William Shakespeare (1564–1616), one of the greatest poets and playwrights in the world, was born to a glover's family in Stratford-upon-Avon, a small town in the north of England. It is believed that in his childhood he attended the Stratford grammar school, where he studied reading, writing, and Latin. In 1582, eighteen-year-old William married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had two daughters and a son. There is no information about Shakespeare's life for several years after the birth of his younger children—this period is referred to by researchers as the "lost years." However, by the 1590s, Shakespeare appeared before the London public as an actor and playwright. His creative activity was closely linked to the theatrical troupe "The Lord Chamberlain's Men." The troupe included distinguished actors of that time, and its patron was Lord Chamberlain Henry Carey, after whom the troupe was named. The actors performed for a wide range of audiences, and Shakespeare's plays, sensual, unique, and vibrant, pleased everyone without exception. It was during this period that many of Shakespeare's beloved works were created, including "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet." Over time, the fame of the troupe grew to such an extent that King James I himself took the actors under his patronage. Since then, the troupe became known as "The King's Men." In total, Shakespeare wrote about thirty-seven plays for the theater. Most of them were not printed during the author's lifetime or were published with distortions. After Shakespeare's death, the texts of his plays could have been forgotten; however, they avoided such a fate thanks to the First Folio. The compilation of this collection was undertaken by Shakespeare's friends and colleagues, who aimed to publish the texts of all his dramatic works in their original form. Thanks to their efforts, the tragedies, comedies, and histories of the legendary playwright continue to capture the hearts of people centuries later.
This edition introduces readers to seven magnificent tragedies: "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," "Othello," "King Lear," "Macbeth," "Antony and Cleopatra," and "Henry IV." The translation of the works into Russian was carried out by the renowned Russian poet and writer Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (1890–1960). The delicate beauty of Shakespeare's tragedies, the multifaceted characters, and the atmosphere of long-past years were portrayed by outstanding artists who worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: the Italian Ludovico Marchetti (1853–1909), as well as the British Harold Copping (1863–1932), John Gilbert (1817–1897), and John Muir Smith (1839–1912).
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