King Lear. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Romeo and Juliet. Macbeth. Othello, the Moor of Venice. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Merchant of Venice. Lovers of literature will immediately recognize these as signature dramas of William Shakespeare, whose plays still rank as the greatest works ever produced for the stage. More than four centuries after they were written, they have yet to be surpassed for their poetry and their insight into the human condition.

William Shakespeare: Complete Plays collects all thirty-seven of the immortal Bard’s comedies, tragedies, and historical plays. In this volume all of Shakespeare’s memorable characters—star-crossed lovers, majestic monarchs, wise fools, lovable rogues, treacherous villains, conflicted heroes, cagey heroines, and creatures magical and mythic—strut and fret their hour upon the stage. These characters, and the roles they play, have influenced virtually all literature written since. For readers who appreciate the emotional power of the written word, and the heights of humor and the depths of drama that can be encompassed by a single type of literature, William Shakespeare: Complete Plays is an indispensable collection of timeless masterpieces.