One of Shakespeare’s early comedies, “The Merry Wives of Windsor” was first published in 1602 and is believed to have been written sometime before 1597. It is unique among his plays for its exclusive focus on the middle class of Elizabethan England, though it is nominally set during the reign of Henry IV. The main character is a fat knight, Sir John Falstaff, who first appeared in Shakespeare’s plays “Henry IV, Part I” and “Henry IV, Part II.” Falstaff tries to woo two married women for money,...
One of Shakespeare's early comedies, «The Merry Wives of Windsor» is unique among the plays for its exclusive focus on the middle class of Elizabethan England. The main character is a fat knight, Sir John Falstaff, who tries to woo two married women for money. They quickly discover his scheming and trick him numerous times in return, creating memorable, humorous scenes at Falstaff's expense. An additional thread is woven into the story concerning the daughter of one of the wives, who...
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.‘In black ink my love may still shine bright…’Universally admired and quoted, Shakespeare’s Sonnets have love, beauty and the passing of time at their heart. Featuring some of the best-known and best-loved lines in the history of poetry (‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’, ‘Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds’), these evocative sonnets explore passion, the fleeting nature of beauty...
HarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.Bianca is beautiful and demure, with a plethora of wood-be suitors, but marriage is forbidden until her older sister Katherina finds a suitable match. The hitch? Fiery Katherina has sworn to deny the hand or demands of any would-be suitor. That is, until she meets her match in the wily Petrucio. As Katherina’s own sharp tongue is met by Petrucio’s feigned cruelty, the ‘shrew’ apparently capitulates. Or does...
"The Taming of the Shrew" is one Shakespeare's finest comedic efforts. It is the tale of Lucentio who is in love with Bianca, unfortunately Bianca already has two other suitors and her father will not let her marry until her older ill-tempered sister, Katherine, is married. The second problem is remedied when Petruchio comes to town in search of a wife. Only interested in her money, Petruchio marries Katherine and returns with her to his country house to «tame» her, a task that...
A rough-and-tumble farce centered around a lively battle of the sexes, The Taming of the Shrew brims with action and bawdy humor. The unconventional romance between a lusty fortune-hunter and a bitter shrew unfolds to the accompaniment of witty, fast-paced dialogue and physical humor in this excellent introduction to Shakespearean comedy.The freebooter Petruchio arrives in Padua to hear of Katharina, a beautiful heiress whose waspish rants and caustic personality have repelled all attempts at...
