The moment I began annotating classic novels, people started asking, "Why don't you do Shakespeare?"
"It's been done!" I'd reply. "Between No Fear Shakespeare to the Folger Shakespeare Library, nobody needs another option."
That was before I actually read the aforementioned editions. Both are superb, but I found them lacking in certain regards.
Drawbacks of 'No Fear Shakespeare'
In No Fear Shakespeare, Shakespeare's original text is on the left page; a modern "translation" is on the right. While holding the book, you can easily glance back and forth. The convenience is unparalleled.
However, there are two major drawbacks:
Because the entire play is "translated" into modern English, it's tempting to read only the modern version--so tempting, in fact, that I'd probably give anybody possessing a copy an academic honesty violation.
Nothing is "explained" in their translation--certainly none of the topics English teachers love to discuss! So while you might think you understand everything, you'll probably fail all the quizzes, tests, and essays that revolve around symbolism, literary devices, memorable lines, etc.
Drawbacks of 'The Folger Shakespeare Library'
The Folger Shakespeare Library is one of the original players in the annotated Shakespeare game. You'll find this edition in many schools, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. It provides a mixture of definitions and "translated" sentences in its annotations, but it also falls short in two ways:
The annotations are largely limited to definitions and "translated" sentences. There is very little of that "deeper level" conversation, but with Shakespeare, there are countless instances where you need to break off to discuss symbolism, metaphor, fate, meter...
The tone is very impersonal. There is no "voice" in the annotations. For me, a well-annotated book is like reading with a friend. The Folger edition feels more like reading with a college professor who doesn't know your name.
All of this is why I decided create (bum ba da dum!) the Vocabbett Classics Annotated Edition of Macbeth. It stands gratefully on the shoulders of these earlier editions.
Like all my books, you'll find definitions and explanations at the bottom of each page (or an easily-clicked footnote in the ebook). But unlike the Folger edition, for instance, you'll also find that you're reading it with me, an irreverent former English teacher who wants nothing more than to see you enjoy a good book.
Comparing the Three:
Let's compare how the three editions tackle the opening lines of Macbeth:
First Witch: "When shall we three meet again?/In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"
No Fear Shakespeare: "When should the three of us meet again? Will it be in thunder, lightning, or rain?"
Folger Shakespeare Library: Nothing
Vocabbett Classics Annotated Edition: "Note that all the options are bleak. Insofar as we can predict character traits based on the weather—which sounds strange, but works in fiction more than you think—we can infer that these are 'bad' witches. They aren’t sweet Glinda-types who float down in bubbles and bless Munchkins. They’re wicked witches who prefer storms and curses."
Here's another example--one that illustrates the importance of the deeper conversation that's missing in the previous editions.
One of the most famous lines in the play is "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." The witches state it early on, warning the audience that all is not as it appears. Let's compare how the three editions handle this passage:
No Fear Shakespeare: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair."
Folger Shakespeare Library: Nothing
Vocabbett Classics Annotated Edition: "This is one of the most important lines in the book, serving both as foreshadowing and a thematic statement. Shakespeare is warning us that all is not as it seems, and he’s using several literary devices to make the line more memorable. First, it’s an oxymoron (fair and foul being opposites). Second, there is significant “f” alliteration.
As with every book in the Vocabbett Classics Annotated Classics collection, my goal is to create the best edition for students and scholars alike. They're the versions I'd want to read if someone else had written them, and the ones that offer students the best chance of fully understanding the brilliance of classic novels.
Enjoy!