What do you think?
Rate this book
Ромео и Джульетта. Гамлет. Отелло. Король Лир. Макбет
Уильям Шекспир (1561—1616) — английский поэт, драматург и актер, по праву считающийся величайшим писателем эпохи Возрождения. Его исторические хроники, потрясающие своей достоверностью, античные драмы, величайшие трагедии и восхитительные комедии не знают себе равных и по сей день не сходят с мировых сцен. В настоящее издание вошли 5 знаменитых трагедий У. Шекспира — «Ромео и Джульетта», «Гамлет, принц Датский», «Отелло, венецианский мавр», «Король Лир» и «Макбет».
- GenresClassicsPlaysShakespeare
508 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1902
11 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
William Shakespeare
27.7k books47.1k followersWilliam Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".
Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men after the ascension of King James VI and I of Scotland to the English throne. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs, and even certain fringe theories as to whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminge and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 23, 2025
Richard III by William Shakespeare
There are multiple adaptations of Richard III – one of the latest has Ian McKellen portraying the infamous king as a Nazi dictator, although the swastika is changed into a different symbol, with the intention perhaps to make the symbol more general, standing in for any tyranny.
In the world we have today, Richard III would make many listeners, viewers or readers of the play think of the Orange Donald, who, although not as villainous as the Duke of Gloucester – at least not openly – but given that he leads the most powerful nation on earth, his nefarious ways would have much more impact.
“Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.”
These are some of the greatest lines ever written and rendered by Laurence Olivier, in the Old Vic Theater production, they become glorious- they are probably available on the BBC site.
It is a sign of progress – perhaps – but also an indication that the world is changing in some bizarre direction to see that works of Shakespeare are – if not yet banned – marked by some politically correct activists for different causes.
Richard III is one of the ultimate negative heroes, a Super Villain, for he declares his intentions openly, early on: I am determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Perhaps one of the most extraordinary scenes is the one in which the Duke of Gloucester seduces the widow of the man he had killed, although she rejects and spits on him to begin with.
Some would see this as the measure of the infamy of this evil, vicious, perverted man, while others could condemn the ease with which the woman transforms from a grieving, suffering human being to a companion for a murderer.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester insists that his love for Lady Anne Neville alone, widow of Edward of Westminster, is the reason why he acted as he did and therefore he should be not just forgiven, but promoted to her bedchamber.
No matter what we feel about the hero – who is one of the most loathsome, despicable, abominable, abhorrent (and the list can go on) characters in literature – the act of conquering Anne Neville is also one of the most shocking one can read about.
There is of course the image of Henry VIII – together with some other exemplary dark knights, agent of evil – who has killed not only a few of his many wives, but so many of his opponents, those who resisted his change of religion.
To get the ultimate power, ascend on the throne of England, the repugnant, vile Duke of Gloucester is prepare to do anything, kill his relatives, the children who might later threaten and challenge his legitimacy…
“Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devised at first to keep the strong in awe.”
If we think about history in contemporary terms, we could think about fake news and the values that people fight for today- for instance the aforementioned of the free, democratic world is a sad modern version of Richard III:
The Donald loves tyrants like Kim of North Korea, Xi and Putin – examples come from other places: Duterte or Abdel Fatah al-Sisi – expresses admiration for their intelligence and their hold on power, for he would like to be elected for life in the United States.
The values have been distorted, as Richard III dismissed conscience, truth, insisting on what we call now “fake news”, with people divided into two camps- those who support Trump are willing to accept him if he shoots someone on the street, while the rest have already had enough to wish him gone for good.
“And thus I clothe my naked villany
With old odd ends stolen out of holy writ;
And seem a saint, when most I play the devil.”
The above lines are about Richard III, but they could well describe Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Eduardo Duterte, Maduro, Erdogan, Kim Jong Un and so many others.
Recently, the remains of the former, vile king Richard III have been found in a parking lot, somewhere in Great Britain
There are multiple adaptations of Richard III – one of the latest has Ian McKellen portraying the infamous king as a Nazi dictator, although the swastika is changed into a different symbol, with the intention perhaps to make the symbol more general, standing in for any tyranny.
In the world we have today, Richard III would make many listeners, viewers or readers of the play think of the Orange Donald, who, although not as villainous as the Duke of Gloucester – at least not openly – but given that he leads the most powerful nation on earth, his nefarious ways would have much more impact.
“Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.”
These are some of the greatest lines ever written and rendered by Laurence Olivier, in the Old Vic Theater production, they become glorious- they are probably available on the BBC site.
It is a sign of progress – perhaps – but also an indication that the world is changing in some bizarre direction to see that works of Shakespeare are – if not yet banned – marked by some politically correct activists for different causes.
Richard III is one of the ultimate negative heroes, a Super Villain, for he declares his intentions openly, early on: I am determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Perhaps one of the most extraordinary scenes is the one in which the Duke of Gloucester seduces the widow of the man he had killed, although she rejects and spits on him to begin with.
Some would see this as the measure of the infamy of this evil, vicious, perverted man, while others could condemn the ease with which the woman transforms from a grieving, suffering human being to a companion for a murderer.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester insists that his love for Lady Anne Neville alone, widow of Edward of Westminster, is the reason why he acted as he did and therefore he should be not just forgiven, but promoted to her bedchamber.
No matter what we feel about the hero – who is one of the most loathsome, despicable, abominable, abhorrent (and the list can go on) characters in literature – the act of conquering Anne Neville is also one of the most shocking one can read about.
There is of course the image of Henry VIII – together with some other exemplary dark knights, agent of evil – who has killed not only a few of his many wives, but so many of his opponents, those who resisted his change of religion.
To get the ultimate power, ascend on the throne of England, the repugnant, vile Duke of Gloucester is prepare to do anything, kill his relatives, the children who might later threaten and challenge his legitimacy…
“Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devised at first to keep the strong in awe.”
If we think about history in contemporary terms, we could think about fake news and the values that people fight for today- for instance the aforementioned of the free, democratic world is a sad modern version of Richard III:
The Donald loves tyrants like Kim of North Korea, Xi and Putin – examples come from other places: Duterte or Abdel Fatah al-Sisi – expresses admiration for their intelligence and their hold on power, for he would like to be elected for life in the United States.
The values have been distorted, as Richard III dismissed conscience, truth, insisting on what we call now “fake news”, with people divided into two camps- those who support Trump are willing to accept him if he shoots someone on the street, while the rest have already had enough to wish him gone for good.
“And thus I clothe my naked villany
With old odd ends stolen out of holy writ;
And seem a saint, when most I play the devil.”
The above lines are about Richard III, but they could well describe Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Eduardo Duterte, Maduro, Erdogan, Kim Jong Un and so many others.
Recently, the remains of the former, vile king Richard III have been found in a parking lot, somewhere in Great Britain
June 12, 2022
I haven't read Shakespeare since college. After so many years, I have an entirely different perception of the language and the stories. Such historic classics, how can they be anything but a 5?
Read
April 3, 2008(Romeo and Juliet review)
"For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare is about two star crossed lovers. Romeo Montague is the only heir to the Montague family. Juliet Capulet is only child of Lord and Lady Capulet. At the beginning of the play Juliet is almost 14 but she still behaves like a child.Romeo believes he is in love with Rosaline and he is depressed that she does not love him back.His friends coax him to crash a Capulet party but the only reason he goes is Rosaline's name was on the guest list. Meanwhile Juliet's father is arranging a marriage between her and County Paris.Juliet had never before given much thought on the subject of marriage tells her mother that she will try to see if she can love him.At the party Romeo sees Juliet and instantly falls in love with her. Rosaline, of course, slips from Romeo’s mind at first sight of Juliet. They end up kissing without knowing that they are enemies. Later on Juliet's nurse tells Romeo who Juliet was. Infatuated with Juliet, Romeo goes to her window and proclaims his love to her. Later on Friar Lawrence marries them in secret in hopes that they may bring peace to Verona. After their wedding Tybalt , Juliet's cousin, challenges Romeo to a duel. He refuses to fight his bride's cousin and Mercutio fights Tybalt instead. Romeo steps in between them to attempt to stop the fight and Mercutio is stabbed while Romeo is holding him back.Angered by his friends death he kills Tybalt. Because he killed Tybalt he is banished to Mantua. Juliet finds out about all of this that night and instead of crying for Tybalt's death she cries for Romeo's banishment. Her parents think she is grieving for her cousin's death so they plan to have her wed to County Paris in two weeks. To keep her marriage with Romeo pure she hatches a plan with Friar Lawrence to get out of her wedding with Paris.( I am not going to write any more on the summary because this is turning into an essay)
Romeo and Juliet is a really deep story/play with multiple themes. One is the inevitability of fate. Even though the couple tried to have the fairytale ending fate conspires against them. For example the tragic timing of Romeo’s suicide and Juliet’s awakening.If Friar Lawrence’s plan had worked they would have been living happily in Mantua instead of dead in each others arms.The timing of the whole scheme was off by minutes.A major symbol in the story was the poison Juliet took. All though it was only imitating death it brought around Romeo' -and subsequently Juliet's- suicide.As this example shows, human beings tend to cause death even without intending to.
William Shakespeare wrote this to show that people and their actions are not inherently good or evil.
"For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare is about two star crossed lovers. Romeo Montague is the only heir to the Montague family. Juliet Capulet is only child of Lord and Lady Capulet. At the beginning of the play Juliet is almost 14 but she still behaves like a child.Romeo believes he is in love with Rosaline and he is depressed that she does not love him back.His friends coax him to crash a Capulet party but the only reason he goes is Rosaline's name was on the guest list. Meanwhile Juliet's father is arranging a marriage between her and County Paris.Juliet had never before given much thought on the subject of marriage tells her mother that she will try to see if she can love him.At the party Romeo sees Juliet and instantly falls in love with her. Rosaline, of course, slips from Romeo’s mind at first sight of Juliet. They end up kissing without knowing that they are enemies. Later on Juliet's nurse tells Romeo who Juliet was. Infatuated with Juliet, Romeo goes to her window and proclaims his love to her. Later on Friar Lawrence marries them in secret in hopes that they may bring peace to Verona. After their wedding Tybalt , Juliet's cousin, challenges Romeo to a duel. He refuses to fight his bride's cousin and Mercutio fights Tybalt instead. Romeo steps in between them to attempt to stop the fight and Mercutio is stabbed while Romeo is holding him back.Angered by his friends death he kills Tybalt. Because he killed Tybalt he is banished to Mantua. Juliet finds out about all of this that night and instead of crying for Tybalt's death she cries for Romeo's banishment. Her parents think she is grieving for her cousin's death so they plan to have her wed to County Paris in two weeks. To keep her marriage with Romeo pure she hatches a plan with Friar Lawrence to get out of her wedding with Paris.( I am not going to write any more on the summary because this is turning into an essay)
Romeo and Juliet is a really deep story/play with multiple themes. One is the inevitability of fate. Even though the couple tried to have the fairytale ending fate conspires against them. For example the tragic timing of Romeo’s suicide and Juliet’s awakening.If Friar Lawrence’s plan had worked they would have been living happily in Mantua instead of dead in each others arms.The timing of the whole scheme was off by minutes.A major symbol in the story was the poison Juliet took. All though it was only imitating death it brought around Romeo' -and subsequently Juliet's- suicide.As this example shows, human beings tend to cause death even without intending to.
William Shakespeare wrote this to show that people and their actions are not inherently good or evil.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2007
there's one red thin-line I recently acknowledge of Shakespeare "character murdered" from his books: he always uses poisonous herbs as a toxic ingredient, and I think it's cool. jes clean death, complimented with luxurious time to contemplate what's "what" and who's "who".
honestly I haven't finished reading these whole 5 tragedies. I miss MacBeth and Othello.
honestly I haven't finished reading these whole 5 tragedies. I miss MacBeth and Othello.
April 29, 2008
SHAKESPEARE RULES ALL!!!!! He is the brilliant masterminded genius of literary prose back in his era. He may be a bit hard to understand if you have never taken a class on hiw works, but, after years and years of having to study Shakespeare, I understand his works quite well, and they are beautiful. Happy reading!
July 16, 2008
I am always currently reading these. I have finished them I don't know how many times, and seen them I don't know how many times. I am never done with them. There is always more to read. Always more to find. So, yeah, if you haven't heard, Shakespeare: good writer.
September 25, 2008
The book King Lear was a good book. Everything turned out bad at the end but it wasnt what i expected, it was better. People who likes to read stories with morals in it should. The moral in this story was "what ever you do to some one comes back to you"
October 6, 2008
Hamlet is an all-time favorite- I could go on for days about this play, R&J is classic, Macbeth is incredibly dark... all great stuff
August 10, 2010
Makes no sense to review these five tragedies, so did I mention I prefer Shakespeare than Cervantes? Not need to choose, true, and a play is not the same thing as a novel, but even so...
April 15, 2010
AWESOME. Great classics
September 30, 2012
very nice story
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews