Where King John Goes to War

King John by William Shakespeare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think--I might need to double-check--I'm pretty sure this is the first of Shakespeare's histories I have ever read. I've avoided them, TBH.

And yet I liked it. Who knew?

I've read and enjoyed lots of the comedies; I've read--and, in several cases, taught--many of the tragedies; but until now I've never read the histories. Thought I wouldn't like them at all. Surprise!

Without being required to read analytically or critically--reading only for pleasure--I can say that it's enjoyable to read, actually. With a couple exceptions, I found the characters easy to keep track of, and as far as language, it was readable without a lot of effort. I suppose, after enough exposure to the language, it was inevitable that I get to this point, where I understand well without support. (Not quite as easy a read as the No Fear Shakespeare books, which I still champion. The notes in the Folger edition are not organized very helpfully, so I mostly ignored them. And while I'm on the topic, what's with the random artwork on every page? I guess it dresses it up, at least, but I found them more distracting than helpful.) With some of the usual barriers to comprehension lowered, it makes for an exciting read full of war and intrigue and poison. You know. Fun.

Other books and stories have taught me to hate King John, though he comes off pretty good here. However, it was his brother's unacknowledged son (referred to always as Bastard, which was kinda cruel.) that I most liked. He hated the Duke of Austria on behalf of his father, Richard the Lionheart, and in the early scenes is constantly insulting him and baiting the duke:

AUSTRIA What the devil art thou?
BASTARD One that will play the devil, sir, with you,
An he may catch your hide and you alone.
You are the hare of whom the proverb goes,
Whose valor plucks dead lions by the beard.
I’ll smoke your skin-coat an I catch you right.
Sirrah, look to ’t. I’ faith, I will, i’ faith!

And he's ready at every moment to go to war and quit talking about it:

Cry havoc, kings! Back to the stainèd field,
You equal potents, fiery-kindled spirits.
Then let confusion of one part confirm
The other’s peace. Till then, blows, blood, and
death!

Badass. I liked him.

I expected this to be boring, but it wasn't, and that was good news. Now I have an interest in seeing it performed somewhere. Someday, hopefully.

View all my reviews