Tolstoy on Shakespeare cover

Tolstoy on Shakespeare

by Ernest Howard Crosby

Tolstoy does not like Shakespeare. Not at all. In this classic rant, Tolstoy takes Shakespeare to task for having ridiculous plots, characters without distinct personalities, endless speechifying, language no mortal would utter, no morals, a disdain for the common person, and zero sympathy for the audience. by Leo Tolstoy. Translated by V. G. Tchertkoff and I. F. M. Followed by Shakespeare's attitude to the working classes, by Ernest Crosby, and a letter from George Bernard Shaw.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?