Shakespeare Complete Works. 33, King Lear

Author: [British] William Shakespeare
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: China Radio & Television Press introduced the copyright of the bilingual edition of The Complete Works of Shakespeare translated by Liang Shiqiu from Far Eastern Book Company, Taiwan. This is the first time the Liang translation of The Complete Works of Shakespeare has been published and distributed in mainland China in a bilingual format. The main features of the Liang translation are: a colloquial prose style; literal translation,; complete translation, without omitting any original text. Additionally, the Liang translation has unique aspects: first, it includes annotations. The original texts of Shakespeare's works often present difficulties in versioning, being obscure and hard to understand, with many puns, idioms, slang, allusions, and even obscene language. Liang Shiqiu not only translated literally but also added numerous annotations to help readers understand the original text. Second, each play is preceded by an introduction. The introductions discuss the version, composition period, story source, stage history, significance, and critical opinions of the play. In the Renaissance, the authority of the crown was considered sacred and supreme. As soon as King Lear appears, he demands his daughters to declare their love for him, revealing the deep connection between his eccentric mentality and autocratic rule. Additionally, the play also portrays many archetypal family relationships: sibling rivalry, the fear of losing parental favor, parents' fear of their children's indifference, and so on. For nearly four centuries, King Lear has received polarized evaluations. For example, in Shakespeare's works, no other play is as ruthless and unjust as this one, where injustice is so violently rampant yet goes unpunished, making the play both filled with unbearable suffering and grand in scope, likened to the Divine Comedy or Beethoven's symphonies. Shelley even praised it as the greatest dramatic poem.