For each of Shakespeare's plays, provides an introduction, list of characters, plot summary, notes on reading the play, and notes on seeing the play. Also includes an introduction to Shakespeare and his time; a genre overview for each of the four types of play--history, comedy, tragedy, and romance; and overviews of selected non-dramatic poems.

"From leading Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro, [an] ... examination of what the world's greatest dramatist can teach us about life in an America riven by conflict"--

"As an aging, tenacious Elizabeth I clung to power, a talented playwright probed the social causes, the psychological roots, and the twisted consequences of tyranny. In exploring the psyche (and psychoses) of the likes of Richard III, Macbeth, Lear, Coriolanus, and the societies they rule over, Stephen Greenblatt illuminates the ways in which William Shakespeare delved into the lust for absolute power and the catastrophic consequences of its execution."--...

Presents the original text of Shakespeare's play side by side with a modern version, discusses the author and the theater of his time, and provides quizzes and other study activities.