An Oxford Anthology of Shakespeare

by William Shakespeare (Author), William Shakespeare (Author), Stanley W. Wells (Contributor), Stanley comp. Wells (Contributor)

• Used

  Hardcover
  1987

  $3.29

  In this elegantly-crafted anthology, readers have at their fingertips over two hundred of the finest examples of Shakespeare's work, ranging from two-line aphorisms, to sonnets, to complete scenes. Ideal for browsing, it allows readers to revisit favorite passages--Hamlet's soliloquy, the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet--or to discover unfamiliar gems. Above all, it permits readers to savor Shakespeare's unequalled capacity to portray the peaks and valleys of human experience. Here readers will rediscover Shakespeare's extraordinary ability to capture in words the hearts, minds, and imaginations of kings and peasants, wise men and fools, warriors and page-boys, statesmen and common thieves. And hear quintessential expressions of admiration and vituperation, villainy and virtue, grief, joy, and despair. It is unlikely that a selection from the work of any other writer could represent so wide a range of human experience. In creating this anthology, Stanley Wells--the General Editor of the Oxford Shakespeare--has tried to select those passages that are most attractive in their own right and that suffer least from being read out of context. For the reader's convenience, he has arranged the excerpts according to subject matter, under headings such as Friendship, Love, Hatred, Responsibility and Government, Time, Wisdom and Folly, and Death. For readers looking for a particular quotation, there is also a play-by-play index. Highlighted by some of the most memorable and moving moments in world literature, this anthology is also a masterpiece of craftsmenship, with exquisite endpapers, excellent typography, and high quality paper. It is a perfect gift for the aficionado of Shakespeare or for anyone who loves fine writing.

• Used

  Paperback
  1989

  $3.29

  In making the selection for this beautifully presented antology the editor has asked himself ' What are the passages from Shakespeare's plays and poems that are most attractive in their own right and that suffer least from being read out of context?' The result is a collection of some 200 of the finest examples of Shakespeare's work as a literary artist, varying in length from a few lines to a complete scene and arranged according to subject-matter. Shakespeare was the most protean of writers, so the range is great. Here we can experience Shakespeare's extraordinary capacity to body forth in words the minds, hearts, and imaginations of kings and peasants, fools and wise men, warriors and page-boys, statesmen and common thieves; and we can hear quintessential expressions of admiration and vituperation, villainy and virtue, grief, joy, and despair. It is unlikely that a selection from the work of any other writer could represent so wide a range of human experience. _ This anthology, based on the text of the Complete Oxford Shakespeare, includes an introduction by Stanley Wells; concise headnotes place the selection in context; and there is also a glossary and play-by-play index. This book is intended for students (GCSE level upwards) of Shakespeare; lovers of Shakespeare's works.