The dramatic concluding months of The Wars of the Rosesprovide the setting for Shakespeare’s incomparable saga of powerand intrigue. Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and EricRasmussen, two of today’s most accomplished Shakespearean scholars,this Modern Library series incorporates definitive texts andauthoritative notes from William Shakespeare: CompleteWorks. Each play includes an Introduction as well as anoverview of Shakespeare’s theatrical career; commentary on past andcurrent productions based on interviews with leading directors,actors, and designers; scene-by-scene analysis; key facts about thework; a chronology of Shakespeare’s life and times; andblack-and-white illustrations. Ideal for students, theater professionals, and general readers,these modern and accessible editions set a new standard inShakespearean literature for the twenty-first century.

A continuation of the major series of individualShakespeare plays from the world renowned Royal ShakespeareCompany, edited by two brilliant, younger generation Shakespeareanscholars Jonathan Bate and EricRasmussen Incorporating definitive text andcutting-edge notes from William Shakespeare: CompleteWorks -the first authoritative, modernized edition ofShakespeare's First Folio in more than 300 years-this remarkableseries of individual plays combines Jonathan Bate's insightfulcritical analysis with Eric Rasmussen's textual expertise.

This superb translation of Death in Venice and six otherstories by Thomas Mann is a tour de force, deserving to be thedefinitive text for English-speaking readers. These seven storiesrepresent Mann's early writing career and a level of literaryquality Mann himself despaired of ever again matching. In thesestories he began to grapple with themes that were to recurthroughout his work. In" Little Herr Friedemann, " a character'scarefully structured way of life is suddenly threatened by anunexpected sexual passion. In "Gladius Dei, " puritanical intellectclashes with beauty. In "Tristan, " Mann presents an ironic andcomic account of the tension between an artist and bourgeoissociety. All seven of these stories are accomplished and memorable,but it is Death in Venice that truly forms the centerpiece of thecollection. The themes that Mann weaves through the shorter piecescome to a climax in this stunning novella, one of the mosthauntingly magnificent tales of art and self-destruction everwritten.

Comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, performed in1598-99 and printed in a quarto edition from the author's fairpapers in 1600. The play takes an ancient theme--that of a womanfalsely accused of unfaithfulness--to brilliant comedic heights.Claudio is deceived by his jealous cousin into believing that hislover, Hero, is unfaithful--a plot unveiled by the bumblingconstables Dogberry and Verges. Meanwhile, Beatrice and Benedickhave "a kind of merry war" between them, matching wits in cleverrepartee that anticipates other playfully teasing literary couples.Each is tricked into believing that the other is in love, whichallows the true affection between them to grow. Both couples areunited at the end, after Hero's simulated resurrection from thedead. In this play Shakespeare eschewed devices of obvious magic ordisguise of sex, which he employed in other comedies; the wit andambiguity of the dialogue and the exquisite pacing of the actionsustain the play, which remains popular in repertory. -- TheMerria

Around the World in Eighty Days (French: Le tour du monde enquatre-vingts jours) is a classic adventure novel by the Frenchwriter Jules Verne, first published in 1872. In the story, PhileasFogg of London and his newly-employed French valet Passepartoutattempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a ￡20,000 wagerset by his friends at the Reform Club. Publisher Comments: Jules Verne Great excitement and awe greeted its publication in1873, and today Around the World in Eighty Days remains JulesVerne’s most successful novel. A daring wager by the eccentric andmysterious Englishman Phileas Fogg that he can circle the globe injust eighty days initiates this marvelous travelogue and excitingsuspense story. Together with his manservant, Passepartout, Foggmakes a breathless world tour, overcoming wild misadventures andfinding time to rescue a beautiful Indian maharani from a burningfuneral pyre—all the while restlessly pursued by a bumblingdetective called Mr. Fix. Realistically utilizing nearly everymean

Edith Wharton's masterpiece brings to life the grandeur and hypocrisy of a gilded age. Set among the very rich in 1870s New York, it tells the story of Newland Archer, a young lawyer engaged to marry virginal socialite May Welland, when he meets her cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska, a woman unbound by convention and surrounded by scandal. As all three are drawn into a love triangle filled with sensuality, subtlety, and betrayal, Archer faces a harrowing choice between happiness and the social code that has ruled his life. The resulting tale of thwarted love is filled with irony and surprise, struggle and acceptance. Recipient of the first Pulitzer Prize for fiction ever awarded to a woman, this great novel paints a timeless portrait of "society" still unmatched in American literature—an arbitrary, capricious social elite that professes inviolable standards but readily abandons them for greed and desire.

Shakespeare’s greatest achievement in nondramatic verse washis collection of 154 magnificent sonnets that portray a tumultuousworld of love, rivalry, and conflict among a poet, an aristocraticyoung man, a rival poet, and a mysterious “dark lady.” Moreprofound than other Elizabethan sonnet sequences and neversurpassed as archetypes of the form, these poems explore almostevery imaginable emotional complexity related to love andfriendship. Some poems are dark, bitter, and self-hating, othersexpress idealism with unmatchable eloquence–and all are ofquintessential beauty, part of the world’s great literaryheritage. In addition to his sonnets, Shakespeare published two long poemsearly in his career: Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece.Immediately popular in Shakespeare’s time, they display a richnessthat can also reward us with insights into the powerful imagery ofhis plays. Rounding out this volume are two minor poems, “A Lover’sComplaint” and “The Phoenix and Turtle,”

An American frigate, tracking down a ship-sinking monster,faces not a living creature but an incredible invention -- afantastic submarine commanded by the mysterious Captain Nemo.Suddenly a devastating explosion leaves just three survivors, whofind themselves prisoners inside Nemo's death ship on an underwaterodyssey around the world from the pearl-laden waters of Ceylon tothe icy dangers of the South Pole . . .as Captain Nemo, one of thegreatest villians ever created, takes his revenge on allsociety. More than a marvelously thrilling drama, this classic novel,written in 1870, foretells with uncanny accuracy the inventions andadvanced technology of the twentieth century and has become aliterary stepping-stone for generations of science fictionwriters.

Set in a topsy-turvy world like a holiday revel, this comedydevises a romantic plot around separated twins, misplaced passions,and mistaken identity. Juxtaposed to it is the satirical story of aself-deluded steward who dreams of becoming “Count Malvolio” onlyto receive his comeuppance at the hands of the merrymakers hewishes to suppress. The two plots combine to create a farce touchedwith melancholy, mixed throughout with seductively beautifulexplorations on the themes of love and time, and the play ends, notwith laughter, but with a clown’s sad song. Each Edition Includes: ? Comprehensive explanatory notes ? Vivid introductions and the most up-to-date scholarship ? Clear, modernized spelling and punctuation, enablingcontemporary readers to understand the Elizabethan English ? Completely updated, detailed bibliographies and performancehistories ? An interpretive essay on film adaptations of the play, alongwith an extensive filmography

At the beginning of Pudd'nhead Wilson a young slavewoman, fearing for her infant's son's life, exchanges herlight-skinned child with her master's. From this rathersimple premise Mark Twain fashioned one of his most entertaining,funny, yet biting novels. On its surface, Pudd'nheadWilson possesses all the elements of an engrossingnineteenth-century mystery: reversed identities, ahorrible crime, an eccentric detective, a suspenseful courtroomdrama, and a surprising, unusual solution. Yet it is nota mystery novel. Seething with the undercurrents ofantebellum southern culture, the book is a savage indictment inwhich the real criminal is society, and racial prejudice andslavery are the crimes. Written in 1894, Pudd'nheadWilson glistens with characteristic Twain humor, with suspense,and with pointed irony: a gem among the author's laterworks.

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Here is a portrait of greed, ambition, and squandered talent,as depicted in the lives of the very wealthy Anthony Patch and hiswillful wife Gloria.

Voltaire's shocking wit and biting portrayal of the eighteenthcentury church and aristocracy are now showcased in a newtranslation of Candide, a bestseller in its time and essentialreading for a deeper understanding of Voltaire and Enlightenmentthought. Preserving the text's provocative nature as well as itsaccuracy, Daniel Gordon has paid special attention to improving notonly the rendering of particular words, but to Voltaire's semanticovertones by amplifying the book's innuendo, enhancing Candide'sreadability and ensuring that readers will not miss bold featuresof the story. The introduction places Candide and Voltaire in theirhistorical context, relating the complexities of Voltaire's life tothe events, philosophy, and characters of Candide, showingprecisely why the Enlightenment is known as the Age ofVoltaire.

A pair of twins are separated by a shipwreck, each believing theother has drowned. A lovesick duke woos a countess deep in mourningfor her brother, while her rowdy household plots the downfall ofher puritanical steward. Disguise, confusion, and mistaken identityfollow in Shakespeare’s great comedy of love in all itsmanifestations. Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and EricRasmussen, two of today’s most accomplished Shakespearean scholars,this Modern Library series incorporates definitive texts andauthoritative notes from William Shakespeare: Complete Works. Eachplay includes an Introduction as well as an overview ofShakespeare’s theatrical career; commentary on past and currentproductions based on interviews with leading directors, actors, anddesigners; scene-by-scene analysis; key facts about the work; achronology of Shakespeare’s life and times; and black-and-whiteillustrations. Ideal for students, theater professionals, and general readers,these modern and accessible editions fro

These two history plays—one written in the early days ofShakespeare’s career and one at the very end—are alike in thecomplexity of their political vision. King John probes thenature of good and evil as self-interest and ruthless ambitionproceed unchecked while an unpopular ruler wages a brutal fight tokeep his throne. Henry VIII is a sumptuous spectacle of pompand ceremony, as well as an exploration of the mysterious ways inwhich the rise and fall from power of individuals led ultimately toEngland’s destiny as a Protestant nation.

Ranked among the classic novels of the English language andthe inspiration for several unforgettable movies, this early workof H. G. Wells was greeted in 1896 by howls of protest fromreviewers, who found it horrifying and blasphemous. They wanted toknow more about the wondrous possibilities of science shown in hisfirst book, "The Time Machine, "not its potential for misuse andterror. In "The Island of Dr. Moreau" a shipwrecked gentleman namedEdward Prendick, stranded on a Pacific island lorded over by thenotorious Dr. Moreau, confronts dark secrets, strange creatures,and a reason to run for his life. While this riveting tale wasintended to be a commentary on evolution, divine creation, and thetension between human nature and culture, modern readers familiarwith genetic engineering will marvel at Wells's prediction of theethical issues raised by producing "smarter" human beings orbringing back extinct species. These levels of interpretation add arichness to Prendick's adventures on Dr. Moreau's island o

Capturing the grandeur of a gracious, splendid Europe ofwealth and Old World sensibilities, this glorious, complex novelhas become a touchstone for a great writer’s entire literaryachievement. From the opening pages, when the high-spiritedAmerican girl Isabel Archer arrives at the English manorGardencourt, James’s luminous, superbly crafted prose creates anatmosphere of intensity, expectation, and incomparablebeauty. Isabel, who has been taken abroad by an eccentric aunt to fulfillher potential, attracts the passions of a British aristocrat and abrash American, as well as the secret adoration of her invalidcousin, Ralph Touchett. But her vulnerability and innocence leadher not to love but to a fatal entrapment in intrigue, deception,and betrayal. This brilliant interior drama of the forming of awoman’s consciousness makes The Portrait of a Lady a masterpiece ofJames’s middle years.

In The Tragedy of King Richard III, Shakespeare chronicles the rise and fall of one of history’s most repellent, and the theater’s most mesmerizing, figures. This Norton Critical Edition of Richard III is based on the First Quarto (1597) edition of the play with interpolations from the First Folio (1623). The play is accompanied by a preface, explanatory annotations, A Note on the Text, a list of Textual Variants, and eighteen illustrations of seminal scenes from major dramatic productions and film versions of the play. “Contexts” provides readers with the sources and analogues that informed Shakespeare’s composition of Richard III. These include excerpts from Robert Fabyan’s New Chronicles of England and France, Thomas More’s The History of King Richard III, Edward Hall’s The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Families of Lancaster and York, A Mirror for Magistrates, and The True Tragedy of Richard III. A selection from Colley Cibber’s eighteenth-century adaptation records the compr

As the citizens of Venice compete for advantageousmarriages, wealth, and status, a moneylender is intent on deadlyrevenge. Mistrust and resentment thrive in Shakespeare’s darkcomedy. Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and EricRasmussen, two of today’s most accomplished Shakespearean scholars,this Modern Library series incorporates definitive texts andauthoritative notes from William Shakespeare: Complete Works. Eachplay includes an Introduction as well as an overview ofShakespeare’s theatrical career; commentary on past and currentproductions based on interviews with leading directors, actors, anddesigners; scene-by-scene analysis; key facts about the work; achronology of Shakespeare’s life and times; and black-and-whiteillustrations. Ideal for students, theater professionals, and general readers,these modern and accessible editions from the Royal ShakespeareCompany set a new standard in Shakespearean literature for thetwenty-first century.

In 1895 Hardy's final novel, the great tale of JudetheObscure, sent shock waves of indignationrolling across VictorianEngland. Hardy haddared to write frankly about sexuality andtoindict the institutions of marriage, education,and religion. Buthe had, in fact, created a deeplymoral work. The stonemason JudeFawley is adreamer; his is a tragedy of unfulfilled aims.With histantalizing cousin Sue Bridehead, thelast and most extraordinary ofHardy's heroines,Jude takes on the world--and discovers,tragically,its brutal indifference.The most powerful expression ofHardy's philosophy,and a profound exploration of man'sessentialloneliness, Jude the Obscure is a great and beautifulbook."His style touches sublimity." --T. S. Eliot

From the author who gave us THE SCARLET LETTER and THE HOUSEOF THE SEVEN GABLES, here is a comprehensive selection of hisbest short stories, including: Endicott and the Red Cross Young Goodman Brown Earth's Holocaust Ethan Brand My Kinsman, Major Molineux And more!

Considered by some to be her finest work, Edith Wharton's Summer created a sensation when first published in 1917, as it was one of the first novels to deal honestly with a young woman's sexual awakening. Summer is the story of Charity Royall, a child of mountain moonshiners adopted by a family in a poor New England town, who has a passionate love affair with Lucius Harney, an educated man from the city. Wharton broke the conventions of women's romantic fiction by making Charity a thoroughly independent modern woman—in touch with her emotions and sexuality, yet kept from love and the larger world she craves by the overwhelming pressures of heredity and society. Praised for its realism and honesty by such writers as Joseph Conrad and Henry James and compared to Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Summer remains as fresh and powerful a novel today as when it was first written.

Uncertain of their standing in court and fearing for theirlives, Rosalind and Orlando are forced into exile in the Forest ofArden, only to become entangled in a beguiling game of love, lust,and mistaken identity. One of Shakespeare’s great comedies, As YouLike It subverts the traditional rules of romance, confusing genderroles, nature, and politics. Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and EricRasmussen, two of today’s most accomplished Shakespearean scholars,this Modern Library series incorporates definitive texts andauthoritative notes from William Shakespeare: Complete Works. Eachplay includes an Introduction as well as an overview ofShakespeare’s theatrical career; commentary on past and currentproductions based on interviews with leading directors, actors, anddesigners; scene-by-scene analysis; key facts about the work; achronology of Shakespeare’s life and times; and black-and-whiteillustrations. Ideal for students, theater professionals, and general readers,these modern and acces

To read a story by Henry James is to enter a world--a rich,perfectly crafted domain of vivid language and splendid, complexcharacters. Devious children, sparring lovers, capricious Americangirls, obtuse bachelors, sibylline spinsters and charming Europeanspopulate these five fascinating Nouvelles --works which representthe author in both his early and late phases. From the apparitionsof evil that haunt the governess in The Turn Of The Screw to thestartling self-scrutiny of an egotistical man in The Beast In TheJungle, the mysterious tumings of human behavior are skillfully andcoolly observed--proving Henry James to be a master ofpsychological insight as well as one of the finest stylists ofmodern English literature.