King John

William ShakespeareProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 153K words
Chapters: 16

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Koning Jan by William ShakespeareAuthor: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616,Language: Dutch, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 1, 2017

Editor's review

This is the Dutch translation of Shakespeare's history play King John, released by Project Gutenberg as a free public-domain ebook. The play centres on the English succession and the Anglo-French conflict, unfolding around the legitimacy of King John's rule, the struggle between church and crown, and the fate of the young Arthur; it combines political intrigue with tragic tension and is an essential link in understanding the lineage of Shakespeare's history plays. The value of this edition lies mainly in its language and accessibility: Dutch readers can encounter Shakespeare directly in another European language, and researchers can use it as comparative material for the history of translation and reception. As an electronic text, its layout and annotation depend on the source edition, so readers should check beforehand whether explanatory material is included. It is suitable as supplementary reading for a thematic study of Shakespeare's plays, or for reference in comparing multiple language editions, but it is not the best first choice for readers new to Shakespeare.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying Shakespeare's history plays and the theme of kingship
Language learners and translation researchers who need a Dutch Shakespeare text
Literature students doing comparative reading across multiple language editions
Readers who want free public-domain electronic Shakespeare texts

Not a good fit for

General readers with no Dutch who only want a Chinese translation
Beginners seeking an introduction to Shakespeare with detailed annotations
Readers looking for modern layout with accompanying introductions and notes

Reading tips

First learn the basic historical facts about the Anglo-French conflict during John's reign and Arthur's fate, then start the play.
Read alongside a Chinese or English translation and note how the characters' lines are handled differently in translation.
Read act by act; after each act, review how the positions of the crown, the church, and the nobility shift.
While reading, note ironic lines from characters such as Faulconbridge to grasp the play's overall tone.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this edition a Chinese translation?

No. The book is the Dutch translation of Shakespeare's King John, published by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook; the text is in Dutch and contains no Chinese parallel text.

Can I read this directly without having read other Shakespeare history plays?

You can, but it will be more difficult. The play involves background such as the succession and the relationship between church and nobility; it is advisable to first acquire some basic knowledge of English history, or read a related history play such as Richard II before this one.

Are the annotations and introduction complete in the electronic edition?

Project Gutenberg texts mainly provide the public-domain text itself; whether annotations and an introduction are included, and how detailed they are, depends on the source edition. Readers should check the notes and table of contents at the start of the file before reading, and should not assume it has the supporting material of a scholarly edition.

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About the author

William Shakespeare Author · English · 1564–1616

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was the greatest playwright, poet and actor of the English Renaissance. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he is known as the "Bard of Avon." He wrote roughly thirty-seven to thirty-nine plays, one hundred and fifty-four sonnets and narrative poems. His representative works include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. His works span tragedy, comedy and history play, distinguished by rich, poetic language and profound characterization. His explorations of human nature, power, love and fate have had a lasting influence, and his works have been translated into many languages and circulated widely around the world.