William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564, and his birth is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The facts of his life, known from surviving documents, are sparse. He was one of eight children born to John Shakespeare, a merchant of some standing in his community. William probably went to the King’s New School in Stratford, but he had no university education. In November 1582, at the age of eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, who was pregnant with their first child, Susanna. She was born on May 26, 1583. Twins, a boy, Hamnet (who would die at age eleven), and a girl, Judith, were born in 1585. By 1592 Shakespeare had gone to London, working as an actor and already known as a playwright. A rival dramatist, Robert Greene, referred to him as “an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers.” Shakespeare became a principal shareholder and playwright of the successful acting troupe, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (later, under James I, called the King’s Men). In 1599 the Lord Chamberlain’s Men built and occupied the Globe Theatre in Southwark near the Thames River. Here many of Shakespeare’s plays were performed by the most famous actors of his time, including Richard Burbage, Will Kempe, and Robert Armin. In addition to his 37 plays, Shakespeare had a hand in others, including Sir Thomas More and The Two Noble Kinsmen, and he wrote poems, including Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. His 154 sonnets were published, probably without his authorization, in 1609. In 1611 or 1612 he gave up his lodgings in London and devoted more and more of his time to retirement in Stratford, though he continued writing such plays as The Tempest and Henry VIII until about 1613. He died on April 23, 1616, and was buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. No collected edition of his plays was published during his lifetime, but in 1623 two members of his acting company, John Heminges and Henry Condell, put together the great collection now called the First Folio. FOUR TRAGEDIES A Bantam Book / published by arrangement with Pearson Education, Inc. PUBLISHING HISTORY Scott, Foresman edition published January 1980 Bantam edition, with newly edited text and substantially revised, edited, and amplified notes, introduction, and other materials / February 1988 Bantam reissue with updated notes, introduction, and other materials / April 2005 Published by Bantam Dell A Division of Random House, Inc. New York, New York All rights reserved Copyright © 2004 by Pearson Education, Inc. This edition copyright © 2005 by Bantam Books Revisions and annotations to Shakespeare texts and their footnotes and textual notes, Shakespeare’s Sources essays and notes for the sources, and the play introductions © 1988, 2005 by David Bevington The Playhouse text © 1988 by David Bevington Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Othello, the Moor of Venice, Macbeth and King Lear, on Stage and on Screen, © 1988, 2005 by David Bevington and David Scott Kastan Memorable Lines © 1988, 2005 by Bantam Books Annotated bibliography © 1988, 2005 by David Scott Kastan and James Shapiro Translation of Hecatommithi from the Italian copyright © 1988 by David Bevington and Kate Bevington Valuable advice on staging matters has been provided by Richard Hosley Collations checked by Eric Rasmussen Additional editorial assistance by Claire McEachern Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 87-19516 Bantam Books and the rooster colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc. eISBN: 978-0-307-42060-2 eISBN: 978-0-307-42060-2 v3.1 CONTENTS Cover About the Author Title Page Copyright FOUR TRAGEDIES The Playhouse HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK Introduction Hamlet, Prince of Denmark on Stage Hamlet, Prince of Denmark on Screen Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Date and Text Textual Notes Shakespeare’s Sources Further Reading OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE Introduction Othello, The Moor of Venice on Stage Othello, The Moor of Venice on Screen Othello, The Moor of Venice Date and Text Textual Notes Shakespeare’s Sources Further Reading KING LEAR Introduction King Lear on Stage King Lear on Screen King Lear Date and Text Textual Notes Shakespeare’s Sources Further Reading MACBETH Introduction Macbeth on Stage Macbeth on Screen Macbeth Date and Text Textual Notes Shakespeare’s Sources Further Reading Memorable Lines Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Othello, the Moor of Venice King Lear Macbeth FOUR TRAGEDIES