, and the English plays in the second volume.
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Greek]]
* ''Literature/VenusAndAdonis''
* ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''
* ''Theatre/TheTwoNobleKinsmen''
* ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida''
* ''Theatre/TimonOfAthens''
* ''Theatre/TheWintersTale''
* ''Theatre/TheComedyOfErrors''
* ''{{Theatre/Pericles}}''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Roman]]
* ''Literature/TheRapeOfLucrece''
* ''{{Theatre/Coriolanus}}''
* ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar''
* ''Theatre/AntonyAndCleopatra''
* ''Theatre/TitusAndronicus''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Italian]]
* ''Theatre/LovesLaborsLost''
* ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew''
* ''Theatre/TheTwoGentlemenOfVerona''
* ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''
* ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice''
* ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing''
* ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt''
* ''Theatre/TwelfthNight''
* ''Theatre/AllsWellThatEndsWell''
* ''{{Theatre/Othello}}''
* ''Theatre/MeasureForMeasure''
* ''Theatre/TheTempest''
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The English Plays]]
* ''Theatre/KingLear''
* ''{{Theatre/Cymbeline}}''
* ''{{Theatre/Hamlet}}''
* ''{{Theatre/Macbeth}}''
* ''Theatre/KingJohn''
* ''Theatre/RichardII''
* ''Theatre/HenryIVPartOne''
* ''Theatre/HenryIVPartTwo''
* ''Theatre/TheMerryWivesOfWindsor''
* ''Theatre/HenryV''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIPartOne''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIPartTwo''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIPartThree''
* ''Theatre/RichardIII''
* ''Theatre/HenryVIII''
[[/folder]]
----
!!Tropes used in [[TheAnnotatedEdition annotating]] the [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespearean plays]]:
* AdaptationNameChange:
** Because Creator/WilliamShakespeare was adapting the Greek stories mostly from {{Creator/Ovid}}, a Roman author, many of the characters have Roman names, rather than their proper Greek names. Dr Asimov handles that by explaining the two names and occasionally using both at the same time. Otherwise, he defaults to the name as Shakespeare used it (bemoaning that it feels "incorrect" to do so).
** [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov explains the source of Cressida's name in ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida'': In ''Literature/TheIliad'', there are two women, named Chryseis and Briseis. In ''Literature/RomanDeTroie'', the second woman's name changes slightly, making the women Chrysies and Briseide. When Creator/GeoffreyChaucer wrote about them, the names merged into Criseyde. Creator/WilliamShakespeare misspelled the name as well, telling the tale of ''Theatre/TroilusAndCressida''.
* AnachronicOrder: Each of Creator/WilliamShakespeare's plays are linear stories, but he wrote them in non-chronological order, and due to copies/revisions, it is difficult to say which was written first. To that end, Dr Asimov says, many [[{{Anthology}} folios of the plays]] are categorised and ordered as comedies, histories, and tragedies. In these volumes, however, the plays are listed in [[AvertedTrope chronological order of the events they portray]].
* TheAnnotatedEdition: These volumes provide an overview of many details that are otherwise lost on people who are unfamiliar with the environment in which Creator/WilliamShakespeare was writing. So many details, in fact, that most of the lines are absent from the book itself, making this more of a companion book than a republished copy of William's folios. Dr Asimov recommends ''The Signet Classic Shakespeare'' books to read alongside these notes.
* {{Dedication}}: The {{Omnibus}} is dedicated to the memory of Dr Asimov's father, Judah Asimov (1896-1969).
* {{Doorstopper}}: The {{Omnibus}} is over 800 pages.
* LemonyNarrator: Dr Asimov takes delight in conversing directly to the reader, as if he and his audience is in the same room and holding a conversation about Creator/WilliamShakespere.
* MinimalisticCoverArt: At least one cover forgoes even a dust jacket, merely having a tan-brown blank cover, with the title printed on the spine. Due to the size of the {{Omnibus}}, said title takes up three lines.
* MultiVolumeWork: Because of [[{{Doorstopper}} the word count]], it was decided to release this work as two volumes at first. ''Volume One'' contains the Greek, Roman, and Italian plays. ''Volume Two'' contains the plays set in England. When binding technology improved, the work was re-released as an {{Omnibus}}.
* {{Omnibus}}: ''Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare'' was originally printed as [[MultiVolumeWork two separate volumes]], both released in the same year.
* RealLifeWritesThePlot: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov identifies the period of mid-1592 to mid-1594 as a period of time where theatres were closed to prevent the spread of plague. Unable to work on plays, Shakespeare wrote two {{Narrative Poem}}s; ''Literature/VenusAndAdonis'' and ''Literature/TheRapeOfLucrece''.
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov relates a legend of someone who read ''{{Theatre/Hamlet}}'' for the first time and didn't understand why everyone enjoyed it; "I don't see why people admire that play so. It is nothing but a bunch of quotations strung together."
* ShoutOut:
** In the introduction, Dr Asimov says reading ''Literature/TheSignetClassicShakespeare'' books inspired him to create this work, and uses this series when quoting lines.
** ''Literature/HuonOfBordeaux'' is where ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' got the name Oberon from, and while explaining this, Dr Asimov goes off on a tangent about ''Huon'' being a representation of the French culture's Gaul, Roman, and Germanic roots.
** Dr Asimov references ''Literature/TheKingMustDie'' by Creator/MaryRenault because she has a conjecture for why Theseus deserts Ariadne (from Crete).
** Dr Asimov uses ''Literature/ThePrivateLifeOfHelenOfTroy'' by Creator/JohnErskine as an example of authors doing their own version of Homer's ''Literature/TheIliad''.
** ''Theatre/DrFaustus'', by Creator/ChristopherMarlowe, is referenced for its line "Was this the face that launched a thousand ships--".
** In a footnote, Dr Asimov says ''Literature/TheAngerOfAchilles'', by Creator/RobertGraves, is the English translation of ''Literature/TheIliad'' he uses when comparing Creator/WilliamShakespeare to the "original" Homer.
** ''Literature/TristanAndIseult'' is referenced as an example where stories of courtly love cast the woman's husband as the villain (because the male love interest must overcome challenges).
** ''Literature/TestamentOfCresseid'' is mentioned as a possible source for Shakespeare, but ultimately unrelated to the fifth act of Troilus and Cressida''
** ''Literature/DialoguesOfTheGods'', by Creator/LucianOfSamosata, is referenced as another fictional account of the title character in ''Theatre/TimonOfAthens'', contrasting Lucian's humorous treatment with Shakespeare's harsh denouncement.
* SelfDeprecation: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov explains that ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' was being written around the same time as ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'', and the subplot of ''[[ShowWithinAShow Pyramus and Thisby]]'' shares similarities to ''Romeo and Juliet''. Dr Asimov wonders at the order; did Shakespeare write the satire and decide to rewrite it seriously, or did he write it seriously first, and satirize his own work? The records are insufficient for a conclusion.
* {{Tagline}}: "A guide to understanding and enjoying the works of Shakespeare"
* UrExample: [DiscussedTrope] Dr Asimov claims the association between Titania and the Queen of Fairies began with ''Theatre/MidsummerNightsDream''. Shakespeare took the name from the moon being a female Greek Titan.
* WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief: [ImpliedTrope] Dr Asimov mentions a number of [[AnachronismStew anachronisms]] in Shakespeare's plays, and usually dismisses them as irrelevant to the enjoyment of the story. Still, he's compelled to [[LemonyNarrator point them out]] and often give corrections.
----
