Books by William Shakespeare

Book SynopsisIts lyricism, comedy (both broad and subtle) and magical transformations have long made A Midsummer Night’s Dream one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s works. The supernatural and the mundane, the illusory and the substantial, are all shimmeringly blended. Love is treated as tragic, poignant, absurd and farcical. ‘Lord, what fools these mortals be!’, jeers Robin Goodfellow; but the joke may be on him and on his master Oberon when Bottom the weaver, his head transformed into that of an ass, is embraced by the voluptuously amorous Titania. Recent stage-productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream have emphasised the enchanting, spectacular, ambiguous and erotically joyous aspects of this magical drama which culminates in a multiple celebration of marriage.

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Book SynopsisThis The Tempest Complete Play contains the full text of all five acts, with helpful annotations explaining all the tricky bits in plain English. It includes scene overviews and a context section, so that students can keep track of the plot, characters and historical details. Plus, there is lots of practice, with questions and activities at the end of every scene. We've also added Knowledge Organiser pages, which lay all the essentials out in one handy place, and online audio extracts, which let students hear key scenes performed, just as Shakespeare intended.

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Book SynopsisThis is the full play in quick modern English for a fast-paced read! Although "The Tempest" was the first play to appear in the first official Folio printing of Shakespeare's plays, it was almost certainly the last play he wrote. It held a pride of place in that first collection, presumably because the editors thought it to be his masterpiece; a crowning glory to the career of the most brightest of playwrights. Needless to say, we had to select the very best artists to do it justice, and to bring you the stunning artwork that you've come to expect from our titles. Poignant to the last, this book is a classic amongst classics.

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Book SynopsisHamlet is one of the most popular tragedies written by Shakespeare. It tells the sad story of Hamlet; the Prince of Denmark returns home after gearing of his father’s death it is then that he discovers the evil plot of his Uncle Claudius. The play is focused around how Hamlet learns the truth about his father’s death and seeks revenge – only for this to be his own downfall.Also available as part of a 20 book set, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The Tragedy of Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Timon of Athens, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Merchant of Venice, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Cymbeline, The Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, Anthony and Cleopatra and All’s Well That Ends Well. About Sweet Cherry Easy Classics:Sweet Cherry Easy Classics adapts classic literature into stories for children, introducing these timeless tales to a new generation.Trade Review“Fascinating, pleasantly illustrated, simple and easy-to-read, these Shakespeare stories for children will make your kids love the magical world of literature.” - simplymarinailieva

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Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare is perhaps the world's greatest literary figure, famed for his insights into the human condition. Records show that he married Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 and had three children with her. At some point he went to London and joined the theatrical profession, as an actor, playwright, poet and, latterly, theatre manager and impresario. He died in April 1616, aged 52. The body of work left by Shakespeare included 37 plays, four poems and a collection of sonnets.

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Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare's tragic play about a young couple from two warring families is perhaps the greatest love story ever told. Manga Classics retells the tale with bold illustrations, making it easy to follow yet still introducing some of Shakespeare's timeless poetry.Follow the ups and downs of the young lovers as they meet, fall in love, then have to deal with the consequence of their parents' enmity.Each volume in the Manga Classics series provides a fast-paced and fun introduction to a great work of literature in a manner that is clear, accessible and entertaining.Many of these works are on reading lists ranging from KS2 up to GCSE.

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Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare was born in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon and died in 1616. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Stanley Wells is Emeritus Professor of the University of Birmingham and Honorary President of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.Margaret Jane Kidnie is Professor of English at the University of Western Ontario.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.''The quality of mercy is not strain''d,It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven'Bassiano, a noble Venetian, hopes to woo the beautiful heiress Portia. However, he requires financial assistance from his friend Antonio. Antonio agrees, but he, in turn, must borrow from the Jewish moneylender Shylock. As recourse for past ills, Shylock stipulates that the forfeit on the loan must be a pound of Antonio's flesh. In the most renowned onstage law scene of all time, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare's most cunning heroines, disguising herself as a lawyer and vanquishing Shylock's claims; meanwhile, Shylock triumphs on a humanitarian level with his plea for tolerance: Hath not a Jew eyes?'Viewed paradoxically as anti-Semitic, while at the same time powerfully liberal for its time, The Merchant of Venice is at its core a bittersweet drama, exploring the noble themes of prejudice, justice and honour

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Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Kat Delacorte, author of With Fire in Their BloodIt will have blood, they say: blood will have blood'On a bleak, stormy night in Scotland, three witches prophesy: Macbeth will be a lord twice-over and Macbeth will be king; but Banquo's sons will also be kings. When the witches' predictions start to come true, the ambitious Lady Macbeth vows to help her husband become King of Scotland and hold on to the throne by any means necessary. But as the pursuit of power leads them down a dark and bloody path, the Macbeths soon begin to unravel.Macbeth is Shakespeare's famously blood-soaked tale of greed and prophecy so powerful that superstitions about the curse of The Scottish Play' continue to this day.Discover STAGED, a limited collection of Shakespeare's unabridged plays that celebrates the genius of the Bard and the tropes that continue to delight YA readers to this day.Explore the rest of the STAGED collection:As You Like It With a foreword by Talia HibbertHamlet With a foreword by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéA Midsummer Night's Dream With a foreword by Becky AlbertalliMuch Ado About Nothing With a foreword by Holly BourneRomeo and Juliet With a foreword by Jennifer Niven

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest of Shakespeare''s tragedies, Othello tells the story of a Moorish general who earns the enmity of his ensign Iago when he passes him over for a promotion. Bleak and unsparing, this play offers a masterly portrait of an archvillain and an astute psychological study of the nature of evil. Explanatory footnotes.

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Book SynopsisCritically acclaimed as one of Shakespeare's most complex and intriguing plays, Twelfth Night is a classic romantic comedy of mistaken identities. In recent years it has returned to the centre of critical debate surrounding gender and sexuality. The Introduction explores the multiple factors that make up the play's rich textual, theatrical, critical and cultural history. Keir Elam surveys the play's production and reception, emphasizing the role of the spectator both within the comedy and the playhouse.Trade Review'Brings together into one volume a wealth of textual, bibliographical, and critical scholarship...emplifies scholarly achievement...' Shakespeare Quarterly (2009)

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Book Synopsis''Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war, That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial''Fearful that Caesar will become a tyrant, his friends plot to assassinate him in order to save Rome. But the conspirators'' high principles clash with personal malice and ambition, and as they vie to manipulate the mob, the nation is plunged into bloody civil war. A taut, profound drama exploring power and betrayal, Julius Caesar exposes the chasm between public appearance, political rhetoric and bitter reality.Used and Recommended by the National TheatreGeneral Editor Stanley WellsEdited by Norman Sanders Introduction by Martin Wiggins

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Book SynopsisInspired by Homer''s Iliad and Chaucer''s Troilus and Criseyde, Shakespeare''s play explores heroism, love and betrayal against the backdrop of the Trojan War. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by R. A. Foakes with an introduction by Colin Burrow.''Lechery, still wars and lechery; nothing else holds fashion''It is the seventh year of the Trojan War. The Greek army is camped outside Troy and Achilles - their military hero - refuses to fight. Inside the city Troilus, the Trojan King''s son, falls in love with Cressida, whose father has defected to the Greek camp. In an exchange of prisoners the couple are split - they believe forever. The honour of lovers and soldiers is tested as a fierce battle begins and heroes must prove their worth.This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare''s life and Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance

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Book Synopsis'York Notes Advanced' offer an accessible approach to English Literature. This series has been completely updated to meet the needs of today's A-level and undergraduate students. Written by established literature experts, 'York Notes Advanced' introduce students to sophisticated analysis, a range of critical perspectives and wider contexts.Table of Contents Part 1: Introduction Part 2: The Text Part 3: Critical Approaches Part 4: Critical History Part 5: Background Further Reading Literacy Terms

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Book SynopsisFor this second edition of The Tempest - one of Shakespeare's most elusive and suggestive plays - David Lindley has thoroughly revised the introduction to take account of the latest developments in criticism and performance. He has also added a completely new section on casting in recent productions of the play.Trade ReviewReview of the first edition: 'If you are looking for a model edition - by which I mean one that is concerned to honour the text and to explain the processes involved in editing - this is it. If I were ever again to undertake the editing of a Shakespeare play, I would keep Lindley's edition of The Tempest open beside me.' Peter ThompsonReview of the first edition: 'David Lindley's [The] Tempest is the best edition on the market and the paperback is a snip.' Studies in Theatre and PerformanceReview of the first edition: 'Lindley aims both to represent and to explain the range of readings given the play in its theatrical and critical afterlives. His edition meets the high standards of the series in an exemplary manner, offering an especially fine introduction that focuses on the elusiveness of The Tempest, a feature that has made it central to late-twentieth-century criticism.' Barbara Hodgdon, Studies in English LiteratureReview of the first edition: 'David Lindley's edition of The Tempest is easily the most outstanding version of this ostensibly straightforward yet hugely teasing play produced over the last thirty years. Its precise and scrupulous commentary notes are careful to the variety of ways the text can be spoken on stage. Its notes on the music and songs are admirably evocative, and its economical account of the huge range of critical views will send thousands of readers out in fruitful chases after the play's own multitudinous interests.' Andrew Gurr, editor, New Variorum 'Tempest'Table of ContentsList of abbreviations and conventions; Preface to the second edition; Introduction; Note on the text; List of characters; The play; Textual analysis; Appendix 1. The songs; Appendix 2. Parallel passages from Virgil and Ovid; Appendix 3. And others: casting the play; Reading list.

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Book SynopsisThis major new edition of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy of love argues that that play is ultimately Juliet's. The play text is expertly edited and the on-page commentary notes discuss issues of staging, theme, meaning and Shakespeare's use of his sources to give the reader deep and engaging insights into the play. The richly illustrated introduction looks at the play's exceptionally beautiful and complex language and focuses on the figure of Juliet as being at its centre. René Weis discusses the play's critical, stage and film history, including West Side Story and Baz Luhrmann's seminal film Romeo + Juliet. This is an authoritative edition from a leading scholar, giving the reader a penetrating and wide-ranging insight into this ever popular play.Trade ReviewRomeo and Juliet continues to be a perennial favourite in the English classroom. As well as offering students a clear and spacious text to read and annotate, the latest Arden edition provides a wealth of critical and contextual material - so crucial to today's study of Shakespeare. Ideal for teachers looking to refresh and update their reading of the text, René Weis's introduction combines close attention to dramatic language with a comprehensive overview of the history of the play in performance. However familiar a reader might be with Romeo and Juliet, this new edition will bring a range of fresh perspectives, dispelling some oft-repeated myths along the way. * Dr Jenny Stevens, Teacher and Lecturer in English *... this new Arden is a thoroughly usable edition... Both introduction and commentary are sensitive, sharp-eyed and clear. Weis's account of the play's performance history brings out the excitement of modern productions by Michael Bogdanov and Tim Carroll, and the innovations of Baz Luhrmann's film... this Romeo and Juliet will serve well. -- Duncan Salkeld * Times Literary Supplement *If you are looking for something for your A-level students, particularly to start off study for Edexcel's unit four for A level, this is the perfect edition. The notes are detailed and scholarly, and there are many essays and appendices which students would find useful, including a look at playing the love scenes through the ages and some reflection on the various adaptations and original setting for Romeo and Juliet over the centuries. * Teaching Drama *Rene Weis’s Romeo and Juliet lives up to the high standards of the Arden Shakespeare, with an extensive introduction, expansive editorial glosses, and even a facsimile reproduction of Q1 in an appendix. -- Garrett A. Sullivan, Jr., Rice University * Studies in English Literature, Vol. 53, No. 2 *Prof. Weis' edition of Romeo and Juliet implements a number of important updates from the second Arden edition of the test. With a comprehensive introduction, and in-depth textual notations, it has easily become the definitive edition of the play. * Jarrod DePrado, Sacred Heart University, USA *

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Book Synopsis"I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed." —William Shakespeare Arm yourself with this volume from the Knickerbocker Classics series, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, including 16 comedies, 10 histories, 12 tragedies, and all the poems and sonnets of the world's most influential writer. This collection includes poems and plays that were not included in Shakespeare's First Folio of 1623 to make one complete, authentic collection. For Shakespeare and poetry fans worldwide, this stunning hardcover edition with its elegant cover is perfect for gift giving.The Complete Works of William Shakespeare contains essential reading like Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, King Lear, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Henry V alongside many lesser-known gems for a complete Shakespearean education. The Knickerbocker Classics bring together the works of classic authors from around the world. Complete and unabridged, these elegantly designed, hardcover editions feature a comprehensive introduction providing the reader with enlightening information on the author's life and works.

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Book Synopsis''Shakespeare''s play is death-haunted from the start, and its self-glorifying lovers exist in a dream of passion'' GuardianA battle-hardened soldier, Antony is one of the three leaders of the Roman world. But he is also a man in the grip of an all-consuming passion for the tempestuous and alluring queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. And when their life of pleasure together is threatened by encroaching politics, the conflict between love and duty has devastating consequences. A tragic drama of love and loss, sex and power, told in language of poetic sublimity, Antony and Cleopatra is one of Shakespeare''s supreme imaginative achievements.Used and Recommended by the National TheatreGeneral Editor Stanley WellsEdited by Emrys JonesIntroduction by René Weis

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Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare is a global icon for his plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet, but his poetic meditations on love are among the most powerful and evocative poems ever written. This Penguin Classics edition of Sonnets and A Lover''s Complaint is edited by John Kerrigan.''Shall I compare thee to a summer''s day?''The language of Shakespeare''s sonnets has become inseparable from the language of love in English; but the force and tenderness of these poems is undiminished by age. When this volume of Shakespeare''s poems first appeared in 1609, he had already written most of the great plays that made him famous. The 154 sonnets - all but two of which are addressed to a beautiful young man, ''Mr W.H.'', or a treacherous ''dark lady'' - contain some of the most exquisite and haunting poetry ever written, and deal with eternal subjects such as love and infidelity, memory and mortality, and the destruction wreaked by Time. Also in

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Book Synopsis''At one and the same time the greatest of all works of English patriotism and a searing critique of warfare'' Jonathan BateYoung King Henry wages war on France. Tainted by his family''s past crimes and with enemies among his own men, he must face the difficult responsibilities of kingship, unite his country and rouse his ''band of brothers'' to battle at Agincourt. An heroic coming-of-age story and a work of stirring patriotic oratory, Henry V also has darker undercurrents that ultimately question the price of military victory.Used and Recommended by the National TheatreGeneral Editor Stanley WellsEdited by A. R. Humphreys with an Introduction by Ann Kaegi

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Book SynopsisOxford School Shakespeare is an acclaimed edition especially designed for students, with accessible on-page notes and explanatory illustrations, clear background information, and rigorous but accessible scholarly credentials. Measure for Measure is a popular text for study by secondary students the world over. This edition includes illustrations, preliminary notes, reading lists and classroom notes.This title is suitable for all exam boards and for the most recent AS/A level specifications.Table of ContentsIntroduction - About the Play - Leading Characters in the Play - Synopsis - Measure for Measure: commentary - Measure for Measure and the art of Tragicomedy - Shakespeare's Verse - Source, Date, and Text People Measure for Measure A Song for Mariana What the Critics have said Classwork and Examinations - Discussion of Themes and Topics - Character Study - Activities - Context Questions - Critical Appreciation - Essays - Projects Further Reading William Shakespeare, 1564 - 1616 List of Shakespeare's Plays

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Book SynopsisOxford School Shakespeare is an acclaimed edition especially designed for students, with accessible on-page notes and explanatory illustrations, clear background information, and rigorous but accessible scholarly credentials. Richard II is a popular text for study by secondary students the world over. This edition includes illustrations, preliminary notes, reading lists and classroom notes.This title is suitable for all exam boards and for the most recent AS/A level specifications.Table of ContentsCrisis in the Monarchy Family tree Leading Characters in the Play Synopsis Richard II: commentary Authentic? Shakespeare's Verse Source, Date and Text Characters in the Play Richard II Shakespeare's Sources Richard II: three views on the King Classword and Examinations Discussion Character Study Activities Context Questions Comprehenstion and Appreciation Questions Essays Projects Background Government Religion Education Language Drama Theatre Further Reading William Shakespeare 1564-1616 List of Shakespeare's Plays

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Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Talia Hibbert, author of Get a Life, Chloe BrownWe that are true lovers run into strange capers'Banished from her ambitious uncle's court, the lovesick Rosalind flees to the forest with her cousin, Celia. Disguised as the handsome shepherd Ganymede and simple shepherdess Aliena, the two soon meet the dashing Orlando forced into hiding by a plot against his life, heartbroken at the separation from his beloved Rosalind. Fooled by Rosalind's disguise, Orlando grows close to Ganymede'. But Phoebe, a local shepherdess, also has her eye on Ganymede. As their hopes and dreams entangle, can everyone get what they want?As You Like It is Shakespeare's brilliant gender swapping, fake dating classic comedy of errors.Discover STAGED, a limited collection of Shakespeare's unabridged plays that celebrates the genius of the Bard and the tropes that continue to delight YA readers to this day.Explore the rest of the STAGED collection:Hamlet With a foreword by Faridah Àbíké-ÍyímídéMacbeth With a foreword by Kat DelacorteA Midsummer Night's Dream With a foreword by Becky AlbertalliMuch Ado About Nothing With a foreword by Holly BourneRomeo and Juliet With a foreword by Jennifer Niven

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Book SynopsisRead & Co. Classics presents this new beautiful edition of William Shakespeare''s poem, "A Lover''s Complaint", featuring a specially commissioned new biography of William Shakespeare. The poem tells the story of a young women lamenting her love for a man who once charmed and abandoned her. As she weeps at the edge of a river, an old man approaches, compelling her to recount her tale of sorrow. It was published as a conclusion to the original edition of Shakespeare''s Sonnets, in 1609. Shakespeare's sonnets beautifully explore the themes of love and beauty, time and mortality. William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and is celebrated as the world''s most famous dramatist.

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Book SynopsisAn illustrated adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play – at an easy-to-read level for readers of all ages! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular comedies by Shakespeare. Just as confusing, and equally as entertaining, the play revolves around Hermia and her best friend, Helena. Hermia runs away into the woods with her lover, Lysander. Demetrius, the man of her father’s choice, then follows them. Helen, being in love with him, follows Demetrius. In the woods however, they come across Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies, where much confusion is created when Puck, one of the fairies, causes havoc with a love potion. About Sweet Cherry Easy Classics: Sweet Cherry Easy Classics adapts classic literature into illustrated stories for children, introducing these timeless tales to a new generation. (All titles in the series are leveled for classroom use, including GRLs.)Trade Review“Fascinating, pleasantly illustrated, simple and easy-to-read, these Shakespeare stories for children will make your kids love the magical world of literature.” - simplymarinailieva

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Book SynopsisAdapted and illustrated to introduce children and students to the works of Shakespeare! The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. The play was first published in 1623, and has since been performed worldwide with great success. It is set in Sicily, and revolves around the main character, King Leontes, who is consumed by doubts about his wife’s loyalty. Jealousy drives him to plot his best friend’s murder, imprison his wife and disown their unborn child. The play stretches over a period of sixteen long years during which Leontes realises his mistakes, and he is finally reunited with his estranged wife and daughter. Includes a QR code for the FREE audiobook! The easy-to-read narrative and comic-style illustrations are a great way to introduce children and students to the story before approaching the original texts.

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Book SynopsisThis edition of Sir Thomas More is the first to bring the play into the context of a major Shakespeare series, to provide a substantial critical analysis, and to offer a comprehensive modern stage history. The introduction deals with issues such as the strange involvement of the anti-Catholic spy-hunter Anthony Munday as chief dramatist, the place of Sir Thomas More as a Catholic martyr in Protestant late Elizabethan culture, and the play's representation of a multi-cultural London.The text itself, supported by a searching and detailed commentary, adopts a distinctive presentation that enables readers to keep track of the manuscript and the hands that produced it, whilst engaging with the play as a fascinating theatrical piece. Sir Thomas More deals with matters so controversial that it may never have reached performance on stage. The authors' determination to deal with rioting and religious politics led to a play that is compelling in its own right but also intriguing as a document of what could, and could not, be articulated in the early modern public theatre. Surviving only as a manuscript text on which Shakespeare was thought to have worked, it can be considered to be the most important play manuscript of the period, owing to its highly complex witness to collaboration between dramatists and to censorship.Trade ReviewJohn Jowett’s edition of More is one of the triumphs of the [Third Series] as a whole, elucidating a nightmarishly complex textual history with exemplary clarity. * The New Criterion *‘...Jowett, one of the most gifted and exciting textual scholars around, whose Oxford edition of Richard III belongs right up there in the pantheon of truly great Shakespeare editions, has completed the job boldly, accurately and courteously.' ‘The textual treatment is as full and cogent an analysis as you are ever likely to find, and one of its most refreshing characteristics- apart from the expertise with which it is written- is its honesty...this publication represents its official entry into the Arden Shakespeare canon- and Jowett's excellent edition amply justifies this inclusion.' * The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, June 2011 *John Jowett's edition of Sir Thomas More is indispensable reading concerning issues of Elizabethan collaboration and authorship. It implicitly asks: how do we identify a Shakespearean play?...' Sean Elliott, The London Magazine * The London Magazine, August 2011 *'It is an impressive piece of scholarship, surpassing its predecessor edited by Gabrieli and Melchiori in attention to technical detail, and in tackling the complexities of what some have considered the most politically incorrect Elizabethan play that we possess... The Arden edition succeeds in opening a can of worms which challenges contemporary critical thinking.' * Notes and Queries, OUP, September 2011 *

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Book SynopsisIt's the most famous love story in the world. Romeo and Juliet's families hate each other, but when the two young people fall in love, can they bring the families together and be happy?Includes a word list, 5 pages of activities and free online audio (British English and American English). 1,200 headwords, 3,565 words

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Book SynopsisEdited, introduced and annotated by Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of English, University of Sussex. Richard II is one of Shakespeare’s finest works: lucid, eloquent, and boldly structured. It can be seen as a tragedy, or a historical play, or a political drama, or as one part of a vast dramatic cycle which helped to generate England’s national identity. Today, to some of us, Richard II may appear conservative; but, in Shakespeare’s day, it could appear subversive: ‘I am Richard II’, declared an indignant Queen Elizabeth. Numerous recent revivals in the theatre and on screen have demonstrated the enduring power and poignancy of this drama of the downfall of an egoistic but pitiable monarch. Richard II is the seventeenth volume in the Wordsworth Classics’ Shakespeare Series, in which each volume has been freshly edited by Cedric Watts.

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Book SynopsisThe Sonnets explore many of Shakespeare's most common themes: jealousy, betrayal, melancholy. They ache with unfulfilled longing, and, for many, they are the most complete and moving meditations on love ever written.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features an afterword by Peter Harness.The Sonnets of William Shakespeare, a cycle of 154 linked poems first published in 1609, are reproduced in full in this Macmillan Collector’s Library edition. Filled with ideas about love, beauty and mortality, the sonnets are written in the same beautiful and innovative language that we have come to know from Shakespeare's plays. The first 126 sonnets are addressed to a young man known as the 'Fair Youth', while others are directed at a 'Rival Poet', and a 'Dark Lady'.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisGorgeous, strange and magical, A Midsummer Night's Dream is perhaps the best-loved of Shakespeare's plays. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is illustrated throughout by Sir John Gilbert, and includes an introduction by Ned Halley.A young woman flees Athens with her lover, only to be pursued by her would-be husband and her best friend. Unwittingly, all four find themselves in an enchanted forest where fairies and sprites soon take an interest in human affairs, dispensing love potions and casting mischievous spells. In this dazzling comedy, confusion ends in harmony, as love is transformed, misplaced, and – ultimately – restored.Trade ReviewEvery generation continues to be in his debt. Shakespeare’s plots, which are brilliantly polyvalent, continue to inspire ceaseless adaptations and spin-offs. His unforgettable phrase-making recurs on the lips of millions who do not realise they are quoting Shakespeare * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisPublished to mark the 400th anniversary of the book's original publication, this facsimile edition faithfully reproduces one of the finest copies held in the British Library collections.

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAct 1Act 2Act 3Act 4Act 5

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsAct 1Act 2Act 3Act 4Act 5

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Book SynopsisComedy and tragedy intertwine when two very different couples fall in and out of love in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition features illustrations by renowned artist Sir John Gilbert and an introduction from Professor Tiffany Stern.Whilst Beatrice and Benedick both despise love, exchanging insults and mockery rather than vows, for Hero and Claudio it is love at first sight. But as their marriage preparations begin, so too do Don John’s dirty tricks. Can his scheming get in the way of true love? And can an elaborate plan to bring fiery Beatrice and cynical Benedick closer together really come off? In Much Ado About Nothing, one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, nothing is quite what it seems.Trade ReviewShakespeare’s voice rings down the ages, and, as with innumerable other human matters, we would do well to listen to it * Independent *When I read Shakespeare I am struck with wonder that such trivial people should muse and thunder in such lovely language -- D. H. LawrenceThe remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he is really very good -- Robert Graves

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Book SynopsisAdapted and illustrated to introduce children and students to the works of Shakespeare! Hamlet is one of the most popular tragedies of the legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. It tells the sad story of Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, who, upon his father’s death, returns from Wittenberg to discover the evil plot of his Uncle Claudius and his mother, Queen Gertrude. The play is focused on how Hamlet learns the truth about his father’s death and seeks revenge. Includes a QR code for the FREE audiobook! The easy-to-read narrative and comic-style illustrations are a great way to introduce children and students to the story before approaching the original texts.

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Book SynopsisLove sonnets are for romantics, starry-eyed lovers and ardent hearts. And Shakespeare's sonnets are the best ever written. But this is why they are also for cynics, for star-crossed lovers and for those who know the anguish of unrequited love.Some appear to be written to a young man, some to a woman. And although the poems are full of mystery - why did Shakespeare write them, and to whom? - each one speaks to us from across the centuries of love, hate and the intensity of being alive.INTRODUCED BY ANDREW McMILLAN'This is a crazy, all-consuming, feverish and sweaty love; love, in all its uncut, full-strength intensity; an adolescent love' Don Paterson, GuardianTrade ReviewThe great master who knew everything...an unspeakable source of delight—Charles DickensEvery age has reinvented the Bard in its own image. Renaissance Man or post-modern angst... Shakespeare haunts our language—IndependentShakespeare was the most consummate genius of all time—Peter AckroydDante and Shakespeare divide the modern world between them, there is no third—T.S. EliotEvery single character in Shakespeare is as much an Individual as those in Life itself—Alexander Pope

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Book SynopsisOne of Shakespeare's later plays, best described as a tragi-comedy, the play falls into two distinct parts. In the first Leontes is thrown into a jealous rage by his suspicions of his wife Hermione and his best-friend, and imprisons her and orders that her new born daughter be left to perish. The second half is a pastoral comedy with the "lost" daughter Perdita having been rescued by shepherds and now in love with a young prince. The play ends with former lovers and friends reunited after the apparently miraculous resurrection of Hermione. John Pitcher's lively introduction and commentary explores the extraordinary merging of theatrical forms in the play and its success in performance. As the recent Sam Mendes production at the Old Vic shows, this is a play that can work a kind of magic in the theatre.Trade Review'a play where miracles do happen and redemption does eventually come, but at a terrible price' Lyn Gardner, Guardian, 22.9.09 'Like all of Shakespeare's later plays, this is a realistic fairy tale' John Peter, Sunday Times, 20.9.09

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Book SynopsisChiltern Publishing creates the most beautiful editions of the World's finest literature. Your favourite classic titles in a way you have never seen them before; the tactile embossed layers, fine details and beautiful colours of these remarkable covers make these titles feel extra special and will look striking on any shelf.

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Book SynopsisWhen Romeo and Juliet meet during a chance encounter, they have noidea what lies ahead - for these star-crossed lovers belong tofeuding families, and their love will never be accepted by thosearound them. Set within a beleaguered city plagued by gang warfare, Romeo andJuliet is widely regarded as Shakespeare's most successful play.

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