Shakespeare-Tolstoy desert island question

[ZTay]

There you are jettisoned, as it were, upon a desert island- that classic conundrum. If you could have the full works of Shakespeare or Tolstoy to read and reread for all your remaining years, who do you choose?

[Charles Darnay]

I think the breadth of Shakespeare puts him above Tolstoy in this matter.

[ZTay]

Yet there is Tolstoy's depth.

[prendrelemick]

I would not like to be without Shakespeare in this populous world, but on a desert Island there'd be no one to impress/bore with pertinant quotes!

[Pierre Menard]

Yet there is Tolstoy's depth.

And then yet, there is Shakespeare's depth.

[IntravenousJava]

I suppose there will probably be just enough devil's advocates to validate your poll, but I would be more intrigued with Dostoevsky vs. Tolstoy, Chaucer vs. Milton, Dante vs. Cervantes, or any number of alternate pairings. Pitting Shakespeare against anyone else just doesn't interest me, personally.

[LitNetIsGreat]

It's not even a contest for me.

I'm off to Stratford next week and visiting Shakespeare's grave! Cool!

[Idril]

Tolstoy, no question.

[Desolation]

Neither would be anywhere near my first choice to bring to a desert island.

But, if those were my only options, I'd go with Tolstoy. Mostly because I enjoy prose more than drama or poetry. And for Anna Karenina. Shakespeare might ultimately be more entertaining, though.

[mona amon]

Shakespeare, without a moment's hesitation.

[Dark Muse]

While being stranded on a desert island would give me the time and motivation to read War and Peace I have to say I am going to have to go with Shakespeare on this one.

[Alexander III]

There is a huge bias in this question as I will say quite confidently that 9/10 members have read at least one Shakespere play, while the statistics for having read one of Tolstoy's novels is far and far less

[Kafka's Crow]

The vile 'late Tolstoys', Resurrection etc. I could do without such religious drivel anywhere, let alone on a desert island. If I was asked which one book I would take with me, then I might consider War and Peace but still I would prefer King Lear any day (although both extremely great works).

[OrphanPip]

There is a huge bias in this question as I will say quite confidently that 9/10 members have read at least one Shakespere play, while the statistics for having read one of Tolstoy's novels is far and far less

I'm not sure I'd say "far less" because Tolstoy is about as widely read as a novelist gets without being Dan Brown or J.K. Rowling. (Anna Karenina was in the Oprah Book Club after all)

Although, it is true that anyone who has a secondary education in the English speaking world has read Shakespeare, or at the least they know the plot of Romeo and Juliet.

[ZTay]

Shakespeare wins the day, and why not? For me the main inspiration of the question was the sharp contrast of their styles. Shakespeare being lighter than air, smoother than honey and sweeter than sugar- and Tolstoy being something like a 400 lb cabbage. Should anyone think that a slight to Tolstoy, just remember I thought enough of him to pit him against Shakespeare. Interesting answers all around, thanks!

[Helga]

It's not even a contest for me.

I'm off to Stratford next week and visiting Shakespeare's grave! Cool!

oh I am jealous! When I was in London I saw Blake's grave and of course poets corner in Westminster Abbey but my friend thought it was too far to go see Shakespeare :(

findagrave.com is one of my favorite websites, I love famous writers graves!


oh and about the topic, Shakespeare always, as much as I admire Tolstoy I can't be without The Bard

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

I voted for Tolstoy since a) I've had less exposure to Tolstoy, having read only one novel by him (W&P) compared to a few of Shakespeare's works and b) Tolstoy will take my mind off the heat of the desert to the chill of Russia.

[ennison]

But neither tell you how to build a boat to get off the bloody island. I'd take Tolstoy in a bilingual edition of his works.