All¿s Well That Ends Well was not popular during Shakespeare¿s time, and is still considered to be a play without renown even today. It¿s also one of the three ¿problem plays,¿ in that it deals with controversial social issues. Although it remains unloved by the public, productions have featured star-studded casts, including actresses like Dame Judi Dench and Claudie Blakley.Helena, daughter of a skilled doctor and adopted child of the Countess of Rousillon, is in love with Bertram, the Countess¿s son. Helena cures the King of France and is rewarded with a husband of her choice, so she selects Bertram. He contests the legitimacy of their marriage, and insists on demanding that she complete two tasks before he can consider their marriage legitimate: She must wear his family ring, and provide him an heir.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
King Cymbeline had plans to arrange the marriage between his daughter Imogen and his son-in-law Cloten. Instead, she secretly marries Posthumus Leonatus, a poor gentleman. Before Cymbeline banishes Posthumus, Imogen is gifted a beautiful bracelet that she vows never to remove, while Posthumus is given an expensive ring.While on his way to Rome, Posthumus meets Iachimo, who is heading to Britain, and the two make a bet: If Iachimo can seduce Imogen and provide proof of her adultery, Posthumus must hand over his ring.Cymbeline is set in pre-Roman Britain during the 1st century AD. The plot is inspired by the story of King Cunobeline, most likely sourced from Holinshed¿s Chronicles. Shakespeare also drew from other sources; Boccacciös Decameron tells of a similar wager involving hiding in a trunk.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
King Antiochus has issued a challenge to any suitor proposing marriage to his daughter: answer a seemingly-impossible riddle correctly, or die. Pericles, the Prince of Tyre, discovers the answer to the puzzle, but in doing so, he unearths the incestuous relationship between the king and his daughter. Pericles decides not to reveal the truth, and King Antiochus gives him forty days before his execution. When Antiochus hears that the prince has fled back to Tyre, he sends an assassin after him.At the advice of his councilor, Helicanus, Pericles plans to travel until Antiochus no longer wants to kill him. On his journeys he encounters a brutal storm that leaves him shipwrecked in Pentapolis.This play draws from many sources: Confessio Amantis by John Gower (who appears in the play as the chorus), The Odyssey, Sir Philip Sidney¿s Arcadia, and Plutarch¿s Lives. The themes of separated families and mistaken death refer back to Shakespeare¿s earlier plays, like The Comedy of Errors.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
Duke Vincentio has given his deputy Angelo temporary power over Vienna before his leave for a diplomatic mission. But instead of leaving the city, the Duke disguises himself as a friar named Lodowick, and stays behind to observe the city¿s happenings and Angelös brief reign.Meanwhile, Angelo decides to enforce the laws on prostitution and debauchery, effectively shutting down the red-light district. A man named Claudio gets arrested for impregnating his lover, and Angelo sentences him to death. Claudiös sister enlists a certain friar¿s help to trick Angelo into releasing her brother.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
Against the advice of his counselors, Richard II has been taking money from England¿s coffers and spending it on fashion and close friends. In order to continue his wasteful spending, he raises taxes on the commoners and leases portions of English land to wealthy noblemen. He also sees an opportunity to seize more land and money after hearing news of John of Gaunt¿s failing health.King Richard arrives at Windsor Castle to settle a dispute between Henry Bolingbroke, the Duke of Hereford and son of John of Gaunt, and Thomas Mowbray, the Duke of Norfolk. Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray of numerous counts of treason: embezzling funds for Richard¿s soldiers, conspiring against the king for the past eighteen years, and murdering the Duke of Gloucester. Mowbray denies these charges and claims to have repented for any wrongs he has caused in the past. John of Gaunt tries to convince the two to reconcile, but his attempts fall on deaf ears. Richard determines that a trial by combat will settle the matter.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
Dramo pri supernorma fiero, civilaj perturboj kaj la amo de patrino al filo, Koriolano estas la plej lasta el la tragedioj de ¿ekspiro kaj inter la plej potencaj. La roma generalo Koriolano turnas sian dorson konträ siaj sam¿tatanoj kiam la popolo malakceptas lin kiel konsulon. Sed lia ven¿a milito konträ Romo fini¿as kiam liaj familianoj petegas lian indulgon kaj li ne kapablas rezisti iliajn petojn. Rezulte, Romo estas savita sed Koriolano estas humile murdita.Jam ekzistas longa kaj impona tradicio de tradukado de ¿ekspiro en Esperanton - tradicio fondita de Zamenhof mem kaj därigita de renomaj poetoj, kiel ekzemple Kalocsay, Auld kaj Rossetti. Nun aldoni¿as al tiu listo Marjorie Boulton. -Humphrey Tonkin
The young venetian noble Bassanio seeks to woo the beautiful heiress Portia of Belmont. He turns to his friend, a merchant named Antonio, who agrees to help him financially. They go to a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who agrees to lend the money¿but because of their mutual animosity, Shylock demands ¿A pound of flesh¿ from Antonio as collateral.Bassanio succeeds in winning Portiäs hand. Meanwhile, Antoniös ships are reported lost at sea, and he defaults on the loan. Bassanio rushes back to Venice to help his benefactor where everything comes to a head in Court.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
In the Italian city of Padua, a young gentleman named Lucentio comes to study at one of the city¿s colleges. As is often the fate of men in Shakespeare¿s plays, Lucentio falls in love at first sight. The object of his affection, Bianca, is the beautiful and docile daughter of a rich merchant. Her father, Baptista Minola, has declared that no one can marry Bianca until her older sister Katharina has been married first.Katharina is the polar opposite of her sister: vicious, foul-tempered, sharp-tongued, and stubborn. Any man in her vicinity is at risk of receiving her brutal insults and physical attacks. It¿s no surprise that no man wants to marry her¿or that¿s what she believes, until an equally difficult man named Petruchio arrives in Padua.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
The Tempest, thought to be one of the last plays that Shakespeare wrote alone, begins with a storm which shipwrecks the king of Naples and his crew. We quickly learn that the tempest was not a natural occurence; it was created by Prospero, the usurped duke of Milan who is stranded on a nearby island, with the help of Ariel, a spirit in his service. The rest of the play explores the relationships between the shipwrecked crew, Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and a native of the island: a half human, half monster called Caliban.Though this play is traditionally classified as a comedy, more modern scholarship, out of a desire to highlight the dramatic elements of some of Shakespeare¿s comedies, created a genre subgroup called the ¿late romances.¿ The Tempest is included in that subgroup.This Standard Ebooks edition is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright¿s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
Banished from Duke Senior's court, young Rosalind flees to the Forest of Arden along with Duke Senior's daughter, her cousin Celia. Disguised as the handsome Ganymede and simple shepherdess Aliena, the two hide from her cruel uncle and hope for a new life.Nearby, the dashing Orlando is also seeking shelter in the forest, far from his malicious brother Oliver and the feud that began with a wrestling match but has escalated into a plot against his life. Heartbroken at being away from his beloved Rosalind, he encounters 'Ganymede', who promises to cure Orlando with love lessons.Meanwhile, local shepherdess Phoebe also has her eye on Ganymede, despite the advances of smitten shepherd Silvius. As the hopes and dreams of the group entangle with one another, can everyone get what they truly want?
When Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, hears rumours of his late father's ghost being sighted around the castle, he seeks out the impossible. Upon finding the apparition of the late King, he receives a schocking revelation: his father was murdered.If that terrible betrayal wasn't enough, the King claims that his murderer is none other than Hamlet's own uncle Claudius; his mother's new husband and new King of Denmark. Furious, Hamlet swears to avenge his father, and devises a plot to feign madness in order to reveal the truth and enact his revenge. But Claudius has his own plans, and soon a chain of events is set in motion that brings devastation to the entire court.
Threatened with life in a convent or a death penalty, rebellious Hermia defies her father's wishes to marry Demetrius and plans to elope with her true love, Lysander. She confides in her best friend Helena, unaware that she secretly loves Demetrius. In the hopes of winning his heart, Helena confesses the plan to Demetrius and all four escape to the forest, setting in motion a night of magic and mayhem that will change them forever.Deep in the forest, an argument between Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, has unexpected consequences when the effects of a magical plant causes Titania to fall in love with an enchanted stranger. When the four lovers cross paths with the fairy king, the plant's magic is once again put to use, but a simple mistake results in a hilarious miscommunication.
In 11th century Scotland, Macbeth receives a prophecy that he will become king. Three witches promise Macbeth that he will rise in the military to become Thane of Cawdor before ascending to the throne. But his fellow soldier Banquo receives a message of his own: his sons will, too, become kings.Upon their return, Macbeth is indeed promoted to Thane of Cawdor, and when his ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, hears of his promotion, they both become convinced that the prophecy is indeed true, and she vows to help him become King of Scotland - by any means necessary.The Macbeths' pursuit of power leads them down a dark and bloody path of murder and increasing paranoia, unravelling both Macbeth's mind and his reign as the witches' prophecies take hold.
'Shakespeare invented the human as we continue to know it' Harold BloomSet in a city torn apart by feuds and gang warfare, Shakespeare's immortal drama tells the story of star-crossed lovers, rival dynasties and bloody revenge. Romeo and Juliet is a hymn to youth and the thrill of forbidden love, charged with sexual passion and violence, but also a warning of death: a dazzling combination of bawdy comedy and high tragedy. Used and Recommended by the National TheatreGeneral Editor Stanley WellsEdited by T. J. B. Spencer Introduction by Adrian Poole
After years of bitter war, Pedro and his loyal soldiers, Benedick and Claudio, are welcomed back to Messina as celebrated guests by Don Pedro. Sweet Hero and her loyal cousin Beatrice greet the newcomers, and as soon as Hero meets Claudio, they both fall in love at first sight and agree to get married.However, opinionated Beatrice immediately clashes with smug, self-proclaimed bachelor Benedick in an exchange of wits that leaves them both with one conclusion: the other is insufferable. Convinced that they are perfect for each other, their friends hatch a plan to make the two fall in love, but elsewhere in town, someone is plotting against lovers Hero and Claudio.
The New Oxford Shakespeare edition of Romeo and Juliet provides a fresh and authoritative introduction to one of Shakespeare's most famous tragedies.
The New Oxford Shakespeare edition of The Tempest provides a friendly yet authoritative introduction to Shakespeare's famous play.
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