Books by William Shakespeare
Born: 04/23/1564; Died: 04/23/1616William Shakespeare Biography & Notes
Most historians agree that William Shakespeare - actor, playwright and poet - was a single person, one for whom we have considerable historical records. (Note that Elizabethan English did not use standardised spelling; although his surname most commonly appears as Shakespeare, Shakespere also recurs frequently, and the name sometimes appears as Shakespear, Shaksper and even Shaxberd.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in April 1564, the son of John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, and of Mary Arden. His baptismal record dates to April 26 of that year and (given traditional timings of baptisms) tradition considers April 23 as his birthday. Shakespeare's father, prosperous at the time of William's birth, was prosecuted for participating in the black market in wool, and later lost his position as an alderman. Some evidence exists that both sides of the family had Roman Catholic sympathies.
As the son of a prominent town official, Shakespeare most likely attended the Stratford grammar school, which provided an intensive education in Latin grammar and literature. There is no evidence that his formal education extended beyond this.
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, on November 28, 1582 at Temple Grafton, near Stratford. Two neighbors of Anne, Fulk Sandalls and John Richardson, posted bond that there were no impediments to the marriage. There appears to have been some haste in arranging the ceremony: Anne was three months pregnant. After his marriage, William Shakespeare left few traces in the historical record until he appeared on the London literary scene.
On May 26, 1583 Shakespeare's first child, Susanna, was baptised at Stratford. There soon followed on February 2, 1585 the baptisms of a son, Hamnet, and of a daughter, Judith.
By 1592 Shakespeare had enough of a reputation for Robert Greene to denounce him as "an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you: and beeing an absolute Johannes factotum, is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey." (The italicised line parodies the phrase, "Oh, tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide" which Shakespeare used in Henry VI, part 3.)
In 1596 Hamnet died; he was buried on August 11, 1596. Because of the similarities of their names, some suspect that his death provided the impetus for Shakespeare's The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
By 1598 Shakespeare had moved to the parish of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, and appeared top of a list of actors in Every man in his Humour written by Ben Jonson.
Shakespeare became an actor, writer and ultimately part-owner of an acting company known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men � the company took its name, like others of the period, from its aristocratic sponsor, the Lord Chamberlain. The group became sufficiently popular that after the death of Elizabeth I and the coronation of James I (1603), the new monarch adopted the company and it became known as The King's Men.
Various documents recording legal affairs and commercial transactions show that Shakespeare grew increasingly affluent in his London years. He did well enough to buy a property in Blackfriars, London, and owned the second-largest house in Stratford, New Place.
In 1609 he published his sonnets, love poems variously addressed: some to a 'dark lady', and some to a young man (or 'fair lord').
Shakespeare retired in approximately 1611 and died in 1616, on April 23 � perhaps part of the reason behind the tradition of his birthday being this same day. He remained married to Anne until his death. His two daughters, Susannah and Judith, survived him. Susannah married Dr John Hall, and later became the subject of a court case.
His tombstone reads, "Blest be the man who cast these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones." Popular myth claims that unpublished works by Shakespeare may lie within the bard's tomb, but no-one has ever verified these claims, perhaps for fear of the curse included in the quoted epitaph.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in April 1564, the son of John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, and of Mary Arden. His baptismal record dates to April 26 of that year and (given traditional timings of baptisms) tradition considers April 23 as his birthday. Shakespeare's father, prosperous at the time of William's birth, was prosecuted for participating in the black market in wool, and later lost his position as an alderman. Some evidence exists that both sides of the family had Roman Catholic sympathies.
As the son of a prominent town official, Shakespeare most likely attended the Stratford grammar school, which provided an intensive education in Latin grammar and literature. There is no evidence that his formal education extended beyond this.
Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, on November 28, 1582 at Temple Grafton, near Stratford. Two neighbors of Anne, Fulk Sandalls and John Richardson, posted bond that there were no impediments to the marriage. There appears to have been some haste in arranging the ceremony: Anne was three months pregnant. After his marriage, William Shakespeare left few traces in the historical record until he appeared on the London literary scene.
On May 26, 1583 Shakespeare's first child, Susanna, was baptised at Stratford. There soon followed on February 2, 1585 the baptisms of a son, Hamnet, and of a daughter, Judith.
By 1592 Shakespeare had enough of a reputation for Robert Greene to denounce him as "an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you: and beeing an absolute Johannes factotum, is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey." (The italicised line parodies the phrase, "Oh, tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide" which Shakespeare used in Henry VI, part 3.)
In 1596 Hamnet died; he was buried on August 11, 1596. Because of the similarities of their names, some suspect that his death provided the impetus for Shakespeare's The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
By 1598 Shakespeare had moved to the parish of St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, and appeared top of a list of actors in Every man in his Humour written by Ben Jonson.
Shakespeare became an actor, writer and ultimately part-owner of an acting company known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men � the company took its name, like others of the period, from its aristocratic sponsor, the Lord Chamberlain. The group became sufficiently popular that after the death of Elizabeth I and the coronation of James I (1603), the new monarch adopted the company and it became known as The King's Men.
Various documents recording legal affairs and commercial transactions show that Shakespeare grew increasingly affluent in his London years. He did well enough to buy a property in Blackfriars, London, and owned the second-largest house in Stratford, New Place.
In 1609 he published his sonnets, love poems variously addressed: some to a 'dark lady', and some to a young man (or 'fair lord').
Shakespeare retired in approximately 1611 and died in 1616, on April 23 � perhaps part of the reason behind the tradition of his birthday being this same day. He remained married to Anne until his death. His two daughters, Susannah and Judith, survived him. Susannah married Dr John Hall, and later became the subject of a court case.
His tombstone reads, "Blest be the man who cast these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones." Popular myth claims that unpublished works by Shakespeare may lie within the bard's tomb, but no-one has ever verified these claims, perhaps for fear of the curse included in the quoted epitaph.
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All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare, Claire Elizabeth McEachern ( 2001) |
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Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare ( 2002) |
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Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
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The Arden Dictionary of Shakespeare Quotations by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
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As You Like It by William Shakespeare, Frances E. Doan ( 2000)
One of Shakespeare's early plays, written in 1598 or 1599, AS YOU LIKE IT is in many ways a typical Elizabethan romantic comedy, but it is also a satire in which Shakespeare ridicules many of the courtly-love conventions that were still current in his day: love as a disease, for example, and the lover as slave to his imperious mistress. In AS YOU LIKE IT, when these notions rear their heads, they are presented as silly absurdities. Orlando is in thrall to Rosalind, the simple shepherd Silvius is put through mental tortures by Phoebe--but ridiculing such formulaic excesses ("Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love") and keeping the play grounded in reality, Shakespeare reminds his audience that true love can bring happiness and is a force for good. In Jaques's famously acerbic soliloquy on the stages of a man's life (which end in a second childhood followed by oblivion), he speaks of the naturalness and inevitability of change--and as the characters in AS YOU LIKE IT enter the Forest of Arden, they undergo changes that will ultimately lead to a transformation in their attitudes. Embittered men are reunited with the brothers they loathed, the rightful Duke is returned to his throne, and four absurdly warring couples are reconciled. The forest provides--as it does in many plays of the period--a pastoral interval in which the characters come to their senses and return to the city better people. In the course of the play, despite its light-hearted tone, Shakespeare does tackle some difficult questions involving love, aging, nature, and the coming of death.
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The Best Of Shakespeare by William Shakespeare, E. Nesbit ( 1997)
An inviting introduction to Shakespeare for children retells, in modern English, the stories in ten of the Bard's greatest plays, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs from modern productions on the English stage. UP.
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The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare ( 1999)
Two sets of twins, both separated during a shipwreck that occurred 23 years before the present drama unfolds, convolute the absurd plot of Shakespeare's most farcical play. The composition of this, his shortest work, is commonly dated between 1592 and 1594; scholarship has placed its probable first performance on December 28, 1594 at the Gray's Inn, London. THE COMEDY OF ERRORS was included in the FIRST FOLIO, 1623, and is classified in Shakespeare's oeuvre as a comedy. The action precipitates in the course of a single day in three simple locations: the Phoenix, the Porcupine, and the Priory, buildings in the city of Ephesus. The action begins when Egeon is heavily taxed by the Duke moments after disembarking in Ephesus after five years of wayfaring. The Duke is lenient after hearing the pathetic circumstances that brought Egeon there, which serves as a prologue to the play: Egeon's family--his wife and twin sons, along with a set of twin slave boys--were separated in a shipwreck 23 years earlier. After the wreck he returned home to Syracuse with but one son and one slave; the others were lost. In his 18th year this son, named Antipholus of Syracuse took his slave, Dromio of Syracuse (not to be confused with Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus, twins of the former, now living in Ephesus) to search for his separated twin. Upon the departure of his only remaining son, Egeon, in despair embarks on a journey to find him. Naturally, as the rules of comedy proscribe, all parties land in Ephesus, unbeknownst to one another. Moreover, Aemilia, long-lost wife of Egeon, is also present, along with the sisters Adriana and Luciana, the bride and future bride of each son. The remainder of the play is concerned with reuniting this family.
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The Complete Pelican Shakespeare by William Shakespeare ( 2002) |
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The Complete Signet Classic Shakespeare by William Shakespeare, Sylvan Barnet ( 1972)
Brings together in one volume editions of all the plays, poems, and sonnets originally published as individual paperbacks in the New American Library's Signet Classic Shakespeare series. With a General Introduction by Professor Barnet, introductions to the individual plays by the contributing editors.
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Complete Sonnets by William Shakespeare ( 1991)
Over 150 exquisite poems deal with love, friendship, the tyranny of time, beauty's evanescence, death and other themes. Glossary of archaic terms.
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The Complete Sonnets and Poems by William Shakespeare ( 2002) |
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The Complete Works by William Shakespeare, Peter Alexander ( 1983)
The plays and poems are prefaced by a short biographical essay.
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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare The Alexander Text by William Shakespeare ( 2009) |
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The Complete Works/Blue Leather Edition by William Shakespeare ( 1987) |
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The Complete Works/Red Leather Edition by William Shakespeare ( 1987) |
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Coriolanus by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
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The Cowboy and the Wildcat by William Shakespeare, Penny Bernal, Lonnie Burstein Hewitt ( 1994)
Young adults and adult learners at intermediate levels of English proficiency will love this collection of plays. Each one represents theater at its best - spiked with humor and written in lively, colloquial American English.
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Cymbeline by William Shakespeare, Peter Holland ( 2000) |
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An Excellent Conceited Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare ( 1995)
The original text of Romeo and Juliet differs strikingly from the play we know today. The first edition - or First Quarto - published in 1597 has a more fluid progression, some entirely different speeches, and a speedier climax. In addition, there are hundreds of smaller variants. The availability of this text thus increases the range of interpretations open to actors, directors, critics and students.
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The First Part of King Henry the Sixth by William Shakespeare, David Bevington ( 1979) |
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Four Comedies The Taming of the Shrew/a Midsummer Night's Dream/As You Like It/Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, G. R. Hibbard ( 1995)
Contains The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night.
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Four Histories Richard II/Henry IV, Part One/Henry IV, Part Two/Henry V by William Shakespeare ( 1995)
This volume contains the tetralogy of plays--'Richard II', 'Henry IV' Parts 1 and 2 and 'Henry V'--written by Shakespeare c. 1595 to c. 1599. Each play possesses its own distinctive mood, tone and style, and together they inhabit the turbulent period of change from the usurpation to the throne of Richard II by Bolingbroke to the triumph--some would say triumphalism--of heroic kingship of Henry V.
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Four Tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth by William Shakespeare ( 1995)
Contains Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth.
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The Great Speeches A Celebration in Words and Music by William Shakespeare ( 1996) |
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Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Anthony Masters ( 2001)
Presents a version of Shakespeare's play about the ill-fated Danish prince, rewritten as fiction for young readers.
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Hamlet by William Shakespeare ( 2008) |
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Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Philip Edwards ( 2003)
Shakespeare's classic tragedy of love, madness, and revenge, first enacted in London in 1602. Young Prince Hamlet, in mourning for his dead father, receives an apparition of his father's ghost telling him that he was murdered by his own brother Claudius, who then assumed the throne and married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. Intent on revenge, Hamlet feigns madness and plots how he might kill Claudius. When Polonius, Claudius's counselor, hides behind a curtain in Gertrude's bedroom to eavesdrop on Hamlet, Hamlet mistakes him for Claudius and stabs him to death. Claudius then sends Hamlet into exile, intending him to be killed abroad, but Hamlet outwits his assassins and makes his way back to Denmark. Polonius's daughter Ophelia, who had been in love with Hamlet, goes mad from grief over her father's death and Hamlet's exile, and she drowns herself. After Hamlet returns, he is challenged to a duel by Laertes, Ophelia's brother. Claudius secretly poisons the tips of the swords, and both Laertes and Hamlet die from their wounds, but not before Hamlet kills Claudius before the assembled court.
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Hamlet by William Shakespeare ( 1996)
Featuring a cover with a photo still from Kenneth Branagh's film version of this Shakespearean classic--coming in January from Castle Rock Entertainment--this authoritative edition contains text from the Norton Critical Edition and includes a Preface and footnotes by Cyrus Hoy, professor emeritus of English at the University of Rochester.
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Hamlet Novel Study Guide by William Shakespeare ( 1989) |
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Henry IV by William Shakespeare ( 1999)
This new edition of one of Shakespeare's greatest history plays offers a helpful Introduction to the play's structure, Language, and performance history, and notes that provide an illuminating commentary on details of the text.
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Henry IV. Part 1 Shakespeare Made Easy by William Shakespeare ( 2008)
While King Henry IV rightly laments that his heir, the young Prince Hal, has not distinguished himself in battle, Hal is up to no good at the Boar's Head Tavern with his rotund cohort, Falstaff. With a rebellion rising against the throne at home, Hal lives it up in the ale houses of London, associating with petty schemers and masterminding practical jokes instead of military strategies. When his father sends a messenger to fetch his delinquent son, will Hal rally to the call? Written prior to 1596, this much-loved play is referred to in multiple memoirs and documents of the day and in subsequent decades, including Samuel Pepys's diary, attesting to its impact and popularity. Blending action that takes place at court with scenes of city life, HENRY IV PART 1 marks a turning-point in Shakespeare's oeuvre, as action unfolds simultaneously in diverse locations, lending texture and variety to the drama, and involving characters drawn not only from the ranks of court, but from London's seedier byways. The sway of chaos and order, the perennial theme of Shakespeare's histories, is present here in the juxtaposition of the political realm with the Epicurean.
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Henry IV. Part 1 by William Shakespeare ( 1987)
While King Henry IV rightly laments that his heir, the young Prince Hal, has not distinguished himself in battle, Hal is up to no good at the Boar's Head Tavern with his rotund cohort, Falstaff. With a rebellion rising against the throne at home, Hal lives it up in the ale houses of London, associating with petty schemers and masterminding practical jokes instead of military strategies. When his father sends a messenger to fetch his delinquent son, will Hal rally to the call? Written prior to 1596, this much-loved play is referred to in multiple memoirs and documents of the day and in subsequent decades, including Samuel Pepys's diary, attesting to its impact and popularity. Blending action that takes place at court with scenes of city life, HENRY IV PART 1 marks a turning-point in Shakespeare's oeuvre, as action unfolds simultaneously in diverse locations, lending texture and variety to the drama, and involving characters drawn not only from the ranks of court, but from London's seedier byways. The sway of chaos and order, the perennial theme of Shakespeare's histories, is present here in the juxtaposition of the political realm with the Epicurean.
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Henry IV. Part 2 by William Shakespeare ( 2005) |
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Henry IV. Part 2 by William Shakespeare ( 2000) |
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Henry V The Graphic Novel Original Text Version by William Shakespeare ( 2003) |
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Henry V Shakespeare Made Easy by William Shakespeare ( 1989) |
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Henry VI. Part 1 by William Shakespeare, William Montgomery ( 2000)
The historic King Henry VI lived from 1421 to 1471, however, the three plays which bear his name as titles do not concern him as much as those around him, such as Talbot, of HENRY VI, PART I, who is killed as a result of warring British factions while Henry VI is yet a child-king. The play is set during the final stages of the Hundred Years War against France, after the death of Henry V, who had conquered a significant amount French territory during his triumphant reign--most of which is lost during the course of the present drama. The three Henry VI plays, together with Richard III, form a tetralogy that thematically chronicles the disintegration of British dominance, the infighting that ensues, resulting in civil war (The War of the Roses). The tension between chaos and order is paramount. According to most scholarship, Shakespeare wrote the first of the three parts between 1589 and 1590. It was performed first on March 3, 1592 at the Rose Theater. Diaries indicate that it was performed 14 more times before the theaters were closed that season because of an outbreak of plague. Early Shakespeareans were hesitant to attribute HENRY VI, PART 1 to Shakespeare, particularly because of the crude portrayal of Joan of Arc, although it was included in the FIRST FOLIO, 1623; thus there is much speculation regarding this topic. The action begins at the funeral of Henry V, where the Duke of Gloucester and the Bishop of Winchester engage in a disruptive argument about the control of the young King Henry VI. Two messengers, one bringing word of English military losses in France, and a second reporting a French rebellion subsequently interfere with the funeral ceremony. In violation of a previous treaty, Charles Dauphin has been crowned King of France, and motivated the Bastard of Orleance and the Duke of Alanson behind him. A third messenger tells of the capture of the hero Talbot due to the coward Falstaff. Reinforcements are sent to assist the Earl of Salisbury, who leads the English army. Talbot is freed, but Salisbury is killed shortly thereafter. Moreover, Joan la Pucelle (Joan of Arc), armed with sorcery, has pledged allegiance to the French cause. During the power struggle between the French and English abroad, the celebrated Temple Garden Scene takes place back in England in which Richard Plantagenet and Somerset argue about rights to the crown. Plucking a white rose from a tree, Richard calls for his supporters to do the same; Somerset and his supports pick red roses--and thus the War of the Roses ignites. To quell some of the debate that ensues among the parties, Henry VI restores Richard as Duke of York. Attempting to restore peace among the factions, he later attempts, fatally, to evenly divide the English military, assigning the house of York control of the infantry, leaving the cavalry to Somerset, which only results in more strife among the factions. Both Talbot and his young son are killed in battle, but Joan is burned at the stake. Meanwhile, Gloucester arranges a peace treaty between Henry VI and Charles, based on Henry marrying the daughter of a French noble. Henry agrees. However, Suffolk has plans of his own for the King. Because Suffolk is in love with Margaret, daughter of the French noble Reignier, he establishes her as Queen, encouraging Henry VI to break his prior engagement. With Margaret installed as Queen, Suffolk, is poised to control the throne: "Margaret shall now be Queen, and rule the King; / But I will rule both her, the King, and Realm."
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Henry VI. Part 1 by William Shakespeare ( 1981)
Shakespeare's historical drama about King Henry VI and the threats to his rule is supplemented with extensive commentary.
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Henry VI. Part 2 by William Shakespeare, William Montgomery ( 2000)
The historic King Henry VI lived from 1421 to 1471, however, the three plays which bear his name as titles do not concern him as much as those around him, such as Talbot, of HENRY VI, PART I, who is killed as a result of warring British factions while Henry VI is yet a child-king. The play is set during the final stages of the Hundred Years War against France, after the death of Henry V, who had conquered a significant amount French territory during his triumphant reign--most of which is lost during the course of the present drama. The three Henry VI plays, together with Richard III, form a tetralogy that thematically chronicles the disintegration of British dominance, the infighting that ensues, resulting in civil war (The War of the Roses). The tension between chaos and order is paramount. According to most scholarship, Shakespeare wrote the first of the three parts between 1589 and 1590. It was performed first on March 3, 1592 at the Rose Theater. Diaries indicate that it was performed 14 more times before the theaters were closed that season because of an outbreak of plague. Early Shakespeareans were hesitant to attribute HENRY VI, PART 1 to Shakespeare, particularly because of the crude portrayal of Joan of Arc, although it was included in the FIRST FOLIO, 1623; thus there is much speculation regarding this topic. The action begins at the funeral of Henry V, where the Duke of Gloucester and the Bishop of Winchester engage in a disruptive argument about the control of the young King Henry VI. Two messengers, one bringing word of English military losses in France, and a second reporting a French rebellion subsequently interfere with the funeral ceremony. In violation of a previous treaty, Charles Dauphin has been crowned King of France, and motivated the Bastard of Orleance and the Duke of Alanson behind him. A third messenger tells of the capture of the hero Talbot due to the coward Falstaff. Reinforcements are sent to assist the Earl of Salisbury, who leads the English army. Talbot is freed, but Salisbury is killed shortly thereafter. Moreover, Joan la Pucelle (Joan of Arc), armed with sorcery, has pledged allegiance to the French cause. During the power struggle between the French and English abroad, the celebrated Temple Garden Scene takes place back in England in which Richard Plantagenet and Somerset argue about rights to the crown. Plucking a white rose from a tree, Richard calls for his supporters to do the same; Somerset and his supports pick red roses--and thus the War of the Roses ignites. To quell some of the debate that ensues among the parties, Henry VI restores Richard as Duke of York. Attempting to restore peace among the factions, he later attempts, fatally, to evenly divide the English military, assigning the house of York control of the infantry, leaving the cavalry to Somerset, which only results in more strife among the factions. Both Talbot and his young son are killed in battle, but Joan is burned at the stake. Meanwhile, Gloucester arranges a peace treaty between Henry VI and Charles, based on Henry marrying the daughter of a French noble. Henry agrees. However, Suffolk has plans of his own for the King. Because Suffolk is in love with Margaret, daughter of the French noble Reignier, he establishes her as Queen, encouraging Henry VI to break his prior engagement. With Margaret installed as Queen, Suffolk, is poised to control the throne: "Margaret shall now be Queen, and rule the King; / But I will rule both her, the King, and Realm."
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Henry VI. Part 3 by William Shakespeare ( 1993)
A series of outstanding productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company and others have recently demonstrated the theatrical vitality of Shakespeare's plays about the reign of Henry VI. In the Third Part Shakespeare extends his essay on monarchical politics by contrasting two kings, the good but ineffective Henry VI with his rival, the sensual and victorious Edward IV. He also offers more evidence of the perils of aristocratic factionalism in a series of scenes that display the grievous wounds caused by the Wars of the Roses. Here we watch the savage death of the Duke of York at the hands of Queen Margaret, the moving lament of King Henry as he witnesses the slaughter of the battle of Towton where the Lancastrians were defeated, and finally, Henry's death at the hands of Richard of Gloucester, later King Richard III.
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The History of King Lear by William Shakespeare ( 2000) |
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Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare ( 1999)
Shakespeare's drama of Caesar's assassination and the defeat of the conspirators by Mark Antony, Octavius Caesar, and Lepidus.
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Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare ( 2006) |
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King Henry IV by William Shakespeare ( 1998)
Picking up after the battle of Shrewsbury, where PART 1 left off, the play opens with a personification of Rumor advertising the victory of the rebels, led by Hotspur. However, Rumor, an unreliable source, has got it all wrong: Prince Hal was victorious against the rebels, having slain the principal adversaries, including Hotspur himself, the son of Earl of Northumberland. When he finally gets the story straight, Northumberland renews the rebellion with vigor, which causes great stress to King Henry, detrimentally affecting his health and hastening his death. Prince Hal must learn to fill his shoes with grace and honor. And what should he do about the uproarious Falstaff? In handling the trespasses of his bawdy friend, Hal learns to be both just and merciful. Like part one, KING HENRY IV, PART 2 depicts life in court in contrast to life among the commoners of London.
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King Henry IV. Part 1 by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
England resides in a state of unrest as Henry IV despairs over his son and heir, Prince Henry, who is led into a life of debauchery by Falstaff, while the Percy family attempts to wrest the crown from the Bolingbroke line.
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King Henry V by William Shakespeare ( 2002) |
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King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare ( 1981)
Extensive critical and historical commentaries accompany Shakespeare's tragedy of the life of the English king.
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King Henry Vi, Parts II and III by William Shakespeare ( 1981) |
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King John by William Shakespeare ( 2008) |
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King Lear by William Shakespeare, Roma Gill ( 2002)
Shakespeare probably wrote KING LEAR in 1605, but the action of the play takes place in the eighth century B.C. Lear, the elderly king of Britain, is ready to cease his rule and divide his kingdom among his three daughters. But his heart hardens against his youngest daughter, Cordelia, who refuses to give him the glib flattery he seeks, and he capriciously disowns her. Cordelia marries the king of France, leaving the kingdom to her two unsavory sisters, Goneril and Regan, who promptly begin scheming to strip Lear of not only his authority but his dignity. The old king, devastated by their insulting treatment of him, begins to lose his reason. Forced to flee, he wanders into the wilderness, accompanied by his devoted Fool and by Kent, a nobleman in disguise who stays true to him. As Lear faces a devastating storm and encounters a variety of men, both noble and depraved, his daughters take revenge on anyone who tries to help him, including his old friend Gloucester, who is cruelly blinded before he too is turned out into the wild. Eventually, all these characters make their way to Dover, where Cordelia has landed with the French army under the command of her husband in an attempt to save her father's kingdom. As more blood is shed and the two evil sisters are finally vanquished, one of Shakespeare's saddest endings closes the play, as Lear gives into his grief after Cordelia's death, realizing that it was she who, after all, loved him the best. In KING LEAR, with its bleak vision of the human life, Shakespeare deals with questions of justice and injustice, and whether the world is indifferent to the fate of mankind. The play is interesting for its depictions of madness in several characters, from the professionally nonsensical Fool to Lear's own ravings in the depths of his confusion. KING LEAR is also a probing examination of family and its implications, and of a proud man who is brought low before he is able to understand, too late, what constitutes true goodness and humility. At a time when power in England had just been transferred from the childless Elizabeth I to her nephew, James I, questions of authority and succession were very much in the public discourse, giving the play an added dimension in the eyes of Shakespeare's contemporaries. A popular upbeat version of the play, in which Cordelia lived, was current in England until the mid-19th century.
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King Lear by William Shakespeare ( 1999)
Discussion on Shakespeare, his stage, and the texts of the plays supplements the tragic drama of an old king's pride and foolishness.
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King Richard II by William Shakespeare ( 1982)
The waning of the middle ages is exemplified in this history by the fall from power of King Richard II, whose medieval love for pomp and splendor is juxtaposed with Henry Bolingbroke's more modern-minded practicality. The plot unfolds when Bolingbroke and Mowbray resort to a duel after Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray of treason. King Richard II steps in before blood is shed, banishing both men from the kingdom. When Bolingbroke's father, Gaunt, dies in despair at the loss of his son, Richard II exploits the situation by illegally seizing his wealth to fund a military campaign in Ireland. The aristocrats' shock at this lawlessness, aimed at their own pockets, precipitates the deposition of King Richard by Henry Bolingbroke--who becomes Henry IV. The play was published in 1597, and probably written in 1595.
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King Richard III by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
In THE TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD III, Shakespeare brilliantly dramatizes the terrible rise of Richard of Gloucester to the throne of England, and the subsequent downfall of his bloody reign. Unrepentant, deformed in body and spirit, willfully evil, and blessed with a serpent's tongue, the hunchbacked King Richard III sits aside Milton's Satan as one of the greatest villains of English literature. The play opens with Richard's brother Edward IV as King and England at peace, but Richard, "determined to prove a villain," sets about a series of heinous acts to pave his way to the throne: he has his older brother imprisoned and murdered, beheads nobles opposed to him on false charges, locks away his young nephews in the tower where they are later killed, and even does away with his wife to make way for a more politically advantageous marriage to his own niece. Finally, feared and despised in all quarters, and with his closest ally, Lord Buckingham, turned against him, Richard III loses his crown and his life in the battlefield, leading to the rise Henry VII, and the end of the War of the Roses between the York and Lancaster families.
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King Richard III by William Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh ( 2001)
In this final play of the tetralogy describing the War of the Roses and the restoration (despite Richard III's efforts) of the Tudor Dynasty, is there nothing Richard will not do to save his crown? Bloodthirsty, spiteful, ambitious, and deformed, but gifted with wit, charm, and acumen, Richard III is Shakespeare's first major character and his second most substantial, after Hamlet, in terms of sheer lines. Shakespeare drew on several portraits of Richard by Tudor historians, none of which was sympathetic to him. In portraying a charismatic villain-hero, Shakespeare was borrowing the technique Marlowe mastered in TAMBURLAINE, which was immensely popular in its day. RICHARD III was probably written in 1591, and published in 1597, appearing later in the more reliable First Folio, 1623.
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The Life Of Timon Of Athens by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
TIMON OF ATHENS , one of Shakespeare's least performed plays, explores issues of loyalty and friendship, and the value of wealth. In ancient Athens, a lord and wealthy landowner, Timon, holds an opulent feast at which he lavishes his friends with gifts, food, and money, despite the misgiving of his faithful steward, Flavius, and the cynical warnings of the philosopher Apemantus. After discovering that he has lost all his land and money through wastefulness, Timon sends out his servants to ask his friends for assistance, but his friends refuse. Seeking revenge, Timon holds another banquet, but this time he serves rocks, and throws water on his guests. After fleeing into the wilderness, Timon discovers a hidden trove of gold. He gives some to a rebel and murderer, Alcibiades, to assist him in his planned attack on Athens. Finally, Flavius tracks down his master in the forest, and Timon calls him his only true friend. When the senators of Athens plea with Timon to prevent Alcibiades from attacking the city, he spurns them and dies. In its tale of a proud and naive man brought low by fate and the treachery of those he believed to be his closest allies, some critics have seen TIMON OF ATHENS as an early version of Shakespeare's masterly KING LEAR.
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The Life and Death of King John by William Shakespeare ( 2000) |
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The Life of King Henry VIII by William Shakespeare ( 2007) |
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The Life of King Henry the Eighth by William Shakespeare ( 2001) |
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The Life of King Henry the Fifth by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
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Love's Labor's Lost by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
When the King of Navarre commits himself and his gentlemen-in-waiting, Longaville, Dumaine, and Berowne, to three years of secluded study, barring all interactions with women, he forgot that a French envoy consisting of the Princess of France and her three ladies-in-waiting, Maria, Katharine, and Rosaline, were imminently expected. The King agrees to temporarily relax his restrictions in the name of politics, but when the flirting begins, it's in the name of love that the King changes his policy altogether. As a scholarly atmosphere has been legislated by the King, much pedantic banter is exchanged. Indeed, among the themes the play explores is the conflict between true erudition and mere posturing. The overwrought language some of the characters use mocks sophistry and lampoons those who glean their knowledge from study instead of from life. Written around 1595, LOVE'S LABORS LOST has no known literary sources, but the political material in the play echoes events of the day, including the French Wars of Religion in which the real King of Navarre, who later became King Henri IV of France, participated. A masquerade featuring a group of gentlemen dressed as Russians (emulated in the drama by the gentlemen-in-waiting) occurred in 1594, no doubt inspiring Shakespeare's depiction. Records indicate that the play was performed for Queen Elizabeth's court in 1597, but it was likely performed even earlier. Documentation suggests it remained in favor well into the 17th century before becoming dormant for about 200 years. A play entitled LOVE'S LABOR'S WON is listed in an important catalogue of Shakespeare's works compiled in 1598. This counterpart may be a lost play, or another play, such as THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, listed under an alternative title.
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Love's Labour's Lost by William Shakespeare ( 2002)
Shakespeare's romantic comedy is accompanied by commentary, a synopsis of the plot, summaries of scenes, notes on main characters, questions, and classroom activities.
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M. William Shak-Speare, His True Chronicle Historie of the Life and Death of King Lear and His Three Daughters by William Shakespeare, Graham Holderness ( 1995)
What modern readers and audiences generally know as 'Shakespeare's King Lear' is a composite construction created by merging The Tragedie of King Lear (1623) and the earlier (1608) Quarto version. In the last twenty years these two texts have again been disentangled from one another, and recognised as different states in a process of textual production: but only since editors and critics have generally agreed that both texts were separately written by Shakespeare himself, who produced the 1623 version by adapting, editing and 'revising' the Quarto. This new critical edition presents the play in a largely unmodernised form, with a minimum of editorial interference; and argues that both in terms of its relation to the Folio and its character as an individual text, it is better approached formally and historically as an independent play than evaluated on the basis of a speculative theory of authorship.
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Macbeth by William Shakespeare ( 1996)
Shakespeare's dark portrait of ambition begins when the eponymous hero, a Scottish soldier, encounters three witches, who mysteriously refer to him as the future king. As, step by step, their prophecy begins to be fulfilled, the seeds of ambition are planted not only in Macbeth but in his scheming wife, who soon is plotting the murder of Duncan, King of Scotland. This murder--and the string of killings that inevitably follow--sets in motion a series of dark deeds that torment Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with guilt, which manifests itself most pointedly when a sleepwalking Lady Macbeth attempts to wash the blood from her hands, famously uttering "Out, damn'd spot!" MACBETH was probably written between 1603 and 1606; it is the last of Shakespeare's major tragedies and is peculiarly concise, perhaps because Shakespeare had learned of King James's penchant for shorter works. The plot was inspired by the Chronicles of Holinshed's narrative of the reigns of Duncan and Macbeth in Scotland. Richard Burbage, one of the most prominent actors of the Elizabethan stage, is said to have originated the title role.
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Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Anthony Masters ( 2001)
Presents a version of Shakespeare's tragedy about the eleventh-century Scottish king, rewritten as fiction for young readers.
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Macbeth by William Shakespeare ( 1984)
Shakespeare's dark portrait of ambition begins when the eponymous hero, a Scottish soldier, encounters three witches, who mysteriously refer to him as the future king. As, step by step, their prophecy begins to be fulfilled, the seeds of ambition are planted not only in Macbeth but in his scheming wife, who soon is plotting the murder of Duncan, King of Scotland. This murder--and the string of killings that inevitably follow--sets in motion a series of dark deeds that torment Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with guilt, which manifests itself most pointedly when a sleepwalking Lady Macbeth attempts to wash the blood from her hands, famously uttering "Out, damn'd spot!" MACBETH was probably written between 1603 and 1606; it is the last of Shakespeare's major tragedies and is peculiarly concise, perhaps because Shakespeare had learned of King James's penchant for shorter works. The plot was inspired by the Chronicles of Holinshed's narrative of the reigns of Duncan and Macbeth in Scotland. Richard Burbage, one of the most prominent actors of the Elizabethan stage, is said to have originated the title role.
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Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
Written in 1604 when James I--a king particularly concerned with the religious aspects of his leadership--was fresh on the throne, MEASURE FOR MEASURE is a reflection of its time. In it, a sovereign's role in the legislation of morality is explored, as two extreme poles of government are navigated--the Duke's over-leniency as the play opens, and his deputy's rigid judgement that precipitates the tragicomedy. When the Duke realizes that his rule is too lax, he appoints his deputy Angelo to reinforce authority. However, forgiveness, a Christian virtue and therefore an implied virtue of the play's Christian government, is not a characteristic of Angelo, who, reviving an old morality law, condemns Claudio to death for impregnating Juliet. The dilemma of the drama is presented when Claudio's sister Isabella leaves the cloister of the convent to plead for Claudio's freedom. Scandalously, Angelo agrees to free Claudio if Isabella will sleep with him. An estranged wife, a bed trick, and a subplot concerning a pimp present further complications, but ultimately lighten the atmosphere to lead a tragic drama toward a comic resolution. Shakespeare drew on many sources that were themselves inspired by a real 16th-century event in which an Italian man who was condemned to death was promised freedom after his wife accepted a sexual proposition from the judge in exchange. The first records of performance point to December 26, 1604. The next documentation recalls a performance one hundred years later. Though records certainly get destroyed, such scant evidence indeed suggests poor public reception of the play. MEASURE FOR MEASURE was the last of Shakespeare's comedies, and intense tragic material surfaces in it that is fully developed in the plays to come, including OTHELLO, KING LEAR, and MACBETH.
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The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare ( 2007) |
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The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare ( 2004) |
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A Midsommer Nights Dreame A Facsimile from the First Folio by William Shakespeare ( 1996)
The 1600 First Quarto edition of A Midsummer Night's Dream is the only text of the play to have been printed in Shakespeare's lifetime and has served as the source for virtually all subsequent editions. It has many features suggesting that it was printed from Shakespeare's 'foul papers' - his manuscript draft - and that this draft had undergone revision before reaching the publishing house. The First Quarto text is a full and coherent version of the play, close to that with which modern readers and theatre-goers are familiar. Its differences from other early texts, particularly that on the 1623 First Folio, are relatively slight, but they raise important questions about the stability of dramatic texts as they are transmitted through time, and about the authority of their authors - even an author as 'iconic' as William Shakespeare.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
The play takes place at the summer solstice, Midsummer Eve, in Athens, where everyone is pining away for the wrong person--except Theseus, the Duke, and his fiancée, Hippolyta, whose wedding day is fast approaching. Hermia, the Duke's daughter, is intent on marrying Lysander, although her father disapproves and threatens to force her into a nunnery if she refuses to marry his choice, Demetrius. But Demetrius loves Helena, and Lysander and Hermia plan to elope despite the Duke's orders. Meanwhile, in a subplot, the "rude mechanicals" (or artisans) Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout, Starveling, and Bottom, are hilariously rehearsing the play PYRAMUS AND THISBE to be performed at the Duke's wedding. As Hermia and Lysander head into the Forest of Arden to elope, with Helena and Demetrius following, the amateur acting troupe likewise takes cover in the forest to rehearse in privacy. This leads all the players into the realm of magic, presided over by the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania. When Oberon decides to play a trick on Titania with the aid of the juice of a magic flower that causes people to fall in love with the first person (or beast) they set eyes on, the real trouble starts. The magic is used liberally on both the humans and the fairies by the trouble-making sprite Puck, inspiring many incongruous entanglements. Unlike the other plays, there is in this case no known source for Shakespeare's fantastic plot, though the structure is classical, beginning in the court, moving to an "uncivilized" environment, and then returning to the newly ordered world of the court. Aspects of the imagery are drawn from classic works, such as Apuleius's THE GOLDEN ASS and Ovid's METAMORPHOSES. From evidence in the play, like Titania's remark about three unusually unpleasant summers in a row--documented elsewhere in England's records--composition seems to date from 1595 or 1596, and scholarship suggests that it was first performed in honor of a court wedding, though precisely whose remains unsubstantiated.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream 1600 by William Shakespeare, Thomas L. Berger, Malone Society ( 1996)
The play takes place at the summer solstice, Midsummer Eve, in Athens, where everyone is pining away for the wrong person--except Theseus, the Duke, and his fiancée, Hippolyta, whose wedding day is fast approaching. Hermia, the Duke's daughter, is intent on marrying Lysander, although her father disapproves and threatens to force her into a nunnery if she refuses to marry his choice, Demetrius. But Demetrius loves Helena, and Lysander and Hermia plan to elope despite the Duke's orders. Meanwhile, in a subplot, the "rude mechanicals" (or artisans) Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout, Starveling, and Bottom, are hilariously rehearsing the play PYRAMUS AND THISBE to be performed at the Duke's wedding. As Hermia and Lysander head into the Forest of Arden to elope, with Helena and Demetrius following, the amateur acting troupe likewise takes cover in the forest to rehearse in privacy. This leads all the players into the realm of magic, presided over by the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania. When Oberon decides to play a trick on Titania with the aid of the juice of a magic flower that causes people to fall in love with the first person (or beast) they set eyes on, the real trouble starts. The magic is used liberally on both the humans and the fairies by the trouble-making sprite Puck, inspiring many incongruous entanglements. Unlike the other plays, there is in this case no known source for Shakespeare's fantastic plot, though the structure is classical, beginning in the court, moving to an "uncivilized" environment, and then returning to the newly ordered world of the court. Aspects of the imagery are drawn from classic works, such as Apuleius's THE GOLDEN ASS and Ovid's METAMORPHOSES. From evidence in the play, like Titania's remark about three unusually unpleasant summers in a row--documented elsewhere in England's records--composition seems to date from 1595 or 1596, and scholarship suggests that it was first performed in honor of a court wedding, though precisely whose remains unsubstantiated.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream With Connections With Connections by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
The play takes place at the summer solstice, Midsummer Eve, in Athens, where everyone is pining away for the wrong person--except Theseus, the Duke, and his fiancée, Hippolyta, whose wedding day is fast approaching. Hermia, the Duke's daughter, is intent on marrying Lysander, although her father disapproves and threatens to force her into a nunnery if she refuses to marry his choice, Demetrius. But Demetrius loves Helena, and Lysander and Hermia plan to elope despite the Duke's orders. Meanwhile, in a subplot, the "rude mechanicals" (or artisans) Quince, Snug, Flute, Snout, Starveling, and Bottom, are hilariously rehearsing the play PYRAMUS AND THISBE to be performed at the Duke's wedding. As Hermia and Lysander head into the Forest of Arden to elope, with Helena and Demetrius following, the amateur acting troupe likewise takes cover in the forest to rehearse in privacy. This leads all the players into the realm of magic, presided over by the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania. When Oberon decides to play a trick on Titania with the aid of the juice of a magic flower that causes people to fall in love with the first person (or beast) they set eyes on, the real trouble starts. The magic is used liberally on both the humans and the fairies by the trouble-making sprite Puck, inspiring many incongruous entanglements. Unlike the other plays, there is in this case no known source for Shakespeare's fantastic plot, though the structure is classical, beginning in the court, moving to an "uncivilized" environment, and then returning to the newly ordered world of the court. Aspects of the imagery are drawn from classic works, such as Apuleius's THE GOLDEN ASS and Ovid's METAMORPHOSES. From evidence in the play, like Titania's remark about three unusually unpleasant summers in a row--documented elsewhere in England's records--composition seems to date from 1595 or 1596, and scholarship suggests that it was first performed in honor of a court wedding, though precisely whose remains unsubstantiated.
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The Most Excellent Historie of the Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Annabel M. Patterson ( 1995) |
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Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare ( 2008) |
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Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Jan Dean ( 2001)
Depicts the humorous mishaps which follow when young Claudio is duped into believing his fiancee has been unfaithful, in a version of the classic drama rewritten as fiction for young readers.
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The Narrative Poems by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
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Othello by William Shakespeare ( 1996)
Unique features include an extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater by the general editor of Signet Classic Shakespeare series, plus a special introduction to the play by the editor Sylvan Barnet, Tufts University. This book contains information on the source from which Shakespeare derived "Othello"--selections from Giraldi Cinthio's "Hecatommithi". Special introduction by Alvin Kernan, Princeton University.
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Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare ( 1985)
This newly revised Signet classic includes an extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, a unique introduction to the play, a comprehensive stage history of notable actors, and historical and contemporary dramatic criticism.
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An Oxford Anthology of Shakespeare by William Shakespeare, Stanley Wells ( 1989)
Gathers selected passages from Shakespeare's plays and poems, and groups them around such themes as love, friendship, hatred, wisdom, responsibility, magic, and death.
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre by William Shakespeare, Paul Werstine, Barbara A. Mowat ( 2005)
The critically acclaimed series from the leading center for Shakespearean studies presents freshly edited texts of each play based on the earliest printed versions, along with detailed explanatory notes on facing pages, scene-by-scene plot summaries, a key to famous lines and phrases, an introduction to the language of Shakespeare's time, and essays by outstanding scholars that furnish a modern perspective on the plays.
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre by William Shakespeare ( 1993) |
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre Prince of Tyre by William Shakespeare ( 2001) |
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Poems by William Shakespeare, David M. Bevington ( 1988)
This volume in the exciting new edition of the complete works of Shakespeare features: vivid, readable introduction for each poem by noted scholar David Bevington, modern spelling and punctuation, comprehensive text notes, an-up-to-date, annotated bibliography, and an index to the first lines of the sonnets.
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Richard II by William Shakespeare, Roma Gill ( 2003)
RICHARD II (1595) is the first in the series of history plays that also includes both parts of HENRY IV, as well as HENRY V, which tells the dramatic and bloody story of the fall of the Plantagenets and the rise of the house of Lancaster. The action of the play takes place in 1398, when Richard is in full possession of the kingship to which he acceded when he was very young. But he is not a wise or prudent ruler. He is more interested in Italian fashions and waging frivolous wars than he is in governing, and his judgment of people is chronically weak--many of his servile courtiers are disloyal and corrupt. His profligate spending is beginning to rile his friends and enemies both, and the situation comes to a head when he seizes the lands of his uncle John of Gaunt, the father of Henry Bolingbroke, the cousin Richard has sent into exile--lands that would come to Bolingbroke as his father's heir. Enraged, Bolingbroke invades, and the common men of England who resent Richard's high-handedness rally behind him. As Richard's courtiers follow suit, Richard finds himself virtually alone, the country wrested out of his hands and the throne usurped. He is imprisoned in the far north of England, his terrified wife flees to France, and Bolingbroke is crowned Henry IV in London. Soon after this humiliation, Richard is murdered--probably by an assassin sent by Henry, who then goes off to begin his reign by traveling to Jerusalem to repent--a situation that bodes ill for the English royal family. RICHARD II is a touching and memorable play mainly because of the questions it raises about kingship and governance, and for the poetry of its language--in particular, that of its self-absorbed hero, including his famous set-piece soliloquy about "this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England." In Tudor times, the killing of a sovereign was a sacrilegious act because kings and queens were considered God's anointed--and the dramatic rendition of regicide and usurpation was fairly radical on Shakespeare's part, and probably reflected the growing sentiment in England that the rulers of the people should be chosen by them, not conferred by hereditary title--though some critics claim that he intended the opposite, i.e. to demonstrate the chaos that could ensue when the divine right of kings was challenged. Whatever the case, RICHARD II was an immensely popular play in its day, though it is less so now because of its relative lack of drama and action.
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Romeo & Juliet Shakespeare Made Easy by William Shakespeare ( 1984)
Set during five of the most intensely dramatic days ever portrayed, ROMEO AND JULIET was probably written in 1594 or 1595, and first published in a 1597 edition, as transcribed by actors who had performed it. Other editions appeared later, but even the more authoritative versions, such as that of 1599--probably drawn from Shakespeare's own manuscript copies--lack the detailed stage directions present in the actors' transcription; thus, modern editions incorporate several sources. ROMEO AND JULIET is among the most often performed of Shakespeare's works, and it has been among the most beloved since its earliest days. The story of ROMEO AND JULIET was derived by Shakespeare from many sources, including a 1562 poem "The Tragicall History of Romeus and Iuliet" by Arthur Brooke, which itself was an adaptation of a French piece by Pierre Boaistuau, which Boaistuau had adapted from an Italian source. Shakespeare accelerated the pace of the story by compressing the events into five days --a period in which much transpires at daybreak, including the famous balcony scene in which Romeo declares, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?/It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Romeo is forced to woo Juliet in secret because of the impassioned rivalry between his family, the Montagues, and Juliet's, the Capulets. Despite the intensity of their family's mutual disdain, the young lovers strive to marry. However, fate intervenes to keep them apart, and, when the Montagues and Capulets discover the folly of their ways, it's too late. Shakespeare's tragedy of young love has been adapted in every conceivable medium, including a "Little Rascals" short, the Broadway musical "West Side Story," and a 1968 Franco Zefferelli film.
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Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
Set during five of the most intensely dramatic days ever portrayed, ROMEO AND JULIET was probably written in 1594 or 1595, and first published in a 1597 edition, as transcribed by actors who had performed it. Other editions appeared later, but even the more authoritative versions, such as that of 1599--probably drawn from Shakespeare's own manuscript copies--lack the detailed stage directions present in the actors' transcription; thus, modern editions incorporate several sources. ROMEO AND JULIET is among the most oft performed of Shakespeare's works, and it has been among the most beloved since its earliest days on the stage. Though the title page of the 1597 edition declares that ROMEO AND JULIET had been performed and enjoyed many times prior to its publication, the first extant direct record of the events of a production refer to a 1662 staging, in which the play was probably adapted or altered--adaption was particularly popular in the 17th century. One London stage ran different conclusions on alternative nights; audiences who went home glum on Friday could be uplifted by the play's ending if they returned on Saturday night. The story of ROMEO AND JULIET was derived by Shakespeare from many sources. The version most contemporary to his own was the 1562 poem "The Tragicall History of Romeus and Iuliet" by Arthur Brooke, which itself was an adaptation of a French piece by Pierre Boaistuau, which Boaistuau had adapted from the Italian. Indeed, aspects of the tragic story have recurred throughout Western literature since at least the third century. Shakespeare greatly intensified the pace by compressing a piece which had unfolded over the course of several months into the space of five days--a period in which much transpires at daybreak, including the famous balcony scene where Romeo declares, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?/It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Romeo is forced to approach Juliet in secret because of the impassioned rivalry between his family, the Montagues--and Juliet's, the Capulets. Despite the intensity of their family's mutual disdain, the young lovers strive to marry. However, fate intervenes to keep them apart, and, when the Montagues and Capulets discover the folly of their ways, it's too late for Romeo and Juliet.
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Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Billy Aronson ( 1996)
A prose retelling of Shakespeare's drama in which young lovers attempt to defy fate.
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Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare ( 2005)
Set during five of the most intensely dramatic days ever portrayed, ROMEO AND JULIET was probably written in 1594 or 1595, and first published in a 1597 edition, as transcribed by actors who had performed it. Other editions appeared later, but even the more authoritative versions, such as that of 1599--probably drawn from Shakespeare's own manuscript copies--lack the detailed stage directions present in the actors' transcription; thus, modern editions incorporate several sources. ROMEO AND JULIET is among the most often performed of Shakespeare's works, and it has been among the most beloved since its earliest days. The story of ROMEO AND JULIET was derived by Shakespeare from many sources, including a 1562 poem "The Tragicall History of Romeus and Iuliet" by Arthur Brooke, which itself was an adaptation of a French piece by Pierre Boaistuau, which Boaistuau had adapted from an Italian source. Shakespeare accelerated the pace of the story by compressing the events into five days --a period in which much transpires at daybreak, including the famous balcony scene in which Romeo declares, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?/It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Romeo is forced to woo Juliet in secret because of the impassioned rivalry between his family, the Montagues, and Juliet's, the Capulets. Despite the intensity of their family's mutual disdain, the young lovers strive to marry. However, fate intervenes to keep them apart, and, when the Montagues and Capulets discover the folly of their ways, it's too late. Shakespeare's tragedy of young love has been adapted in every conceivable medium, including a "Little Rascals" short, the Broadway musical "West Side Story," and a 1968 Franco Zefferelli film.
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Romeo and Juliet 1597 by William Shakespeare, Thomas L. Berger, G.R. Proudfoot, Barry Gaines, Jill L Levenson ( 2001)
A photographic facsimile of the first quarto of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, printed 1597, taken from the copy in the Huntington Library, California.
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The Second Part of Henry Iv, 1600 by William Shakespeare ( 1991) |
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Second Part of King Henry VI by William Shakespeare, A. S. Cairncross ( 1999) |
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The Second Part of King Henry the Sixth by William Shakespeare ( 1990)
Complete commentaries supplement the text of the drama about the outbreak of civil war during the reign of Henry VI.
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Shakespeare A Book of Quotations by William Shakespeare ( 1998) |
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Shakespeare in Performance Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Thomas Monsell ( 1990) |
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Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare ( 2008) |
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Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Shakespeare ( 1998)
'The annotation is consistently thoughtful and well judged, giving plenty of precise help with lexical and syntactical problems, and offering valuable verbal and cultural analogues from contemporary literature' 'No edition of these difficult and controversial poems will command agreement at all points, but this must now be the edition of first resort' Paul Hammond, Review of English Studies 'sharpens our focus on the documentary record of the Sonnets, and gives the best scholarly account yet of some of its words.' Alastair Fowler, Times Literary Supplement "The new edition...edited by Katherine Duncan-Jones, is the clearest, most complete and up-to-date there is. She is the first editor for general readers not to mumble when dealing with the homoerotic aspect. Under her meticulous direction, the sequence opens out like a magical garden, its beauties enhanced, its mysterious prospects illuminated."
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Sonnets by William Shakespeare, Stephen Orgel ( 2001) |
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The Sonnets and a Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare ( 1987) |
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Speak the Speech The Shakespeare Quotation Book by William Shakespeare ( 1994)
Offers thousands of quotations from Shakespeare's works, arranged by subject, and includes a glossary of antiquated and idiomatic terms.
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The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare ( 2000) |
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The Tempest by William Shakespeare ( 2008)
Generally agreed to be Shakespeare's last play, THE TEMPEST was most likely written in 1610. Twelve years before the action begins, Prospero--Duke of Milan--and his daughter, Miranda, were stranded by Prospero's brother, Antonio, on a remote and idyllic island where Miranda has grown up happily among the beasts and flowers, never seeing any man but her father. Many years later, Prospero uses his powers and the help of Ariel, the sprite, to effect a shipwreck--hence the play's title--that brings Antonio to the island, along with the king of Naples and his son, Ferdinand, who promptly falls in love with Miranda. Their love story, juxtaposed with Prospero's revenge on his brother and his final act of mercy, form the basis of a simple plot. A combination of tragedy and romantic comedy, the play includes a happy ending that, finally, leans toward the latter. Unlike Shakespeare's other plays, THE TEMPEST is full of magic and exoticism and what we now think of as special effects, using evocative music and extravagant imagery to create a mood of enchantment that, nonetheless, confronts serious questions about reality and illusion. Some interpretations of the play see Prospero--who, in his dazzling last speech, renounces his magic powers--as the aging Shakespeare bidding farewell to the theater. THE TEMPEST is also interesting because its events take place in a 24-hour period. And it is, of course, the source of a famous phrase: when the sheltered Miranda first lays eyes on Ferdinand, she exclaims, "Oh brave new world, that has such people in it!"
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The Tempest by William Shakespeare ( 1999)
Generally agreed to be Shakespeare's last play, THE TEMPEST was most likely written in 1610. Twelve years before the action begins, Prospero--Duke of Milan--and his daughter, Miranda, were stranded by Prospero's brother, Antonio, on a remote and idyllic island where Miranda has grown up happily among the beasts and flowers, never seeing any man but her father. Many years later, Prospero uses his powers and the help of Ariel, the sprite, to effect a shipwreck--hence the play's title--that brings Antonio to the island, along with the king of Naples and his son, Ferdinand, who promptly falls in love with Miranda. Their love story, juxtaposed with Prospero's revenge on his brother and his final act of mercy, form the basis of a simple plot. A combination of tragedy and romantic comedy, the play includes a happy ending that, finally, leans toward the latter. Unlike Shakespeare's other plays, THE TEMPEST is full of magic and exoticism and what we now think of as special effects, using evocative music and extravagant imagery to create a mood of enchantment that, nonetheless, confronts serious questions about reality and illusion. Some interpretations of the play see Prospero--who, in his dazzling last speech, renounces his magic powers--as the aging Shakespeare bidding farewell to the theater. THE TEMPEST is also interesting because its events take place in a 24-hour period. And it is, of course, the source of a famous phrase: when the sheltered Miranda first lays eyes on Ferdinand, she exclaims, "Oh brave new world, that has such people in it!"
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The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Chris Powling ( 2001)
After a terrible storm, a ship lies wrecked on Prospero's island, but the storm was no coincidence because Propsero the magician has revenge on his mind.
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Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare ( 2001) |
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Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
The spirit of revenge that permeates TITUS ANDRONICUS, Shakespeare's first tragedy, is ignited when Lucius, the son of the celebrated general, Titus, calls for a human sacrifice after waging a successful campaign against the Goths. The son of Tamora, the captive Queen of the Goths, is chosen for the role. As a patriot and high ranking general, it falls to Titus to name the successor of the throne. When Titus names Saturninus, the eldest of the Emperors two rival sons, Saturninus pledges to marry Titus's daughter, Lavinia. However, it had previously been arranged that Bassianus, the Emperor's younger son was to marry her, and when Titus's own sons defend this union, Titus kills one in the scuffle that follows. Although Titus was defending the authority of Saturninus, Saturninus fears Titus's popularity, and uses the chaotic environment to undermine Titus by marrying Tamora, who swears to avenge Titus for the sacrifice of her son. Bassianus thus marries Lavinia after all, but the honeymoon is short-lived, for Tamara's sons kill Bassianus and rape and mutilate Lavinia, severing both hands and her tongue. Lavinia is presented to Titus just as he is overcome with the grief of the impending execution of two of his sons. A messenger of Tamora promises that they will be spared in exchange for Titus's own hand. However, after sacrificing his hand, it is returned to him on a platter beside the heads of his sons. Titus, dressed as a chef, executes a particularly gruesome revenge for this, which he serves to Tamora with relish. In depicting revenge with gusto, Shakespeare was participating in the growing popularity of the Elizabethan revenge play, of which Hamlet is a graceful example. TITUS ANDRONICUS was first published in 1594, but its composition may have been as early as 1588. Frequent publication suggests popularity in Shakespeare's day.
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To Be or Not to Be Shakespear's Soliloquies by William Shakespeare ( 2003) |
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The Tragedie Of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Neil Freeman ( 1997)
Everything old is new again. Rarely has there been as much excitement surrounding Shakespeare as the attention focused last year on the official opening of the London Globe Theatre by Queen Elizabeth II. If there has ever been a groundbreaking edition that likewise returns the reader to the original Shakespeare text, it will be in the Applause Folio Texts. If there has ever been an accessible version of the Folio, it is this edition, set for the first time in modern fonts. The Folio is the source of all other editions. The Folio text forces us to reexamine the assumptions and prejudices which have encumbered over four hundred years of scholarship and performance. Notes refer the reader to subsequent editorial interventions, and offer the reader a multiplicity of interpretations. Notes advise the reader on variations between Folios and Quartos. The heavy mascara of four centuries of Shakespeare glossing is stripped away, revealing the original countenance of Shakespeare's work. Never has there been a Folio available in modern reading fonts. While other complete Folio editions continue to trade simply on the facsimile appearance of the Elizabethan "look", none of them is easily and practically utilized in general Shakespeare studies or performances. The Folios begin to make Shakespeare our contemporary.
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The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
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The Tragedie of Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Neil Freeman ( 1998)
Everything old is new again. Rarely has there been as much excitement surrounding Shakespeare as the attention focused last year on the official opening of the London Globe Theatre by Queen Elizabeth II. If there has ever been a groundbreaking edition that likewise returns the reader to the original Shakespeare text, it will be in the Applause Folio Texts. If there has ever been an accessible version of the Folio, it is this edition, set for the first time in modern fonts. The Folio is the source of all other editions. The Folio text forces us to reexamine the assumptions and prejudices which have encumbered over four hundred years of scholarship and performance. Notes refer the reader to subsequent editorial interventions, and offer the reader a multiplicity of interpretations. Notes advise the reader on variations between Folios and Quartos. The heavy mascara of four centuries of Shakespeare glossing is stripped away, revealing the original countenance of Shakespeare's work. Never has there been a Folio available in modern reading fonts. While other complete Folio editions continue to trade simply on the facsimile appearance of the Elizabethan "look", none of them is easily and practically utilized in general Shakespeare studies or performances. The Folios begin to make Shakespeare our contemporary.
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The Tragedy of Coriolanus by William Shakespeare ( 1994) |
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The Tragedy of Hamlet With Connections by William Shakespeare ( 2001)
Shakespeare's classic tragedy of love, madness, and revenge, first enacted in London in 1602. Young Prince Hamlet, in mourning for his dead father, receives an apparition of his father's ghost telling him that he was murdered by his own brother Claudius, who then assumed the throne and married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude. Intent on revenge, Hamlet feigns madness and plots how he might kill Claudius. When Polonius, Claudius's counselor, hides behind a curtain in Gertrude's bedroom to eavesdrop on Hamlet, Hamlet mistakes him for Claudius and stabs him to death. Claudius then sends Hamlet into exile, intending him to be killed abroad, but Hamlet outwits his assassins and makes his way back to Denmark. Polonius's daughter Ophelia, who had been in love with Hamlet, goes mad from grief over her father's death and Hamlet's exile, and she drowns herself. After Hamlet returns, he is challenged to a duel by Laertes, Ophelia's brother. Claudius secretly poisons the tips of the swords, and both Laertes and Hamlet die from their wounds, but not before Hamlet kills Claudius before the assembled court.
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The Tragedy of Julius Caesar With Connections by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
Though the Plebeians support Julius Caesar and celebrate his return from Rome as the play opens, Caesar is famously warned to "Beware the ides of March," by the Soothsayer. Meanwhile, Caesar's popularity is such that the other Roman aristocrats, who rule as a body along with Caesar, fear that his popularity will cause the Plebeians to name him their King, breaking with Roman tradition. Reminding Brutus of a historic revolt led by his own ancestors, Cassius stirs Brutus's sense of purpose. When Brutus and Cassius are alone with one of Caesar's men, they learn that the Plebeians have indeed thrice offered Caesar the throne, which he repeatedly demurred. Cassius muses to himself that Brutus is easily manipulated, and plans to present him with spurious letters from angry citizens purportedly expressing disapproval of Caesar's rise. Egged on by conspirators and troubled by a sleepless night, Brutus resolves to lead the conspiracy in assassinating Caesar. Despite mounting bad omens and an additional warning from the Soothsayer, Caesar attends the Senate session, meeting his death with particular awe when he realizes that his good friend, Brutus, is behind the deed. Antony incites a riot when he exalts the leadership of the late Caesar in an address to the Plebeians. With chaos dividing the government, the ghost of Julius Caesar appears to Brutus with a haunting promise that the two will meet again. Based on an entry recorded in a contemporary diary, it is assumed that JULIUS CAESAR was written in 1599. It was immensely popular in its own day, and endures as one of Shakespeare's most frequently staged productions.
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The Tragedy of King Richard III by William Shakespeare ( 2007)
In THE TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD III, Shakespeare brilliantly dramatizes the terrible rise of Richard of Gloucester to the throne of England, and the subsequent downfall of his bloody reign. Unrepentant, deformed in body and spirit, willfully evil, and blessed with a serpent's tongue, the hunchbacked King Richard III sits aside Milton's Satan as one of the greatest villains of English literature. The play opens with Richard's brother Edward IV as King and England at peace, but Richard, "determined to prove a villain," sets about a series of heinous acts to pave his way to the throne: he has his older brother imprisoned and murdered, beheads nobles opposed to him on false charges, locks away his young nephews in the tower where they are later killed, and even does away with his wife to make way for a more politically advantageous marriage to his own niece. Finally, feared and despised in all quarters, and with his closest ally, Lord Buckingham, turned against him, Richard III loses his crown and his life in the battlefield, leading to the rise Henry VII, and the end of the War of the Roses between the York and Lancaster families.
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The Tragedy of King Richard the Third by William Shakespeare ( 1996)
In this final play of the tetralogy describing the War of the Roses and the restoration (despite Richard III's efforts) of the Tudor Dynasty, is there nothing Richard will not do to save his crown? Bloodthirsty, spiteful, ambitious, and deformed, but gifted with wit, charm, and acumen, Richard III is Shakespeare's first major character and his second most substantial, after Hamlet, in terms of sheer lines. Shakespeare drew on several portraits of Richard by Tudor historians, none of which was sympathetic to him. In portraying a charismatic villain-hero, Shakespeare was borrowing the technique Marlowe mastered in TAMBURLAINE, which was immensely popular in its day. RICHARD III was probably written in 1591, and published in 1597, appearing later in the more reliable First Folio, 1623.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth With Connections by William Shakespeare ( 1997)
Shakespeare's dark portrait of ambition begins when three prophesying witches conspire to meet with Macbeth. Obliging his fate, he indeed encounters these "Weird Sisters," who mysteriously refer to him by the title Thane of Cawdor, and moreover, as the future king. Macbeth's companion Banquo is told that his descendants will inherit the throne. Macbeth and Banquo are dumbstruck when two noblemen of Scotland arrive announcing Macbeth's new title; with confirmation of the prophesy, the seeds of ambition are planted. When Lady Macbeth learns about the prophesy of her husband's rule in a letter from him, she begins plotting the murder of Duncan, King of Scotland. The murder of the King sets in motion a series of dark deeds that torment Macbeth and Lady Macbeth with guilt, especially when the ghost of Banquo, who is among the couple's slain, appears at a banquet. The guilt manifests pointedly when Lady Macbeth, in a somnolent state, attempts to wash the blood from her hands, famously uttering "Out, damn'd spot! out I say!" MACBETH was Probably written between 1603 and 1606, the last of his major tragedies. A concise drama, MACBETH may be brief as the result of Shakespeare's having learned of King James's penchant for shorter works. The plot was inspired by the Chronicles of Holinshed's narrative of the reigns of Duncan and Macbeth. Richard Burbage, one of the most prominent actors of the Elizabethan stage, is said to have originated the title role. The earliest extant evidence of performance refers to a staging in 1611, but indirect evidence, such as the work's influence on other plays of the period, suggests an earlier debut.
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Tragedy of Othello by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
This newly revised Signet classic includes an extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, a unique introduction to the play, a comprehensive stage history of notable actors, and historical and contemporary dramatic criticism.
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The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare ( 2005)
This newly revised Signet classic includes an extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, a unique introduction to the play, a comprehensive stage history of notable actors, and historical and contemporary dramatic criticism.
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The Tragedy of Richard the Second by William Shakespeare ( 2000) |
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The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare ( 1997) |
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The Tragedy of Romeo & Juliet With Connections by William Shakespeare ( 1997)
Set during five of the most intensely dramatic days ever portrayed, ROMEO AND JULIET was probably written in 1594 or 1595, and first published in a 1597 edition, as transcribed by actors who had performed it. Other editions appeared later, but even the more authoritative versions, such as that of 1599--probably drawn from Shakespeare's own manuscript copies--lack the detailed stage directions present in the actors' transcription; thus, modern editions incorporate several sources. ROMEO AND JULIET is among the most oft performed of Shakespeare's works, and it has been among the most beloved since its earliest days on the stage. Though the title page of the 1597 edition declares that ROMEO AND JULIET had been performed and enjoyed many times prior to its publication, the first extant direct record of the events of a production refer to a 1662 staging, in which the play was probably adapted or altered--adaption was particularly popular in the 17th century. One London stage ran different conclusions on alternative nights; audiences who went home glum on Friday could be uplifted by the play's ending if they returned on Saturday night. The story of ROMEO AND JULIET was derived by Shakespeare from many sources. The version most contemporary to his own was the 1562 poem "The Tragicall History of Romeus and Iuliet" by Arthur Brooke, which itself was an adaptation of a French piece by Pierre Boaistuau, which Boaistuau had adapted from the Italian. Indeed, aspects of the tragic story have recurred throughout Western literature since at least the third century. Shakespeare greatly intensified the pace by compressing a piece which had unfolded over the course of several months into the space of five days--a period in which much transpires at daybreak, including the famous balcony scene where Romeo declares, "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?/It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." Romeo is forced to approach Juliet in secret because of the impassioned rivalry between his family, the Montagues--and Juliet's, the Capulets. Despite the intensity of their family's mutual disdain, the young lovers strive to marry. However, fate intervenes to keep them apart, and, when the Montagues and Capulets discover the folly of their ways, it's too late for Romeo and Juliet.
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The Tragical History of Hamlet Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare ( 2001) |
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Troilus And Cressida by William Shakespeare, Kenneth Muir ( 1982) |
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Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare, Jonathan V. Crewe ( 2000) |
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Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Jan Dean ( 2002)
A prose retelling of William Shakespeare's comedy about love at first sight, disguises, twins, and practical jokes.
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Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare ( 2008)
Separated twins, practical jokers, pining lovers, and a comic villain populate the city of Illyria, where the drama of TWELFTH NIGHT unfolds. When the fraternal twins Viola and Sebastian independently wash ashore in the city from a shipwreck , unbeknownst to one another, each assumes the other is dead. With Viola disguised as a man, the Duke Orsino, the gentlewoman Olivia, and the kind Antonio intermittently confuse the identity of the twins. Meanwhile, the victim of a practical joke, the priggish Malvolio acts so peculiarly that he is confined to a mental institution. Much confusion needs ironing out before the weddings in the last scene. TWELFTH NIGHT is based on a late 16th-century play by Barnable Rich, which itself drew inspiration from many French and Italian sources. The earliest recorded performance was in 1602, and it was probably penned between 1599 and 1601. Early in 1601 an Italian visitor named Orsino visited the court of Queen Elizabeth, perhaps inspiring Shakespeare's use of his name for the Duke here.
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Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare ( 1998)
Separated twins, practical jokers, pining lovers, and a comic villain populate the city of Illyria, where the drama of TWELFTH NIGHT unfolds. When the fraternal twins Viola and Sebastian independently wash ashore in the city from a shipwreck , unbeknownst to one another, each assumes the other is dead. With Viola disguised as a man, the Duke Orsino, the gentlewoman Olivia, and the kind Antonio intermittently confuse the identity of the twins. Meanwhile, the victim of a practical joke, the priggish Malvolio acts so peculiarly that he is confined to a mental institution. Much confusion needs ironing out before the weddings in the last scene. TWELFTH NIGHT is based on a late 16th-century play by Barnable Rich, which itself drew inspiration from many French and Italian sources. The earliest recorded performance was in 1602, and it was probably penned between 1599 and 1601. Early in 1601 an Italian visitor named Orsino visited the court of Queen Elizabeth, perhaps inspiring Shakespeare's use of his name for the Duke here.
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Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
Separated twins, practical jokers, pining lovers, and a comic villain populate the city of Illyria, where the drama of TWELFTH NIGHT unfolds. When the fraternal twins Viola and Sebastian independently wash ashore in the city from a shipwreck , unbeknownst to one another, each assumes the other is dead. With Viola disguised as a man, the Duke Orsino, the gentlewoman Olivia, and the kind Antonio intermittently confuse the identity of the twins. Meanwhile, the victim of a practical joke, the priggish Malvolio acts so peculiarly that he is confined to a mental institution. Much confusion needs ironing out before the weddings in the last scene. TWELFTH NIGHT is based on a late 16th-century play by Barnable Rich, which itself drew inspiration from many French and Italian sources. The earliest recorded performance was in 1602, and it was probably penned between 1599 and 1601. Early in 1601 an Italian visitor named Orsino visited the court of Queen Elizabeth, perhaps inspiring Shakespeare's use of his name for the Duke here.
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Twelveth Night by William Shakespeare ( 1981)
Unique features include an extensive overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater by the general editor of Signet Classic Shakespeare series, plus a special introduction to the play by the editor Sylvan Barnet, Tufts University. It also contains dramatic criticism from the past and present, and a special introduction to the play by the editor, Herschel Baker, Harvard University.
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The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare ( 2000)
The eponymous "two gentlemen" in question--Valentine and Proteus--are in love with, respectively, Silvia and Julia. Despite the promise of constancy made to Julia by Proteus, while he is away assisting his friend Valentine he also falls for Silvia. Thwarting their elopement plans, Proteus attempts to manipulate the circumstances to win the girl, losing the friendship of Valentine in the process. True to the conventions of comedy, though, all is set right between the friends and the lovers before the curtain falls. One of Shakespeare's first forays into comedy, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA is not among his most accomplished works, although his later skill in drawing comic portraits is foreshadowed here. Shakespeare found precedent in the friendship between Valentine and Proteus in Boccaccio's DECAMERON, in the popular verse circulating in England at the time. TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA has been held up as Shakespeare's first composition, but there is no proof, other than the immaturity of his voice, to confirm this assertion. In any case, it was certainly written prior to 1598, when it was mentioned in a list of works.
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The Two Noble Kinsmen Easyread Large Edition by William Shakespeare, John Fletcher ( 2002) |
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The Two Noble Kinsmen by John Fletcher, William Shakespeare ( 2007) |
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William Shakespeare Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Richard Wilson ( 1993) |
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William Shakespeare - Four English History Plays Four English History Plays by William Shakespeare ( 2001)
This boxed set of compact discs includes four history plays: "Richard II, Henry IV Part I, Henry IV, Part II" and "Henry V". Covering a formative quarter century of English history, these plays are as rich and encompassing as life itself and contain some of Shakespeare's greatest roles, among them Falstaff and Prince Hal. From the tragic deaths of kings to the uproarious antics of drunken ne'er-do-wells, these works place the subtlest political insights with some of the funniest moments on the English stage. Unabridged.
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William Shakespeare's Cymbeline by William Shakespeare ( 2001) |
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William Shakespeare's Othello by William Shakespeare, Michael A. Modugno ( 1996) |
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William Shakespeare's a Midsummer Night's Dream Love Makes Fools of Us All by William Shakespeare, Michael Hoffman ( 1999)
A lavish, full-color tie-in to the upcoming 1999 movie release of Shakespeare's lyrical comedy, set in beautiful Tuscany and starring Michelle Pfeiffer. This gorgeous, oversized paperback includes not only the full shooting script--but also daily diaries from the stars and others. 50 full-color photos.
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The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare ( 1999) |
