The Oxford Shakespeare General Editor Stanley Wells The Oxford Shakespeare offers authoritative texts from leading scholars in editions designed to interpret and illuminate the works for modern readers - a new, modern-spelling text, collated and edited from all existing printings - on-page and facing-page commentary and notes explain language and allusions - detailed introductions consider the sonnets´ biographical and literary background, how the poems relate to the plays, dating and textual matters, and the mysteries of ´Mr W. H.´ and the ´Dark Lady´ - includes poems attributed to Shakespeare in the seventeenth century - full index to introductions and commentary - durable sewn binding for lasting use ´not simply a better text but a new conception of Shakespeare. This is a major achievement of twentieth-century scholarship.´ Times Literary Supplement ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World´s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford´s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

A completely new modern-spelling edition of all of Shakespeare´s plays and poems, edited afresh from the original texts. With extensive introductions and on-page notes, it gives students and theatre-lovers the very best resources to understand and enjoy Shakespeare´s works.

From almost the moment of its publication in 1667, Paradise Lost was considered a classic. It is difficult now to appreciate how audacious an undertaking the epic represents, and how astonishing its immediate and continued success was. Over the course of twelve books John Milton wrote an epic poem that would ´´justify the ways of God to men,´´ a mission that required a complex drama, the source of which is both historical and deeply personal. While the struggle for ascendancy between God and Satan is played out across hell, heaven, and earth in the work, the consequences of the Fall are all too humanly tragic, with pride, ambition, and aspiration being the motivating forces. In this new edition derived from their acclaimed Oxford Authors text, Stephen Orgel and Jonathan Goldberg discuss the complexity of Milton´s Paradise Lost in a new introduction. They contextualize Milton and his poem, discuss its structure and language, and provide a summary of critical responses to the poem since its initial publication. They also include on-page notes to explain the poem´s language and allusions. This modernized edition of one of the most influential works in the English language will truly bring to light Milton´s genius for today´s reader.