Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful, insightful, a good read after the play
Review: Goddard is a wonderful and insightful soul. His words and insights compliment Shakespeare beautifully. I would, however, recommend that one does not read his commentary on the play until after one has developed their own view of the play's meaning. So, I suggest reading Godddard after seeing the play because Goddard is mostly interested in analyzing the play, and one can see how closely their opinion matches Goddard's. I would, however, recommend reading Isaac Azimov's "Guide to Shakespeare" before seeing or reading a play. Azimov is more interested in explaining the internal concepts, historical relevence of peoples, places, things, Elizabethan terms etc... - his book acts as more of a key to better understanding what is being said. Goddard is a beautiful interpreter of the moral meaning and in attempting to grasp at the soul of Shakespeare - which one should obviously do on their own first, before consulting "expert" opinion. So read Azimov before the play and Goddard a few days after. Each has their books divided into 10-20 page discussions on each play. Although note that Goddard has two books, be sure to get the right book.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, insightful, a good read after the play
Review: Goddard is a wonderful and insightful soul. His words and insights compliment Shakespeare beautifully. I would, however, recommend that one does not read his commentary on the play until after one has developed their own view of the play's meaning. So, I suggest reading Godddard after seeing the play because Goddard is mostly interested in analyzing the play, and one can see how closely their opinion matches Goddard's. I would, however, recommend reading Isaac Azimov's "Guide to Shakespeare" before seeing or reading a play. Azimov is more interested in explaining the internal concepts, historical relevence of peoples, places, things, Elizabethan terms etc... - his book acts as more of a key to better understanding what is being said. Goddard is a beautiful interpreter of the moral meaning and in attempting to grasp at the soul of Shakespeare - which one should obviously do on their own first, before consulting "expert" opinion. So read Azimov before the play and Goddard a few days after. Each has their books divided into 10-20 page discussions on each play. Although note that Goddard has two books, be sure to get the right book.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent reference for Shakespearean actors and scholars
Review: I first came to know these books from my director in Winter's Tale. We were using it to delve into the characters and though I was only playing a minor character, the book helped me to further understand the characters around me. He breaks down the importance (i.e. meaning) of the more important characters by utilizing chunks of text and his own opinions. Though the language can get a bit confusing (very professorial), he makes clear observations on the plays and characters. I found the book very helpful when playing Henry V and Rosalind.
Rating:
Summary: The absolute best book about Shakespeare
Review: If I had to pick one book of criticism on Shakespeare, this would be it. It really helps you to see to the core of Shakespeare's work and to see the main themes that run through it's entirety. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
Rating:
Summary: Wisdom Literature
Review: It can be put quite simply--this book must be considered within the tradition of Wisdom Literature. It stands on it's own apart from the plays it interprets and analyses. It is a pleasure and joy to read on its own merits. Goddard speaks and you must listen. You may hold contrary opinions about certain plays and characters, but you will not disagree with him. His essays are full of his 40 odd years of teaching but his voice is that of an intimate, not one of the classroom. Buy both volumes and keep them on your bedside table.
Rating:
Summary: Wisdom Literature
Review: It can be put quite simply--this book must be considered within the tradition of Wisdom Literature. It stands on it's own apart from the plays it interprets and analyses. It is a pleasure and joy to read on its own merits. Goddard speaks and you must listen. You may hold contrary opinions about certain plays and characters, but you will not disagree with him. His essays are full of his 40 odd years of teaching but his voice is that of an intimate, not one of the classroom. Buy both volumes and keep them on your bedside table.
Rating:
Summary: A revelation
Review: One of my favorite books -- I return to it again and again. Most books on Shakespeare, it seems, get bogged down in the meanings of words, the supposed worldview of the Elizabethans, the history of stage production, and other such dryness. What a bore! This book is different. From the very beginning, Goddard takes us right to the depths of Shakespeare's characters and plots. He reveals Shakespeare as not only a great linguist and playwright but as an oracle of Man's Place in the Universe. He often takes controversial positions but backs them up with very careful attention to the text. What I have said may seem grandiose, but I think that if you read this book you'll agree with me.
Rating:
Summary: Best Shakespeare Criticism
Review: Other writers about Shakespeare have tried to equal Goddard's labor of love, most recently Harold Bloom's Shakespeare: The Art of the Human. None come close, although Jan Kott's Shakespeare Our Contemporary is also great, as is Allan Bloom's Shakespeare's Politics. In fact, Goddard makes Harold Bloom's effort look like it was written by a boy.Goddard writes thoughtful, highly readable, analytic essays about each of the plays. His interpretations are the most original, but well-argued I've ever seen. Yet they frequently deviate from traditional interpretations. For example, Goddard makes a case against the much-loved, jingoistic interpretation of Henry V; Goddard reads much darker implications. In his essay about Romeo and Juliet, Goddard argues that the play is not about star-crossed lovers, but about Romeo's inability to match Juliet's love, which is the real source of tragedy. It's hard to disagree once you've read Goddard's interpretations, but even when you do, you'll be richer for the experience. For those of you interested in "old-fashioned" literary criticism, when writers considered it their duty, not to obscure the text or to deconstruct it, but to make difficult works more accessible, than this is for you. This is a purchase you will never regret.
Rating:
Summary: Really Helpful For Understanding & Appreciating Shakespeare
Review: Professor Goddard provides a fresh understanding of the Shakespeare plays, sonnets and poems that you will not find in most college courses or in other books of Shakespeare criticism. Don't miss this! Here is a man who taught, read and reflected on the Shakespeare plays, sonnets and poems for years and years and came to some global conclusions as to what they all mean. He even concludes that the meaning of all of Shakespeare is summarized in two lines from one of the sonnets (I'll let you discover this for yourself!). Be sure to notice that there are two paperbacks, volume one and volume two. The current publisher has split the original hardback edition into the two paperback volumes, so you really need both of these volumes. Different plays and poems are covered in each volume.
Rating:
Summary: Really Helpful For Understanding & Appreciating Shakespeare
Review: Professor Goddard provides a fresh understanding of the Shakespeare plays, sonnets and poems that you will not find in most college courses or in other books of Shakespeare criticism. Don't miss this! Here is a man who taught, read and reflected on the Shakespeare plays, sonnets and poems for years and years and came to some global conclusions as to what they all mean. He even concludes that the meaning of all of Shakespeare is summarized in two lines from one of the sonnets (I'll let you discover this for yourself!). Be sure to notice that there are two paperbacks, volume one and volume two. The current publisher has split the original hardback edition into the two paperback volumes, so you really need both of these volumes. Different plays and poems are covered in each volume.
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