This selection of his poetry-sonnets, and songs and verse from plays, some justly familiar, others less known-offers the quintessence of his remarkable art and provides an enticing introduction to his work.
William Shakespeare "the poet" is usually represented in book form by the Sonnets, together with perhaps a few songs from the plays. And yet few would deny that they plays are essentially "poetic". How often have we search the Complete Works for well-known yet half-remembered lines, or quoted speeches as if they wee individual poems, not quite recalling which play they are from or who spoke them in what situation? This selection offers several of the classic speeches. It also includes a selection from the Sonnets. Where a play excerpt has been used, the context is indicated.
This collection is edited to reflect the changing nature of criticism and scholarship in relation to literature in the 20th century.