Globe, Catharine Arnold
Globe, Catharine Arnold
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
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Globe
Life in Shakespeare’s London

Author: Catharine Arnold

Narrator: Clare Staniforth

Unabridged: 9 hr 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 11/30/2021


Synopsis

In Globe Catherine Arnold takes the listener on a tour of Shakespeare's London, looking at how they shaped each other. Acting turned into a trade, and troupes of touring players perfected their craft. Shakespeare's own company, the Chamberlain's Men, opened the Globe Playhouse on Bankside in 1599, creating a new focal point for the city.

But the story of the theatre and the men who created it was just as dramatic as any of the tales told on its stage. James Burbage carried timbers across the Thames to build the theatre among the brothels and beer gardens on the south side of the river at huge personal cost. It flourished, then burnt down during a performance of Henry VIII, before being rebuilt then destroyed again during the short reign of Oliver Cromwell, and was finally reconstructed in modern times.

In the background, Shakespeare's London was constantly threatened by riots, rebellions, and the plague. But its bustle and movement were a continual inspiration to the world's greatest dramatist, inspiring both his stories and his characters.

Globe is a brilliant recreation of one of the most creative moments in British history.

About Catharine Arnold

Catharine Arnold read English at Girton College, Cambridge, and holds a further degree in psychology. A journalist, academic, and popular historian, her previous books include The Sexual History of London, Necropolis, and Bedlam.


Reviews

I love the Globe. It’s such a fantastic place. Have I said that before somewhere? I’ll probably end up saying it again. The atmosphere is wonderful; the open-top roof spells dramatic freedom; the towering wooden beams speak of the grandeur of Shakespeare’s work, and the incense, the incense is every......more

Goodreads review by Mark

I nearly gave up eighty pages in. As a reader you are treated to a poor, implausible flight of fancy following a teenage Shakespeare through London. Several other parts of the book do the same - attempts at fictional prose which are not well written and serve only to bulk the book out slightly to st......more

Goodreads review by James

I loved this. From the days before Shakespeare arrived in London, to shortly after his death (and the dissolution of all theatres by decree), this book gives a very good accounting of politics, social mores, legal battles, theatrical changes and the growth of an industry. All during frequent bouts of......more

Goodreads review by Sasha

Very profound and at the same time cordial book about Shakespearean London. The main character is not Shakespeare himself, but his theatres: The Theatre - first fixed-state theatre building created by James Burbage, The Globe (and I LOVED the meaning of Titan carrying the world on his shoulders on t......more