Books in The Graphic Shakespeare Series series

Titus Andronicus is one of Shakespeare's earliest and bloodiest tragedies and was hugely successful in his lifetime. Subsequent generations have struggled with its bold confrontation of violence but in the 20th and 21st centuries the play has chimed with audiences again, perhaps because of its simultaneously shocking and playful approach to violent revenge and bodily mutilation. Jonathan Bate's original Arden edition was first published in 1995 and has had a significant influence on how the play has been performed and studied in the past 20 years. This revised edition includes a new 10,000 word introductory essay in which Bate reassess his views on the play's co-authorship with George Peele in the light of contemporary textual scholarship and updates his lively account of the play's performance history, on the international stage and screen. With detailed on-page commentary notes this will continue to be the edition of choice for students, scholars and theatre-makers.

Classic literature meets contemporary style in a vibrant introduction to five of Shakespeare's most popular plays. These engaging graphic novels, complete with captions in accessible modern English and key excerpts from the original dialogue, bring the Bard's dramatic scenes to life. A glossary at the foot of each page helps with any challenging vocabulary without disrupting the pleasurable reading experience. The five plays include: Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The epic tale of Macbeth retold in graphic-novel format. Macbeth and Banquo are Scottish generals returning home from a victorious war campaign. Their journey is interrupted when three strange witches come upon them and predict their futures. They claim that Macbeth will one day become King of Scotland! Macbeth is stirred by the prophesy. With the help of his scheming wife, he sets into motion a sinister plan that will paint bloody strokes across the entire landscape of Scotland.

Witness a tale of love, fairies, and betrayal in this classic tale retold in graphic-novel format. Theseus, duke of Athens is preparing for his marriage when Hermia, and her father, Egeus, burst into his court and beg for Theseus’s judgment regarding whom Hermia, Egeus’s, daughter, should marry. Theseus tells Hermia she must marry Demetrius, even though she really loves Lysander. At nightfall, the two young lovers run off to the forest to be married in secret. However, Demetrius discovers their deception and charges into the forest, searching for his bride-to-be. Little do any of them know, a band of magical fairies lives in this forest, and they have other plans for these lovestruck humans. .

Retold in graphic-novel format, the epic tale of Julius Caesar’s rule over Rome. Brutus and Cassius, friends and supporters of Julius Caesar, brood and worry over his increasing ambitions. Caesar’s pursuit of power leads the two men to worry that Caesar will crown himself Emperor, which would ruin Rome’s Republic of the people. Behind closed doors, Cassius and Brutus begin to concoct a scheme that will irrevocably alter the fate of the Roman empire.

The works of William Shakespeare come alive in these stunning graphic novels adaptation using the original Shakespearean dialog. The world-class art, romance, betrayal, and tragedy of Othello will capture the attention of reluctant readers. Supplement your traditional Shakespearean sources with the graphic novel adaptation that will help readers imagine the action like never before. Graphic Planet is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO Publishing Group. Grades 5-10.

Fourteen lessons have students analyze the play scene by scene while role-playing and dramatizing selected sections, focus on Shakespeare's imagery and figurative language, use graphic organizers to analyze characters and themes, conduct Internet research, compose journalistic writing, and critically view a film adaptation of the play. Grades 6-12. (CFL357)