{"product_id":"king-john","title":"King John","description":"\u003ch4 class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eA weak king. A scheming mother. A boy with a better claim. And the most heartbreaking death scene Shakespeare ever wrote.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing John\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is Shakespeare's most neglected history play, and one of his most surprising. It is a play about legitimacy, power, and the terrible cost of holding a crown you are not sure you deserve.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing John has taken the throne of England, but his claim is shaky. The French king supports John's nephew, Arthur, a young boy who may be the true heir. John's mother, the ferocious Eleanor of Aquitaine, schemes to protect her son. The bastard son of Richard the Lionheart, known as the Bastard, provides witty, cynical commentary on the action—and emerges as the play's most sympathetic figure. John orders Arthur's death, then tries to recall the order. It is too late. Arthur dies falling from a castle wall. The nobles defect to the French. John is poisoned by a monk. And the play ends with the Bastard declaring that \"Naught shall make us rue, if England to itself do rest but true.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is Shakespeare at his most politically cynical: a play about the emptiness of royal legitimacy, the brutality of power, and the surprising heroism of a bastard who loves his country more than any king. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing John\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e has no comic relief, no love story, and no hero—only a boy who falls, and a nation that keeps going.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne of Shakespeare's least-performed history plays, written around 1595–1597\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBased on the earlier anonymous play \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Troublesome Reign of King John\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1591)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFeatures the Bastard, a character who anticipates Falstaff in his wit and his critique of honor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAvailable in multiple formats:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePaperback \u0026amp; Hardcover:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Beautifully designed print editions presenting the complete, unabridged text made to last.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEbook:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e DRM-free EPUB compatible with Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, and all major e-readers.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAudiobook:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Professionally narrated, complete and unabridged, available on all major audiobook platforms.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA beautifully crafted edition for your shelf, your device, or your ears or the perfect gift for anyone who knows that the crown never fits quite right.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"ds-markdown-paragraph\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWilliam Shakespeare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1564–1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he moved to London and became a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men (later the King's Men). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing John\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was written around 1595–1597, between \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRichard III\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRichard II\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Unlike his other history plays, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing John\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is not part of a tetralogy; it stands alone. The play draws on the earlier anonymous play \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Troublesome Reign of King John\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (1591) and on Holinshed's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChronicles\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. It is historically inaccurate (Shakespeare compresses events and invents the Bastard), but that inaccuracy is part of its point: legitimacy is a story, and the best story wins. The play was popular in Shakespeare's lifetime but fell out of favor in the 18th and 19th centuries. It has seen a modest revival in the modern era, with notable productions starring Michael Pennington (1974) and Ralph Fiennes (2005). Shakespeare's other major works include \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHamlet\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRichard III\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHenry V\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKing Lear\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. He died in 1616 at the age of 52 and is buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Casa Carlini","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":54423658496372,"sku":null,"price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ebook","offer_id":54423658529140,"sku":null,"price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":54423658561908,"sku":null,"price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":54423658594676,"sku":null,"price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0988\/5561\/6884\/files\/casa-carlini-simple-audiobook-king-john-53566708941172.png?v=1779965669","url":"https:\/\/casacarlini.com\/products\/king-john","provider":"Casa Carlini","version":"1.0","type":"link"}