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Gertrude And Claudius by John Updike ➤ Alfred A. Knopf 2000 First Edition
Gertrude And Claudius by John Updike Alfred A. Knopf 2000 First Edition
Title: Gertrude And Claudius
Author: John Updike
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf 2000
Edition: First Edition
ISBN: 9780062500960
Size: 5.5 x 8 * 212 pages
Synopsis: From the jacket: Updike's 19th novel brings to life the story of Gertrude and Claudius, King and Queen of Denmark, before the action of Shakespeare's Hamlet begins. A story that convincingly challenges the traditional sympathies developed in reading Hamlet.
John Updike is the recipient of almost every major artistic and literary honor, including the National Medal of the Arts and the Pulitzer Prize for Literature (twice), his most famous novels are "The Centaur," for which he won the National Book Award, "Couples" "The Witches of Eastwick," and the "Rabbit" books including ""Rabbit,Run," "Rabbit Redux," "Rabbit is Rich," for which he won the Pulitzer Prize, and "Rabbit at Rest," for which he won the American Book Award and another Pulitzer. A significant author.
A departure from Updike's usual contemporary suburban milieu and a venture into the realm of the historical novel, with Updike writing about the king and queen of Denmark in the years before the action of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
John Updikes's nineteenth novel tells the story of Claudius and Gertrude, King and Queen of Denmark, before the action of Shakespeare's Hamlet begins. Employing the nomenclature and certain details of the ancient Scandinavian legends that first describe the prince who feigns madness to achieve revenge upon his father's slayer, Updike brings to life Gertrude's girlhood as the daughter of King Rorik, her arranged marriage to the man who becomes King Hamlet, and her middle-aged affair with her husband's younger brother. A dark-eyed dreamer with a taste for foreign adventure, he for decades has sought to quell his love for Gertrude, and at last returns to an Elsinore whose prince is generally elsewhere. Gaps and inconsistencies within the immortal play are to an extent filled and explained in this prequel; the figure of Polonius, especially, takes on a larger significance. Beginning in the aura of pagan barbarism, and anticipating Renaissance humanism and empiricism, this modern retelling of a medieval tale presents the case for its royal couple that Shakespeare only hinted at. Gertrude and Claudius are seen afresh against a background of fond intentions and familial dysfunction, on a stage darkened by the ominous shadow of a sullen, disaffected prince.
What happened before Shakespeare's "Hamlet"? Updike retells the ancient Scandinavian Legends that were the basis for the great play--but in his own inimitable style, that has won him 2 Pulitzer Prizes, the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Rosenthal Award, and the Howells Medal.
Overall Condition: A Nice Clean, Tight copy in lightly bumped DJ with a few short wrinkles. Minimal signs of use. Pages are clean, text unmarked, binding is tight and square. = see picture; more images upon request.
2026--U.S. shipping for this (Two Pounds Media Mail) is $5.22 with tracking.
Secure shipping bubble-wrapped in a new box.
Multiple items will be combined for the lowest shipping price.
International Shipping cost is based on the destination so inquire before buying. Mobile users must scroll to the bottom and click on 'use desktop site' to bring up the Ask a Question link which sends me an email.
(PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.)
==========================================================================================================================
Just about all the books are USED books. Some have been used more gently than others. Some have been in libraries and have typical library extras. Some are so old and/or interesting that they are being offered for the sake of preservation regardless of the condition they are in. If the condition of the book is very important to you, please feel free to click the 'Ask seller a question' link and I will tell you more.
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Title: Gertrude And Claudius
Author: John Updike
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf 2000
Edition: First Edition
ISBN: 9780062500960
Size: 5.5 x 8 * 212 pages
Synopsis: From the jacket: Updike's 19th novel brings to life the story of Gertrude and Claudius, King and Queen of Denmark, before the action of Shakespeare's Hamlet begins. A story that convincingly challenges the traditional sympathies developed in reading Hamlet.
John Updike is the recipient of almost every major artistic and literary honor, including the National Medal of the Arts and the Pulitzer Prize for Literature (twice), his most famous novels are "The Centaur," for which he won the National Book Award, "Couples" "The Witches of Eastwick," and the "Rabbit" books including ""Rabbit,Run," "Rabbit Redux," "Rabbit is Rich," for which he won the Pulitzer Prize, and "Rabbit at Rest," for which he won the American Book Award and another Pulitzer. A significant author.
A departure from Updike's usual contemporary suburban milieu and a venture into the realm of the historical novel, with Updike writing about the king and queen of Denmark in the years before the action of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
John Updikes's nineteenth novel tells the story of Claudius and Gertrude, King and Queen of Denmark, before the action of Shakespeare's Hamlet begins. Employing the nomenclature and certain details of the ancient Scandinavian legends that first describe the prince who feigns madness to achieve revenge upon his father's slayer, Updike brings to life Gertrude's girlhood as the daughter of King Rorik, her arranged marriage to the man who becomes King Hamlet, and her middle-aged affair with her husband's younger brother. A dark-eyed dreamer with a taste for foreign adventure, he for decades has sought to quell his love for Gertrude, and at last returns to an Elsinore whose prince is generally elsewhere. Gaps and inconsistencies within the immortal play are to an extent filled and explained in this prequel; the figure of Polonius, especially, takes on a larger significance. Beginning in the aura of pagan barbarism, and anticipating Renaissance humanism and empiricism, this modern retelling of a medieval tale presents the case for its royal couple that Shakespeare only hinted at. Gertrude and Claudius are seen afresh against a background of fond intentions and familial dysfunction, on a stage darkened by the ominous shadow of a sullen, disaffected prince.
What happened before Shakespeare's "Hamlet"? Updike retells the ancient Scandinavian Legends that were the basis for the great play--but in his own inimitable style, that has won him 2 Pulitzer Prizes, the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Rosenthal Award, and the Howells Medal.
Overall Condition: A Nice Clean, Tight copy in lightly bumped DJ with a few short wrinkles. Minimal signs of use. Pages are clean, text unmarked, binding is tight and square. = see picture; more images upon request.
2026--U.S. shipping for this (Two Pounds Media Mail) is $5.22 with tracking.
Secure shipping bubble-wrapped in a new box.
Multiple items will be combined for the lowest shipping price.
International Shipping cost is based on the destination so inquire before buying. Mobile users must scroll to the bottom and click on 'use desktop site' to bring up the Ask a Question link which sends me an email.
(PLEASE CONTACT ME BEFORE MAKING ANY PAYMENT FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.)
==========================================================================================================================
Just about all the books are USED books. Some have been used more gently than others. Some have been in libraries and have typical library extras. Some are so old and/or interesting that they are being offered for the sake of preservation regardless of the condition they are in. If the condition of the book is very important to you, please feel free to click the 'Ask seller a question' link and I will tell you more.
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