[Illustration: “Some have greatness thrust upon them.”]
[Illustration: CONTENTS]
PAGE
INTRODUCTION vii
THE TEMPEST--
THE MAGICIAN’S ISLE 1
THE SHIPWRECKED WANDERERS 6
THE KING’S SON 10
MYSTERIOUS MUSIC 14
“THOUGH THE SEAS THREATEN, THEY ARE MERCIFUL” 19
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA--
“NOW LET US TAKE OUR LEAVE” 27
“WHO IS SILVIA?” 34
FALSE TO HIS FRIEND 39
“ALAS POOR LADY, DESOLATE AND LEFT!” 41
WHAT BEFELL IN THE FOREST 45
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING--
“DEAR LADY DISDAIN” 54
A PLAIN-DEALING VILLAIN 59
“CUPID’S CRAFTY ARROW” 61
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING 68
“DONE TO DEATH BY SLANDEROUS TONGUES” 72
A MIDSUMMER-NIGHT’S DREAM--
HELENA AND HERMIA 82
PLAYING THE LION 86
THE MAGIC FLOWER 88
PUCK IN MISCHIEF 95
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE--
A MERRY BOND 104
THE THREE CASKETS 110
“REVENGE!” 115
A POUND OF FLESH 119
THE TWO RINGS 128
AS YOU LIKE IT--
OLIVER AND ORLANDO 133
ROSALIND AND CELIA 136
IN THE FOREST OF ARDEN 142
THE SHEPHERD YOUTH 148
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW--
A ROUGH COURTSHIP 158
THE MARRIAGE, AND AFTER 162
TWELFTH NIGHT--
ORSINO’S ENVOY 176
A DREAM OF GREATNESS 186
THE CHALLENGE 193
YELLOW STOCKINGS 203
SEBASTIAN AND VIOLA 206
ROMEO AND JULIET--
THE MASKED BALL 210
MERCUTIO 216
“BANISHED!” 225
COMFORT AND COUNSEL 230
THE PALACE OF DIM NIGHT 236
MACBETH--
THE WEIRD SISTERS 245
AT THE CASTLE OF MACBETH 252
THE GUEST AT THE BANQUET 260
THE WITCHES’ CAVERN 267
BIRNAM WOOD 274
HAMLET--
A VISION AT MIDNIGHT 283
OPHELIA 293
“SWEET BELLS JANGLED, OUT OF TUNE AND HARSH” 296
“THE MOUSE-TRAP” 305
“ROSEMARY FOR REMEMBRANCE” 321
THE KING’S WAGER 327
KING LEAR--
THE DOWERLESS DAUGHTER 335
GONERIL AND REGAN 341
NIGHT AND STORM 350
OTHELLO--
“HONEST IAGO” 360
WELL MET AT CYPRUS 367
THE HANDKERCHIEF 374
NO WAY BUT THIS 381
CYMBELINE--
A PRINCESS OF BRITAIN 391
HOW IACHIMO WON HIS WAGER 399
THE CAVE OF BELARIUS 403
FIDELE 411
THE WINTER’S TALE--
AT THE PALACE OF LEONTES 422
THE ORACLE SPEAKS 428
A QUEEN OF CURDS AND CREAM 432
THE ORACLE FULFILLED 437
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS--
A WALK THROUGH EPHESUS 445
CONFUSION WORSE CONFOUNDED 452
[Illustration]
[Illustration: ILLUSTRATIONS]
FRONTISPIECE--“Eyes, look your last!
Arms, take your last embrace!”