Ocean State Libraries

Shakespeare's drama about King Henry V's attempt to unite England under his rule is accompanied by commentary, a synopsis of the plot, summaries of scenes, notes on main characters, questions, and classroom activities.

"I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history," Arthur Miller wrote in an introduction to The Crucible, his classic play about the witch-hunts and trials in seventeenth-century Salem, Massachusetts. Based on historical people and real events, Miller's drama is a searing portrait of a community engulfed by hysteria. In the rigid theocracy of Salem, rumors that women...

"The acclaimed Pelican Shakespeare series edited by A. R. Braunmuller and Stephen Orgel The legendary Pelican Shakespeare series features authoritative and meticulously researched texts paired with scholarship by renowned Shakespeareans. Each book includes an essay on the theatrical world of Shakespeare's time, an introduction to the individual play, and a detailed note on the text used. Updated by general editors Stephen Orgel and A. R. Braunmuller,...

Their texts fully restored by recent scholarship, Marlowe's astonishing works can now be appreciated as originally written. This edition includes all of Marlowe's plays, including two versions of Doctor Faustus.

A dramatization of Anne Frank: Diary of a young girl.

"In this updated edition of King Richard II, Claire McEachern provides a fresh introductory section in which she discusses the most important productions and scholarly criticism of recent years. Paying particular attention to the focus on religion in contemporary interpretations of the play, McEachern also analyses the increasing number of performances on stage and screen. Andrew Gurr's acclaimed introduction guides the reader through the play's action...

First published in the "First Folio" in 1623 and likely written in the 1590s, "King John" is one of William Shakespeare's best historical plays. It centers on the events of King John's reign of England during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. King John, son of Henry I of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, inherits the throne after the death of his older brother, King Richard I. John's claim to the throne is challenged by the King of...

During the 1950's Troy Maxson struggles against racism and tries to preserve his feelings of pride in himself. Legendary playwright August Wilson's powerful, stunning dramatic bestseller that won him critical acclaim, including the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize. Troy Maxson has gone through life in an America where to be proud and black is to face pressures that could crush a man, body and soul. But a new spirit of liberation is...