In 1603 the King of Scotland, James VI became King of England in succession to Queen Elizabeth. His father had been murdered and his mother, Mary Queen of Scots, had been beheaded. James, two years after he came to England, uncovered Guy Fawkes's plot. In these troubled times witches and witchcraft flourished, fascinating king and commoner alike. Against this background of sorcery, treason and violence, somewhere about the year 1605, Shakespeare wove...

One of Shakespeare’s most frequently performed comedies, Much Ado About Nothing includes two quite different stories of romantic love. Hero and Claudio fall in love almost at first sight, but an outsider, Don John, strikes out at their happiness. Beatrice and Benedick are kept apart by pride and mutual antagonism until others decide to play Cupid. --Publisher

"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." --Amazon.ca.

"For the first time, the world-renowned Arden Shakespeare is producing Performance Editions, aimed specifically for use in the rehearsal room. Published in association with the Shakespeare Institute, the text features easily accessible facing page notes - including short definitions of words, key textual variants, and guidance on metre and pronunciation; a larger font size for easier reading; space for writing notes and reduced punctuation aimed at...

This edition includes freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play, with full explanatory notes, scene-by-scene plot summaries, and a key to famous lines and passages that make the Bard come to life for all readers.

This play examines the nature of mercy and justice, proposing that a good government is one that is flexible and based on common sense.

"Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well is the story of its heroine, Helen, more so than the story of Bertram, for whose love she yearns. Helen wins Bertram as her husband despite his lack of interest and higher social standing, but she finds little happiness in the victory as he shuns, deserts, and attempts to betray her. The play suggests some sympathy for Bertram. As a ward to the French king, he must remain at court while his friends go off to...

In this collection each play is accompanied by notes and an introduction, making this edition of particular value to students and theatre-goers.

In Othello, William Shakespeare creates powerful drama from a marriage between the exotic Moor Othello and the Venetian lady Desdemona that begins with elopement and mutual devotion and ends with jealous rage and death. Shakespeare builds many differences into his hero and heroine, including race, age, and cultural background. Yet most readers and audiences believe the couple's strong love would overcome these differences were it not for Iago, who...

"The noble Veronese houses of Montague and Capulet are locked in a bitter feud. When Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, fall in love they are swept up in a series of violent events and cruel twists of fortune"--Container.