Comedies Volume One

Love, enchantment, and misadventure abound in four timeless comedies by the great Bard of Elizabethan England.The Taming of the Shrew: After a battle of wits, the suitor Petruchio marries the headstrong lady Katherina and brings her to his home in Verona, where he sets about “taming” his willful bride into an obedient wife.The Merchant of Venice: In the most dramatic of Shakespeare’s comedies, a wealthy Venetian merchant is unable to repay a loan from the moneylender Shylock—who demands a pound of the borrower’s flesh.Twelfth Night: In this comedy of unrequited love and mistaken identity, Viola disguises herself as a man in the service of the lovesick Duke Orsino—whom she adores. The duke sends Viola to woo Countess Olivia who, in turn, falls in love with Viola’s male persona.A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The mischievous wood sprite Puck wreaks havoc on the romantic pursuits of four young lovers while a hapless actor is transformed into a fairy queen’s monstrous consort in this beloved comic fantasia.