The Eloquent Shakespeare: A Pronouncing Dictionary for the Complete Dramatic Works with Notes to Untie the Modern Tongue
Although the spelling of Shakespeare’s words has become largely standardized, their pronunciation (alas) remains subject to individual whim, varying from performer to performer and sometimes from one night to the next. In The Eloquent Shakespeare, Logan, director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Academy for Classical Acting, has undertaken not only to correct mispronunciations but to present preferred or recommended pronunciations as well. Using as his model a modified version of the Standard American Stage Dialect, he has sought to offer American English pronunciations that “for the most part travel the path of least overall resistance through America’s different regions, dialectal groups, and social strata.” A useful item for libraries serving theater students. --Harold Cordry