Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is probably the best known poet and playwright of the English language. He is considered by many to be the greatest poet and dramatist of all time. The plays he wrote nearly four hundred years ago for a small theater in London are now performed in more countries and more often than those of any other playwright. His works can be divided into comedies, histories, and tragedies. In his tragedies, such as Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, Shakespeare explored the depths of human existence, delving into issues of morality, character, and spirit. He was especially sensitive to the problems of individual responsibility in the exercise of power, underscoring the conflicting aspects of loyalty to family, friends, God, and country. These themes are particularly prevalent in his historical dramas such as Richard II and Henry V.

Bibliography

Works by the Author

Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1949.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York, E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1922.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Vision, 1947.

Shakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1946.

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York, E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Pericles. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. King John. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Anthony and Cleopatra. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Merry Wives of Windsor. New York, E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Twelfth Night. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Love's Labours Lost. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1934.

Shakespeare, William. Richard II. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV. Pts. I & II. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1934.

Shakespeare, William. Henry V. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1935.

Shakespeare, William. Coriolanus. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1934.

Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Philadelphia: The Blakiston Company, 1936.

Shakespeare, William. Mr. William Shakespeare's Commedies, Histories, and Tragedies. Edited by Helge Kokeritz. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1954.

Works about the Author

Granville-Barker, Harley. Prefaces to Shakespeare. 2 Vols. Princeton: The Princeton University Press, 1946.

Ridley, M.R. William Shakespeare: A Commentary. New York: E.P. Dutton & Company of New York, 1936.

Hankins, John Erskine. The Character of Hamlet and other Essays. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1941.

Schucking, Levin L. The Meaning of Hamlet. Translated by Graham Rawson. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1937.

Flatter, Richard. Hamlet's Father. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949.

Wordsworth, Charles. Shakespeare's Knowledge and Use of The Bible. 3d ed. London: Smith, Elder, & Company, 1880.

West, Rebecca. The Court and the Castle: Some Treatment of a Recurrent Theme. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1957.

Prouty, Charles T. The Sources of Much Ado About Nothing. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1950.

Spencer, Theodore. Shakespeare and the Nature of Man. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1945.

Source

The biographical material about the author originally appeared on The Goodrich Room: Interactive Tour website.