The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

50559

Title

The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 3 of 9]

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume presents four of William Shakespeare's comedies: The Taming of the Shrew, All's Well That Ends Well, Twelfth Night, and The Winter's Tale. Edited by W.G. Clark and W.A. Wright, it offers a critical text based on exhaustive collation of early sources, including the 1623 First Folio and rare Quartos. The collection features extensive scholarly notes, variant readings, and historical context, making it an essential resource for students and enthusiasts of Shakespearean drama.

Summary up to 500 words

Volume III of the Cambridge Edition of Shakespeare's Works presents four significant comedies and tragicomedies that debuted in the 1623 First Folio. The volume opens with *The Taming of the Shrew*, a comedy featuring an induction where a tinker named Christopher Sly is tricked into believing he is a noble lord. The main plot follows Petruchio, a gentleman from Verona, as he pursues Katharina, a notoriously shrewish woman, in the city of Padua. Alongside Katharina is her sister Bianca, who attracts suitors Gremio and Hortensio, while Lucentio, son of the old gentleman Vincentio, also seeks Bianca's hand. The play explores themes of gender roles, deception, and the power dynamics between men and women. Next is *All's Well That Ends Well*, a complex romance centered on a low-born doctor's daughter who possesses the medical skill to cure a nobleman. Despite her father's objections, she marries the man she has healed, navigating a narrative filled with obstacles and eventual reconciliation. This play delves into issues of social class, merit versus birth, and the complexities of romantic entanglements. *Twelfth Night* follows, focusing on Viola, a shipwrecked woman who disguises herself as a man named Cesario to serve Duke Orsino. This disguise leads to a web of romantic confusion, as Viola develops feelings for Orsino while he sends her to woo the Countess Olivia. The play masterfully examines identity, the nature of love, and the fluidity of gender presentation, culminating in a resolution that restores order and happiness. The volume concludes with *The Winter's Tale*, a tragicomedy set in Sicilia and Bohemia. King Leontes suffers from a sudden, irrational jealousy that leads him to wrongly accuse his wife, Queen Hermione, of infidelity. This accusation causes a devastating rift that spans sixteen years, involving the death of their son and the exile of Hermione. The story eventually moves to a pastoral setting in Bohemia, where themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the passage of time allow for a miraculous reconciliation between the estranged couple and the restoration of their family. Throughout these works, Shakespeare demonstrates his mastery of character development and dramatic structure, exploring profound themes of love, deception, identity, and redemption.

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Categories

• Classics
• Drama