Complete Plays, The
THE COMPLETE PLAYS OF SHAKESPEARE
By
William Shakespeare
Illustrated with Extensive Critical and Historical Commentary
The Complete Works Collection
©2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE COMPLETE TRAGEDIES
TITUS ANDRONICUS
ROMEO AND JULIET
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF JULIUS CAESAR
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE
KING LEAR
THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS
THE TRAGEDY OF ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
THE TRAGEDY OF CORIOLANUS
THE COMPLETE HISTORIES
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING JOHN
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF RICHARD THE SECOND
THE FIRST PART OF KING HENRY THE FOURTH
THE SECOND PART OF KING HENRY THE FOURTH
THE LIFE OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH
THE FIRST PART OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH
THE SECOND PART OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH
THE THIRD PART OF KING HENRY THE SIXTH
THE LIFE OF KING HENRY THE EIGHTH
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF RICHARD THE THIRD
THE COMPLETE COMEDIES
ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
AS YOU LIKE IT
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
LOVE’S LABOUR ’S LOST
MEASURE FOR MEASURE
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
TWELFTH NIGHT OR, WHAT YOU WILL
THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA
THE COMPLETE ROMANCES
PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE
CYMBELINE
THE WINTER’S TALE
THE TEMPEST
A CRITICAL INTRODUCTION TO SHAKESPEARE
Illustrations
The Complete Tragedies
By
William Shakespeare
TITUS ANDRONICUS
ROMEO AND JULIET
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF JULIUS CAESAR
HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE
KING LEAR
THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
THE LIFE OF TIMON OF ATHENS
THE TRAGEDY OF ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
THE TRAGEDY OF CORIOLANUS
Titus Andronicus
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
ACT I
SCENE I. ROME. BEFORE THE CAPITOL.
ACT II
SCENE I. ROME. BEFORE THE PALACE.
SCENE II. A FOREST NEAR ROME. HORNS AND CRY OF HOUNDS HEARD.
SCENE III. A LONELY PART OF THE FOREST.
SCENE IV. ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST.
ACT III
SCENE I. ROME. A STREET.
SCENE II. A ROOM IN TITUS’S HOUSE. A BANQUET SET OUT.
ACT IV
SCENE I. ROME. TITUS’S GARDEN.
SCENE II. THE SAME. A ROOM IN THE PALACE.
SCENE III. THE SAME. A PUBLIC PLACE.
SCENE IV. THE SAME. BEFORE THE PALACE.
ACT V
SCENE I. PLAINS NEAR ROME.
SCENE II. ROME. BEFORE TITUS’S HOUSE.
SCENE III. COURT OF TITUS’S HOUSE. A BANQUET SET OUT.
CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
Saturninus, son to the late Emperor of Rome, afterwards Emperor.
Bassianus, brother to Saturninus.
Titus Andronicus, a noble Roman.
Marcus Andronicus, Tribune of the People, and brother to Titus.
Lucius, Quintus, Martius, Mutius, sons to Titus Andronicus.
Young Lucius, a boy, son to Lucius.
Publius, son to Marcus Andronicus.
Sempronius, Caius, Valentine, kinsmen to Titus.
Aemilius, a noble Roman.
Alarbus, Demetrius, Chiron, sons to Tamora.
Aaron, a Moor, beloved by Tamora.
A Captain.
A Messenger.
A Clown.
Tamora, Queen of the Goths.
Lavinia, daughter to Titus Andronicus.
A Nurse, and a black Child.
Romans and Goths, Senators, Tribunes, Officers, Soldiers, and Attendants.
Scene: Rome and the neighbourhood.
ACT I
SCENE I. ROME. BEFORE THE CAPITOL.
The Tomb of the Andronici appearing; the Tribunes and Senators aloft. Enter, below, from one side, Saturninus and his Followers; and, from the other side, Bassianus and his Followers; with drum and colours
Saturninus
Noble patricians, patrons of my right,
Defend the justice of my cause with arms,
And, countrymen, my loving followers,
Plead my successive title with your swords:
I am his first-born son, that was the last
That wore the imperial diadem of Rome;
Then let my father’s honours live in me,
Nor wrong mine age with this indignity.
Bassianus
Romans, friends, followers, favorers of my right,
If ever Bassianus, Caesar’s son,
Were gracious in the eyes of royal Rome,
Keep then this passage to the Capitol
And suffer not dishonour to approach
The imperial seat, to virtue consecrate,
To justice, continence and nobility;
But let desert in pure election shine,
And, Romans, fight for freedom in your choice.
Enter Marcus Andronicus, aloft, with the crown
Marcus Andronicus
Princes, that strive by factions and by friends
Ambitiously for rule and empery,
Know that the people of Rome, for whom we stand
A special party, have, by common voice,
In election for the Roman empery,
Chosen Andronicus, surnamed Pius
For many good and great deserts to Rome:
A nobler man, a braver warrior,
Lives not this day within the city walls:
He by the senate is accit’d home
From weary wars against the barbarous Goths;
That, with his sons, a terror to our foes,
Hath yoked a nation strong, train’d up in arms.
Ten years are spent since first he undertook
This cause of Rome and chastised with arms
Our enemies’ pride: five times he hath return’d
Bleeding to Rome, bearing his valiant sons
In coffins from the field;
And now at last, laden with horror’s spoils,
Returns the good Andronicus to Rome,
Renowned Titus, flourishing in arms.
Let us entreat, by honour of his name,
Whom worthily you would have now succeed.
And in the Capitol and senate’s right,
Whom you pretend to honour and adore,
That you withdraw you and abate your strength;
Dismiss your followers and, as suitors should,
Plead your deserts in peace and humbleness.
Saturninus
How fair the tribune speaks to calm my thoughts!
Bassianus
Marcus Andronicus, so I do ally
In thy uprightness and integrity,
And so I love and honour thee and thine,
Thy noble brother Titus and his sons,
And her to whom my thoughts are humbled all,
Gracious Lavinia, Rome’s rich ornament,
That I will here dismiss my loving friends,
And to my fortunes and the people’s favor
Commit my cause in balance to be weigh’d.
Exeunt the followers of Bassianus
Saturninus
Friends, that have been thus forward in my right,
I thank you all and here dismiss you all,
And to the love and favor of my country
Commit myself, my person and the cause.
Exeunt the followers of Saturninus
Rome, be as just and gracious unto me
As I am confident and kind to thee.
Open the gates, and let me in.
Bassianus
Tribunes, and me, a poor competitor.
Flourish. Saturninus and Bassianus go up into the Capitol
Enter a Captain
Captain
Romans, make way: the good Andronicus.
Patron of virtue, Rome’s best champion,
Successful in the battles that he fights,
With honour and with fortune is return’d
From where he circumscribed with his sword,
And brought to yoke, the enemies of Rome.
Drums and trumpets sounded.
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