A tragicomedy, a satire on materialism and a scream of pain and
injustice, Timon of Athens depicts Shakespeare's greatest optimist and
his most vehement pessimist in its central character, the wealthy and
deluded Timon. This Penguin Shakespeare edition is edited by G. R.
Hibbard with an introduction by Nicholas Walton.
'What viler thing upon the earth than friends,
Who can bring noblest minds to basest ends!'
After squandering his wealth with prodigal generosity, a rich Athenian
gentleman finds himself deep in debt. Unshaken by the prospect of
bankruptcy, he is certain that the friends he has helped so often will
come to his aid. But when they learn his wealth is gone, he quickly
finds that their promises fall away to nothing in this tragic
exploration of power, greed, and loyalty betrayed.
This book contains a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and
Elizabethan theatre, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology,
suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing performance options
on both stage and screen, and a commentary.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born to John Shakespeare and Mary
Arden in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays
(the precise number is uncertain), many of which are regarded as the
most exceptional works of drama ever produced, including Romeo and
Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604),
King Lear (1606) and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154
sonnets, which are among the most profound and influential love poetry
in English.
