Books by William Shakespeare

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

Read more less

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

Read more less

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.

Read more less

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.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of Contents Part 1: Introducing Twelfth Night Part 2: Studying Twelfth Night Part 3: Characters and Themes Part 4: Structure, Form and Language Part 5: Contexts and Critical Debates Part 6: Grade Booster Essential Study Tools

Read more less

Book SynopsisAdapted and illustrated to introduce children and students to the works of Shakespeare! A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular comedies of the legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. The play revolves around Hermia and her best friend, Helena. Hermia runs away into the woods with her lover, Lysander, and Demetrius, the man of her father’s choice, follows them. Helena follows Demetrius, as she is in love with him and wishes she could win his love. In the woods, they come across Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies. Much confusion is created when Puck, one of the fairies, uses love drops on Lysander and Demetrius, which makes both of them fall in love with Helena. 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.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of Shakespeare's last plays, The Winter's Tale provides tragedy and comedy in equal measure. The King of Sicily, Leontes, accuses Queen Hermione, his wife, of adultery and sets off a series of events driven by royal betrayal, jealousy and the possibility of pastoral love that builds to a fantastical ending. Arden Performance Editions are ideal for anyone engaging with a Shakespeare play in performance. With clear facing-page notes giving definitions of words, easily accessible information about key textual variants, lineation, metrical ambiguities and pronunciation, each edition has been developed to open the play's possibilities and meanings to actors and students. Designed to be used and to be useful, each edition has plenty of space for personal annotations and the well-spaced text is easy to read and to navigate. Each edition offers:- Short, clear definitions of words- Information about key textual variants- Notes on pronunciation of difficult names and unfamiliar words- An

Read more less

Book SynopsisClassics, modern fiction, non-fiction and more. Written for secondary and adult students the Oxford Bookworms Library has seven reading levels from A1-C1 of the CEFR.In sixteenth-century Venice - a city of wealthy merchants and bankers - money is all-important. Bassanio is penniless, but his great friend Antonio offers to help him by borrowing the money that he needs. To do this, though, Antonio must make an arrangement with an old enemy that puts his life in danger... The Merchant of Venice is one of Shakespeare''s most popular plays, and it has been performed all over the world. It is retold in this Bookworm not as a play, but as a story.

Read more less

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. Coriolanus is a popular text for study by secondary students the world over. Key features:1. Accessible notes and commentataries 2. Two-column format for easy reference checking and immediate explanations3. Wide margins to provide plenty of space for annotations and note taking 4. Additional information and reading lists (including websites)5. Illustrations dotted throughout, both contextual and explanatorySuitable for: Students aged 11+All exam boardsThe Oxford School Shakespeare range includes over 20 of Shakespeare''s plays, plus revision resources for Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet.Table of ContentsThe Times The People The Action Coriolanus: commentary The Man Shakespeare's verse Source, Date and text People in the Play Coriolanus Plutarch What the Critics have said Classwork and Examinations Discussion Character Study Activities Context Questions Comprehension and Appreciation Questions Essays Projects Backgrounds Government Religion Education Language Drama Theatre Further Reading William Shakespeare 1564-1616 List of Shakespeare's Plays

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith a foreword by Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places and BreathlessFor never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo'A bloody feud. A tangled love. A senseless tragedy that brings two families to their knees. After a chance meeting at a ball, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall desperately in love. But their families are locked in a bitter rivalry, their love forbidden. Worse still, Juliet's family already expect her to marry her suitor, Count Paris.Determined to save their love, Romeo and Juliet wed in secret. But when a fight erupts that leaves Montagues and Capulets dead, Romeo is banished from Verona, forcing Juliet to take desperate measures that spell tragedy for the star-crossed lovers.Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare's masterclass in tales of love and loss, and the origin of the lovestruck, star-crossed lovers.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-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 Bourne

Read more less

Book Synopsis Unrivalled School Shakespeare editions are ideal for use in class at Key Stages 3 and 4.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRanjit Bolt updates Much Ado About Nothing with a merry new translation. In Much Ado About Nothing, a series of miscommunications and misunderstandings spiral out of control, leaving two sets of lovers to untangle their words and their hearts. Ranjit Bolt, an accomplished translator, takes on Shakespeare's well-loved comedy to update much of the obscure language while maintaining the humor, characterization, and wit that audiences know and love. For modern readers, Beatrice, Benedick, Hero, and Claudio are just as enchanting as alwaysand perhaps funnier than ever before. This translation of Much Ado About Nothing was written as part of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Play On! project, which commissioned new translations of thirty-nine Shakespeare plays. These translations present work from The Bard in language accessible to modern audiences while never losing the beauty of Shakespeare's verse.Enlisting the talents of a diverse group of contemporary playwrights, screenwriters, Table of ContentsAct 1Act 2Act 3Act 4Act 5

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe few, we happy few, we band of brothers ...In Henry V, the ebullient and youthful Prince Hal of Henry IV Part I has matured into a stern warrior king, leading his outnumbered troops in battle against the French crown at Agincourt. As the battlefield becomes a stage for heroism, betrayal, and sacrifice, Shakespeare masterfully explores themes of honor, loyalty, and the timeless struggle between ambition and conscience.This edition is based on the First Folio and includes an extensive introduction that examines the origins of the work, the plot and the characters as well as notes on the text, a glossary and a timeline of Shakespeare''s life and work.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Shakespeare Editions series brings together many of Shakespeare''s celebrated plays, presented with striking contemporary cover designs. Each edition is based on the First Folio and includes an informative introduction, glossary and timel

Read more less

Book SynopsisA captivating picture book retelling by Shakespeare''s Globe for very young readers.William Shakespeare's comedy about four lovers'' mishaps in an enchanted forest is unforgettably re-imagined by Shakespeare's Globe as a picture book for very young readers. With exquisite and detailed illustrations from the acclaimed artist Jane Ray, who has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal, this captivating retelling is a magical way to introduce children to one of the best-loved works of the world's greatest playwright.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA stunning facsimile of the 1932 edition of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night illustrated by Eric Ravilious.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis Roman play is one of Shakespeare's last tragedies, best known for its political and military themes. Its hero, Coriolanus, is a proud General who does not hesitate to show his arrogant and outspoken contempt of the Roman rabble. The Tribunes banish him and he raises an army to take his revenge on Rome. He finally concedes to the pleas of his mother to spare the city and leaves only to be publicly killed by his former allies. Peter Holland is a former Director of the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford upon Avon and President of the Shakespeare Association of America. He is a pre-eminent international scholar. His comprehensive Introduction and commentary notes open up the language, themes and ideas in this complex yet richly rewarding play for the student and teacher. The play is discussed in its historical and critical contexts and its theatrical history is analysed too.Trade ReviewThis is a mighty powerhouse of a work: passionately outward-looking in its engagement with the play's afterlife in theatre, poetry and film ... Holland's style is delightfully engaging and inclusive ... This is a remarkable piece of scholarship, and an indispensable work for anyone wishing to understand Coriolanus better. -- Jane Kingsley-Smith, Roehampton University, UK * Around the Globe *Holland’s edition offers an idiosyncratic and entertaining version of Coriolanus that is suited to a play that poses relatively few textual problems, demonstrating that even a play that only exists in one early witness is reproduced differently in each edition, performance and re-reading ... The edition is a triumph of careful work, and testament to the importance of aligning theatrical, linguistic and historical approaches in the careful preparation of an edition. -- Peter Kirwan, UK * Editionen in der Kritik *This is a rich and creatively suggestive Coriolanus edition that does justice to the play as product of a complex social, stage, and literary history and as an equally complex cultural performance text. -- Barbara Correll, Cornell University, USA * Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen *Great introduction - strong on political context and topicality, and great treatment of the new Fiennes movie adaptation. The best modern edition of Coriolanus on the market. -- Matthew Woodcock, University of East Anglia, UKTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION Coriolanus in the 1930s Beginnings Reading Dating: Writing and Performance Voting and Citizenship Coriolanus and Early Modern Politics Shaping the Play Coriolanus Rethought: Brecht, Osborne, Grass Filming Coriolanus (2011) THE PLAY Longer Notes Textual Analysis Appendices: 1. Coriolanus in Performance: A Skeletal History 2. Casting Coriolanus Abbreviations and References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDark and violent, Macbeth is also the most theatrically spectacular of Shakespeare's tragedies. 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 Dr Robert Mighall.Promised a golden future as ruler of Scotland by three sinister witches, Macbeth murders the king to ensure his ambitions are realized. But he soon learns the meaning of terror - killing once, he must kill again and again, and the dead return to haunt him. A story of war and witchcraft, Macbeth also explores the relationship between husband and wife, and the risks they are prepared to take to achieve their desires.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 *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.''Can one life be measured against another? Can a woman''s body be measured against a man''s life? Can consensual sex be measured against rape? Measure for Measure explores these questions through a series of substitutions: Angelo deputises for the Duke, who disguises himself to spy on his subjects; corrupt Angelo demands that almost-nun Isabella gives her body in exchange for her brother''s life; and the Duke substitutes living bodies and decapitated heads to bring about a ''happy ending'' in this problematic comedy. Exploring corrupt power, state surveillance, and the silencing of women by powerful men, Measure for Measure continues to resonate today.The New Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative editions of Shakespeare''s works with introductory materials designed to encourage new interpretations of the plays and poems. Using the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works: Modern Critical Edition, these volumes offer

Read more less

Book SynopsisWilliam Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice is both a witty comedy and a moving exploration of bigotry and stigmatisation, and this Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by W. Moelwyn Merchant with an introduction by Peter Holland. 'The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven' Bassanio, a noble but impoverished Venetian, asks his friend the merchant Antonio for a loan to impress an heiress. Antonio agrees, but is forced to borrow the sum from a cynical Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who forces him into a chilling contract, which stipulates he must honour the debt with a pound of his own flesh. But Bassanio's beloved is not as demure as she seems, and disguising herself as a lawyer, Portia proves herself one of Shakespeare's most cunning heroines, in a witty attack on Shylock's claim. A complex and controversial comedy, The Merchant of Venice explores prejudice and the true nature of justice. This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's

Read more less

Book Synopsis''How many fond fools serve mad jealousy!''The Comedy of Errors is one of Shakespeare''s most farcical plays, with not one but two sets of twins sliding past each other into mistakes, violence, and madness. An early romantic comedy, it''s often considered an immature play but also a piece of dramatic experimentation. This New Oxford Shakespeare edition examines links between Shakespeare''s play and its literary sources and analogues, but also situates it within performance traditions. Illuminating points of comparison between The Comedy of Errors and Shakespeare''s other comedies, as well as it''s consonances with Shakespeare''s later plays of estrangement and loss, this edition provides readers with a nuanced exploration of Shakespeare''s shortest play.The New Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative editions of Shakespeare''s works with introductory materials designed to encourage new interpretations of the plays and poems. Using the text from the landmark The New Oxford Shakespeare Complete Works: Modern Critical Edition, these volumes offer readers the latest thinking on the authentic texts (collated from all surviving original versions of Shakespeare''s work) alongside innovative introductions from leading scholars. The texts are accompanied by a comprehensive set of critical apparatus to give readers the best resources to help understand and enjoy Shakespeare''s work.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs You Like It is a popular text for study by secondary students the world over. This edition includes illustrations, preliminary notes, reading lists (including websites) and classroom notes.Trade ReviewThis book is priceless to anyone going to see a Shakespeare performance for the first time or for those that are studying Shakespeare at school. Just before going to see the play I read the first section of the book that explains about the characters and the plot. I still got lost in the dialogue slightly but didn't struggle half as much as I would have if I hadn't read this first. * 5 star Amazon review *Table of ContentsIntroduction About the Play Leading characters in the Play Synopsis Commentary Shakespeare's Verse Source, Date and Text People in the Play As You Like It AppendixL 'It Was A Lover and his Lass' Classwork and Examinations Background William Shakespeare, 1564-1616 Exploring As You Like It in the Classroom

Read more less

Book SynopsisHenry IV Part 1 is a popular text for study by secondary students the world over. This edition includes illustrations, preliminary notes, reading lists and classroom notes.Table of ContentsIntroduction - A 'History' Play - The Plantagents family tree - Leading Characters in the Play - Synopsis - Henry IV Part 1: Commentary - Sir John Falstaff - Sir John Falstaff: An Appreciation by Dr Samuel Johnson - Shakespeare's Verse - Source, Text, and Date Characters in the Play Henry IV Part 1 Selections from The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland William Shakespeare, 1564 - 161 Approximate Dates of Composition of Shakespeare's Works Exploring Henry IV Part 1 in the Classroom - Ways into the Play - Setting the Scene - Keeping Track of the Action - Characters - Themes - Shakespeare's Language - Exploring with Drama - Writing about Henry IV Part 1 Further Reading and Resources

Read more less

Book SynopsisProspero, the Duke of Milan, and his daughter Miranda are banished from their kingdom and set adrift in a rickety boat. They are carried to a magical island and make a new life. The Tempest tells the story of what happens many years later when a ship is wrecked in a terrible storm and some strange events unfoldExciting and powerful classic stories to enrich and extend your children''s reading experiences. TreeTops Classics are carefully adapted versions of must-read stories which introduce your readers to significant authors, powerful plots and characters that have stood the test of time. These abridged versions of classics have been sensitively adapted by top children''s authors to ensure that language and content is appropriate, but remain faithful to the original. These enchanting stories will appeal to all your junior readers and introduce them to a rich literary heritage. Each book includes author biographies and notes to help with historical and social context and any challenging

Read more less

Book SynopsisYork Notes Advanced offer a fresh and accessible approach to English Literature. This market-leading 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 intorduce students to more 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

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat he hears will change everything. Egged on by his wife, he decides to kill in order to gain the Scottish crown. How many people will have to die in Macbeth’s pursuit of power? With armies, ghosts and magic against him, will Macbeth survive in this tale of greed and betrayal? Getting the crown is one thing – keeping it is quite another.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the full and unabridged play as a graphic novel! 'But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun'! This title presents the tragic tale of doomed love, set in Verona, Italy, where the Montagues and the Capulets constantly feud and bring unrest to the city. So how could love possibly survive between this pair of star-crossed lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet? Only Shakespeare could take such a romantic story and turn it into a soul-searching tragedy.

Read more less

This is the entire unabridged play brought to life in full colour! 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 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.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Oxford ShakespeareGeneral Editor Stanley WellsThe Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative texts from leading scholars in editions designed to interpret and illuminate the works for modern readers- a new, modern-spelling text, collated and edited from all existing printings- on-page and facing-page commentary and notes explain language and allusions- detailed introductions consider the sonnets'' biographical and literary background, how the poems relate to the plays, dating and textual matters, and the mysteries of ''Mr W. H.'' and the ''Dark Lady''- includes poems attributed to Shakespeare in the seventeenth century- full index to introductions and commentary- durable sewn binding for lasting use''not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship.'' Times Literary Supplement ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade ReviewA long and detailed critique, which ends with excellent praise 'This Complete Sonnets and Poems is a distinguished addition to a distinguished series. It will repay comtinuing study, and act as a valuable point of reference for readers concerned more generally with Shakespeare's art and language. Colin Burrow's good sense, tact and balance as an editor are deeply impressive.' * H.R.Woudhuysen, TLS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith an Introduction by Tim Cook. Shakespeare's sonnets have an intensity of both feeling and meaning unmatched in English sonnet form. They divide into two parts; the first 126 sonnets are addressed to a fair youth for whom the poet has an obsessive love and the second chronicles his love for the notorious 'Dark Lady'. In addition to the sonnets, this volume includes Shakespeare's two lengthy narrative poems on classical themes, The Rape of Lucrece which looks forward to the dark imagery of Macbeth, and Venus and Adonis which mixes ribaldry and tragedy in unique Shakespearean manner. The Phoenix and the Turtle is a beautiful metaphysical and allegorical short elegy, and takes its place with Shakespeare's better-known poetry.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExam board: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, EduqasLevel & Subject: GCSE 9-1 English LiteratureFirst teaching: September 2015; Next exam: June 2025Exam Board: Cambridge Assessment International EducationLevel & Subject: International AS & A Level Literature in EnglishFirst teaching: September 2019; Next exam: June 2025This edition of The Merchant of Venice is perfect for GCSE-level and A-level students, with the complete play in an accessible format, on-page notes, introduction setting the context, timeline, character and theme indexes.Affordable high quality complete play for The Merchant of Venice, ideal for GCSE 9-1 and Cambridge A LevelDemystify vocabulary with notes on the page and concise commentarySet the scene with perfectly pitched introductions that introduce key contexts, concerns and stylistic features, and examine different performances and interpretationsRecall plot summaries at the beginning of each sceneSupport GCSE and A level revision and essay writing with theme and character indeTrade Review“The new Collins Classroom Classic editions are perfect for schools – clear text, bright covers, a good size for pockets and bags, and a great price that makes buying new class or cohort sets very attractive in these budget-conscious times.” de Stafford School

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Winter's Tale is a popular text for study by secondary students the world over. This edition includes illustrations, preliminary notes, reading lists and classroom notes.Table of ContentsIntroduction News of the World Leading Characters in the Play Synopsis The Winter's Tale: Commentary Fantastic! Source, text and date Shakespeare's Verse Characters in the Play The Winter's Tale The Winter's Tale: the Source What the Critics have said Hermione Speaks Songs in The Winter's Tale Background England in c.1611 Government Religion Education Language Drama Theatre William Shakespeare, 1564-1616 Approximate Dates of Composition of Shakespeare's Works Exploring The Winter's Tale in the Classroom Ways into the Play Setting the Scene Keeping Track of the Action Characters Themes Shakespeare's Language Exploring with Drama Writing about The Winter's Tale Further Reading and Resources

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis much-anticipated Norton Critical Edition of Shakespeare’s best-known play is based on the Second Quarto, widely agreed to be the most authoritative early text.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLike every other play in the Cambridge School Shakespeare series, The Comedy of Errors has been specially prepared to help all students in schools and colleges. This version aims to be different from other editions of the play. It invites you to bring the play to life in your classroom through enjoyable activities that will help increase your understanding. You are encourage to make up your own mind about the play, rather than have someone else''s interpretation handed down to you. Whatever you do, remember that Shakespeare wrote his plays to be acted, watched and enjoyed.Table of ContentsList of characters; The Comedy of Errors; Moments from the play; The Comedy of Errors on stage; The language of The Comedy of Errors; What is The Comedy of Errors about?; Twins; Make your own programme for The Comedy of Errors; See a version of The Comedy of Errors; William Shakespeare.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Tempest is Shakespeare's masterpiece of magical effects, redemptive romance, poetry and politics. 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 by actor, writer and director Simon Callow.Prospero has long been exiled from Italy and banished to a remote island with his daughter Miranda. He uses his magical powers to conjure up a fearsome storm, and his enemies, including his treacherous broth Antonio, are shipwrecked. There follows a play filled with murderous plots, drunken confusion, love and redemption. And along the way, the reader discovers an unmistakable message that this is Shakespeare’s own farewell to the stage.Trade ReviewShakespeare’s voice rings down the ages, and, as with innumerable other human matters, we would do well to listen to it * Independent *A magical tale of finding love and getting drunk on a tropical island * Time Out *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

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis Wordsworth Edition includes an exclusive Introduction and Notes by Cedric Watts, M.A., Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of English, University of Sussex. As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s finest romantic comedies, variously lyrical, melancholy, satiric, comic and absurd. Its boldly implausible plot generates a profusion of love-lorn men, a resourceful heroine in disguise, sexual ambiguity, sceptical philosophising, and finally a multiplicity of marriages. The ironic medley of pastoral artifice, romantic ardour and quizzical reflection has helped to make As You Like It perennially popular in the theatre. A recent production was deemed ‘fresh, funny, sexy and, when it matters, deeply touching’. As You Like It is part of the Wordsworth Classics’ Shakespeare Series, used in the workshops of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Every volume in the series has been newly edited by Cedric Watts, described by Edward Said as ‘a man for whom the enjoyment and enrichment of friends and students is the main consideration in what he does’.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection contains more than 80% of the sonnets, including all the famous ones. In addition, there are substantial extracts from the longer narrative poems Shakespeare wrote in his youth, songs from the plays, and celebrated soliloquies from HAMLET, ROMEO AND JULIET, KING LEAR, HENRY V, THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, etc. Together, these verses give a comprehensive view of shakespeare the poet by assembling all the well-known passages together with less familiar but equally powerful extracts.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWorking in partnership with the RSC, this brand new series is ideal for introducing students to Shakespeare''s plays. Using trusted and established RSC approaches, Shakespeare''s plays come to life in the classroom and establish a deeper understanding and lasting appreciation of his work. Comprising the most popular plays used in schools, these full-colour editions include the RSC''s active approaches to exploring the text, vibrant RSC performance photographs, page summaries, glosses, contextual information and much more. This unique series aims to motivate and inspire students in their early encounters with Shakespeare''s plays whilst giving students confidence for all stages of their study of Shakespeare.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWorking in partnership with the RSC, this brand new series is ideal for introducing students to Shakespeare''s plays. Using trusted and established RSC approaches, Shakespeare''s plays come to life in the classroom and establish a deeper understanding and lasting appreciation of his work. Comprising the most popular plays used in schools, these full-colour editions include the RSC''s active approaches to exploring the text, vibrant RSC performance photographs, page summaries, glosses, contextual information and much more. This unique series aims to motivate and inspire students in their early encounters with Shakespeare''s plays whilst giving students confidence for all stages of their study of Shakespeare.

Read more less