William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night is a comedy. In medieval and Tudor times, the 'Twelfth Night' was the end of a winter festival that started on 31 October (All Hallows Eve, or as we know it today, Halloween). Mulled cider was drunk, and special pastries baked, and a king and queen (who could have been servants in charge for the night) ruled the festival until the clock struck midnight. People expected a topsy-turvy evening, with singing and clowning about, when the normal order of things was reversed, and the Lord of Misrule symbolised the world turning upside down. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, with its rebellious gender jokes, crossdressing, practical jokes, daft costumes, moonstruck lovers and comic revenge would have been amusing for audiences. Today we study the play to understand the language and appreciate the play's entertaining nature, and we enjoy the farcical mixing- up of men and women, and the funny characters such as Malvolio. This new edition includes the complete text with explanatory notes, Shakespeare's language, and themes, and also explores typical exam themes and questions.

In this new edition of Shakespeare's most controversial comedy The Merchant of Venice, the merchant Antonio - on behalf of his friend Bassano - seeks a loan from Shylock. The loan is required to impress an heiress. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender whom Antonio has always treated with the utmost contempt, and Antonio is to honour the debt with a pound of the merchant's own flesh. When Antonio defaults on the loan, Shylock prepares to take his gruesome revenge - only to find that the law is a knife that can cut two ways. The play explores prejudice, tolerance and the true nature of justice. This new edition includes the complete text with explanatory notes and a full introduction that describes the setting, summarises the plot and profiles the main characters. It discusses Shakespeare's language and the play's themes. It gives typical essay and test questions to help students prepare for exams.

Othello is one of the most powerful of Shakespeare's tragedies. It is a thrilling drama about love and hate, trust and betrayal, jealousy and revenge. With its complex themes, and compelling language, it speaks directly to today's audiences and sparks vigorous debate. This new edition includes the complete text with explanatory notes and a full introduction that describes the setting, summarises the plot and profiles the main characters. It discusses Shakespeare's language and the play's themes, and it gives typical essay and test questions to help students prepare for exams. Angela Sheehan, who introduces the play, is a Shakespeare enthusiast. She has had a distinguished career editing encyclopedias, educational texts and reference books for children, and published The Best-Loved Plays of Shakespeare and the Shakespeare for Everyone series.

Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's finest plays, and presents a man's conscience and the effect of guilt on his mind. A dark and bloody play, Macbeth explores reality and illusion; witchcraft and the supernatural; ambition and kingship; the natural order; light and life, darkness and death; blood and dead babies. Written just after the Gunpowder Plot, and at a time when people were often tried for treason, Macbeth makes much of the beliefs of an extremely superstitious age. King James 1 believed in demons conjured by devils and wild women who could fly through the air, raise storms and tell the future. Their prime purpose was to create havoc and corruption. Whether or not Shakespeare shared these beliefs, all are featured in Macbeth to spine chilling effect. This new edition includes the complete text with explanatory notes and a full introduction that describes the setting, summarises the plot and profiles the main characters. It discusses Shakespeare's language and the play's themes, and it gives typical essay and test questions to help students prepare for exams. Includes: Introduction The Story of Macbeth The Play's Characters Themes and Language Examining the Play The Play Notes throughout