William Shakespeare
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Irresponsibility of Youth-- The reign of King Henry IV is not going smoothly. He is at odds with the Percys and much of the nobility does not consider his son, Hal, a worthy successor to the crown. Hal, along with his best friend John Falstaff, spends too much of his time in taverns and in the company of the lowest members of society. But fate intercedes and Hal is given the opportunity to redeem himself. By heaven, methinks it were an easy leap To...
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The first play in William Shakespeare's tetralogy of plays which also includes "Henry IV, Part 1", "Henry IV, Part 2", and "Henry V", "Richard II" is believed to have been written around 1595. A history play, the drama concerns the last two years of the life of King Richard II of England, spanning the years 1398 to 1400. The drama begins with a dispute between Richard's cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, who would later become King Henry IV, and Thomas de...
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It's not that Shakespeare is a bad writer- he's obviously one of the greatest, the problem is his plays were written hundreds of years ago, and if you don't understand the context, the plays can be really confusing.
If you are struggling to get through Romeo and Juliet or if you just want a bit more help, then this book is for you!
Inside you will find summaries of each scene, overview of themes and characters, and even a modern version of the play...
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Usurped from this throne by his deceitful brother, Prospero, the Duke of Milan, conjures a tempest in order to lure his brother, Antonio, and Antonio's co-conspirator, King Alonso, to the duke's island hideaway. In so doing, Prospero reveals Antonio's true nature and restores himself and his daughter, Miranda, to their rightful places.
Known as "The Bard of Avon," William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest English-language writer known. Enormously...
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When Romeo, heartbroken and love-sick over Rosalind, meets Juliet, he falls in love almost instantly. Masked and unaware of her family origins, Romeo doesn't realize that Juliet is a Capulet-sworn enemies of his family, the Montagues. The lovers decide to escape their families' legacies and marry. Yet, it is not to be so-Juliet and her Romeo meet a tragic end, which finally unites their families and ends years of strife. Perhaps the most famous love...
86) King Henry VIII
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Loyalty and Heredity-- King Henry VIII covers the period of Henry's reign from shortly after he becomes king to the birth of Elizabeth, who would one day become queen and for whom the play was written. The firing of a cannon during the very first performance of this play caused a fire that burnt the Globe theater to the ground. Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot That it do singe yourself. We may outrun By violent swiftness that which we run at,...
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Spanning approximately fifty years beginning with the coronation of the king upon the death of Henry V and concluding with the fall of the House of Lancaster, William Shakespeare's Henry VI trilogy reveals the king's struggles under the pressures of prolonged wars with his foreign territories in France and Ireland, and the civil war that threatens his reign.
Strife within the English court escalates into the War of the Roses in Henry VI, Part II....
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One of Shakespeare's most frequently performed plays and regarded as maybe his best comedy, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is the story of the events surrounding the wedding of Theseus, Duke and Athens, and the Amazonian queen Hippolyta. At the outset of the play we find Hermia, who is in love with Lysander but is betrothed by her father's arrangement to Demetrius. Meanwhile Helena laments her unrequited love of Demetrius. Several parallel and interconnecting...
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The Taming of the Shrew: The 30-Minute Shakespeare offers eight scenes from this broad comedy. Opening with Petruchio and Kate's bawdy war of words, the drama continues with Bianca's courtship by Lucentio and Hortensio, disguised as pedants. The adaptation climaxes with the outlandish marriage scene, and Petruchio's relentless "taming" of Kate. The play ends with Kate's famous speech in praise of women's submission to their husbands, at once hilarious...
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Othello-a play full of secret marriage, evil villains, and revenge! It's often credited as one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies!. But if your like many people, you just don't get it! If you don't understand Shakespeare, then you are not alone.
If you have struggled in the past reading Shakespeare, then we can help you out. Our books and apps have been used and trusted by millions of students worldwide.
Plain and Simple English books, let you...
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Mercy and Justice- Measure for Measure is a play that balances Mercy against Justice and pride against humility. Vincentio, the Duke of Vienna, tells his people that he is leaving on a diplomatic mission and will leave the city in the care of a judge, Angelo. But, the Duke does not leave, he disguises himself and see how his fair city is run in his absence. No ceremony that to great ones 'longs, Not the king's crown, nor the deputed sword, The marshal's...
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William Shakespeare's Henry V is the historical English drama of its title character. King Henry V ascends to the throne of England following the death of his father at the beginning of the play. The King soon makes a claim to parts of France based on some distant ancestral ties. When Dauphin, prince of France responds insultingly to Henry's claim, King Henry V orders England to invade France and the two nations soon find themselves at war.
94) Venus and Adonis
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Classic Books Library presents this new beautiful edition of William Shakespeare's narrative poem, "Venus and Adonis". Featuring a specially commissioned new biography of William Shakespeare, it is a must for Shakespeare enthusiasts and newcomers alike. The poem intertwines comedy with tragedy to tell the tale of Venus's obsession with the handsome Adonis, whose affections even the goddess of love cannot hold. It explores the pain of unrequited love...
95) El Rey Lear
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La trágica historia del anciano rey, la ingratitud filial, la locura, el despojo, el engaño, el desilusionado amor paterno, se muestran con tal intensidad −reflejada incluso en el clima− que sobrecogen y conmueven profundamente. El universo de Lear está lleno de contradicciones: donde se debiera respetar la autoridad, se atropella; donde los hijos debiesen honrar a sus padres, los ignoran o traicionan; donde la legitimidad debiese prevalecer...
96) The Longer Poems
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Although we know him best as a playwright, Shakespeare was also a poet, living as he did in an age when the writing of verse enhanced an author's literary reputation as well as his social standing. It's thought that he turned to poetry early in his career, from 1592-94, while London's playhouses were closed during an outbreak of plague. This collection contains four of the Bard's longer poems, consisting of meditations on the themes of sex, guilt,...
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Friendship and Greed!-- Timon is a wealthy and generous man. Over the length of the play we watch as he slowly gives away his entire fortune. Then we witness the tragedy of a man who comes to realize that he has no friends now that he has no money. "Here lies a wretched corse, Of wretched soul bereft: Seek not my name: a Plague consume you wicked Caitiffs left! Here lie I, Timon; who, alive, all living men did hate: Pass by and curse thy fill, but...
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With over 500 offerings from the most quoted writer in the English language, this modestly priced volume provides a luxurious assortment of memorable and profound thoughts. Conveniently arranged by topic, the source of each quote is fully identified for subjects ranging from love and marriage to truth, beauty, death, music, and more. An ideal resource for writers, speakers, students of literature, and any lover of Shakespeare's works.
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Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, Hamlet, and Macbeth, the works of William Shakespeare still resonate in our imaginations four centuries after they were, written. The timeless characters and themes of the Bard's plays fascinate us with their joys, struggles, and triumphs, and now they are available in a single volume for Shakespeare fans. This edition of William Shakespeare's works includes all of his poems and plays in an elegant...
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William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale was one of the last plays that the playwright would write. A classic romance with elements of tragedy, The Winter's Tale is an audience favorite and is often performed. The story revolves around Leontes, the King of Sicilia, who mistakenly comes to believe that his wife has committed adultery. In the end the truth is discovered and the two reconcile against the backdrop of a happy wedding celebration.