"In Cymbeline, Ancient Britain's female heir to the throne is slandered by a decadent Italian while the Romans invade Britain to retain it as part of their empire. Shakespeare's late romance is full of unpredictable conjunctions that are explored in the comprehensive introduction to this new, fully-illustrated Arden edition. Valerie Wayne takes a transformative look at the play's critical and performance history by examining its attention to gender,...

Based on the 1997 Royal National Theatre production, widely considered the finest staging of King Lear in the past decade, Ian Holm 'touches greatness' (N.Y. Times) in Shakespeare's most sublime and difficult role.

William Shakespeare's bitter tragedy about a foolish king who divides his realm between two ungrateful daughters, presented here in both quarto and folio versions.

"King Lear of Britain has decided to divide his kingdom into three parts, and to hand over the responsibilities of ruling to his three daughters. The two oldest daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter their father insincerely, and are rewarded. Cordelia, the youngest, sincerely loves her father, but she cannot match her sisters' skill at false adulation. The king takes away her portion of the kingdom, despite the pleadings of some of his most loyal...