Shakespeare Reading Series
Timon of Athens
Timon of Athens is the tragic tale of Timon, an excessively generous Athenian, who is forced to face the day of reckoning when the bills for all of his gifts must be paid. How will he react? Who will help him? Surely, his good works would be rewarded, won't they?
|The play has many examples of how to live
today - especially around the holiday season:
Timon shows how to be generous without a lot of cash in the bank in Act I.
Lucullus and Lucius show how to say thank you for that exquisite gift you can't reciprocate in Act II.
Timon outshines even Martha Stewart in serving a meal with a little surprise for guests with only a few things from around the house in Act III.
Timon is the perfect host for all those unexpected guests in Act IV.
The potential benefits of a little home garden are shown in Act IV.
Some interesting tidbits about the play:
The play's material may have been too hot to handle. Most experts say the play was written around 1605 to 1608 shortly after James I became king. James I gave expensive gifts to friends which created huge deficits to England's budget and an economic crisis.
The play serves as a good medical history of all the symptoms one could expect from sexually-transmitted diseases of the day.
Some good references for the play are:
Text of the play
SparkNotes summary of the play
Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare
Timon of Athens (1981 - TV Version)
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Last updated: 08/03/02