Shakespeare?s famous tragedy, describing how a lust for power and the prophecy of three witches transform a brave nobleman into a traitor and murderous tyrant, has mesmerised audiences since its first performance over four centuries ago. Macbeth?s temptation and descent into evil, his wife?s ruthlessness and subsequent madness and the overarching presence of the supernatural are brilliantly evoked in this BBC Radio archive production from 2000, directed...

'The Oxford Shakespeare' series offers authoritative texts from leading scholars in editions designed to interpret and illuminate classic works for modern readers. A detailed introduction considers composition, sources, and critical and theatrical history.

This edition of 'The Winter's Tale' provides a newly edited text, an introduction that takes into account current critical thinking, and a commentary on the play's language designed to make it easily accessible to contemporary readers.

Shakespeare's classic play explores the eternal themes of love and hate, mercy and justice, with parallel stories centred on the moneylender, Shylock, and the lovers, Portia and Bassanio. Shylock's angry insistence on the repayment of his debt from Bassanio ends in the Venetian courts where he demands his pound of flesh. Portia meanwhile, a wealthy young Venetian woman, must marry one of her many suitors. Her late father?s will has set the challenge...

A poor physician's daughter cures the King of France, and in return is promised the hand of any nobleman she wishes. But the man she chooses, the proud young Count of Rossillion, refuses to consummate the forced marriage and flees to Florence.

After squandering his wealth, a rich Athenian gentleman finds himself deep in debt. Unshaken by the prospect of bankruptcy, he is certain that the friends he's helped so often will come to his aid. But he quickly finds that their promises fall away to nothing.