The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare, John Jowett (Editor), William Montgomery (Editor)

The second Oxford edition of Shakespeare's Complete Works reconsiders every detail of their text and presentation in the light of modern scholarship. The nature and authority of the early documents are re-examined, and the canon and chronological order of composition freshly established. Spelling and punctuation are modernized, and there is a brief introduction to each work, as well as an illuminating and informative General Introduction. Included here for the first time is the play The Reign of King Edward the Third as well as the full text of Sir Thomas More. This new edition also features an essay on Shakespeare's language by David Crystal, and a bibliography of foundational works.

Genres: Classics, Plays, Poetry, Literature, Fiction, Shakespeare

1344 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2005

About the author

William 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".

Reviews

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In just under a year, I made my way through Shakespeare's entire canon: plays, poems and collaborative efforts. Naturally, it was an impressive compilation, but Shakespeare is one of those authors best remembered, though not necessarily best served, by the "greatest hits" treatment. Viewing Shakespeare, as so many often do, by the best tragedies, comedies, histories and almost none of the collaborations or problem plays, one gets the impression of the immortal, demigodlike Bard of Avon, a divine creative force who could do no wrong and sprung fully grown from the brain of the gods. However, seeing his plays in context and in chronological order, it's clear to see the development of a truly gifted artist, one with his own process, foibles and occasional shortcomings. Strongly recommended for any fans of literature, poetry, cultural history or the arts in general.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only my Goodreads friends can understand my joy and excitement about finding this book which closely resembles the one I got 50 years ago at Brooklyn College. It was required for Professor Daniel C. Boughner's Shakespeare class - an experience I will never forget: spending an hour a week with a true Shakespeare scholar.
The original text was lost somewhere among my 15 changes of address - but never forgotten. Now, I can again turn to the Bard whenever I want or need to do so!

[Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hamlet (03/23/2023)

Henry IV, Part 1 (03/25/2023)
Henry IV, Part 2 (03/26/2023)

Othello (03/28/23): Had a very different experience with this compared to the previous two. I had little to no difficulty in reading, and the dramatic situation was always clear to me. Was extremely riveting.

King Lear (03/29/2023)

Macbeth (03/30/2023)

Antony and Cleopatra (04/05/2023)

The Two Gentlemen of Verona (07/22/23): Launce and Crab the dog!

The Taming of the Shrew (07/26/23)

The Comedy of Errors (07/31/23)

1 Henry VI (08/02/23)

2 Henry VI (08/07/23)

3 Henry VI (08/08/23)

King John (09/04/23)

Richard III (09/07/23)

[Jenetta Haim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kept me busy for hours as a teenager. Loved it.

[Márcia]

11 July 2016
Twelfth Night or, What You Will: 4 stars