Shakespeare, Signet Classic

The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's comedy of lovers misled.

Romantic folly and false identites abound as an unusual love triangle takes the stage in this play about Orsino, the infatuated Duke of Illyria; Olivia, the countess he pursues; and Viola, the woman disguised as a man who comes between them.

This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as:

• An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater
• A special introduction to the play by the editor, Herschel Baker
• Selections from Barnabe Rich, Of Apolonius and Silla, the source from which Shakespeare derived Twelfth Night
• Dramatic criticism from Samuel Johnson, William Hazlitt, Charles Lamb, and others
• A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions
• Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text
• And more...Twelfth Night - William Shakespeare - Edited by Herschel Baker Samuel Johnson: From The Plays of William Shakespeare
William Hazlitt: From Characters of Shakespeare?s Plays
Charles Lamb: On the Character of Malvolio
Harley Granville-Barker: Director?s Preface
Linda Bamber: Comedy, Women, and Development
Robert Kimbrough: Androgyny in ?Twelfth Night?
Sylvan Barnet: ?Twelfth Night? on the Stage

NEWLY ADDED ESSAY:
Jean E. Howard: Cross-dressing in ?Twelfth Night?

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was a poet, playwright, and actor who is widely regarded as one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language. Often referred to as the Bard of Avon, Shakespeare's vast body of work includes comedic, tragic, and historical plays; poems; and 154 sonnets. His dramatic works have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.