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Although one of his lesser known plays, Shakespeare's considerable abilities as a playwright are readily apparent in «Troilus and Cressida.» This historical, tragic 'problem play,' thought to be inspired by Chaucer, Homer, and some of Shakespeare's history-recording contemporaries, is initially a tale of a man and woman in love during the Trojan War. When Cressida is given to the Greeks in exchange for a prisoner of war, Troilus is determined to rescue her. When he does find her, however, Troilus believes Cressida has betrayed him. On a larger scale, this play also deals with the political battle being waged by Agamemnon of the Greeks against Priam of the Trojans. Much of the plot centers on war councils and battles in which Hector and Achilles play a part. Ultimately, Shakespeare's play is memorable for its love and betrayal, questioning of hierarchy and honor, morality in the face of reality, and cynical disillusionment.
Three Early Modern Utopias
While Thomas More first coined the word utopia in his 1516 book of the same name, the concept of a near perfect society dates at least back to the period of classical antiquity. Plato's «The Republic» is often cited as one of earliest attempts at addressing just such a society. However in the 16th century Thomas More's work established itself as the most famous example of this genre of literature. More's «Utopia» is described as an idealized island community upon which perfect social harmony has been achieved, all property is community owned, violence is nonexistent and everyone has the opportunity to work and live in an environment of religious tolerance. Along with this work «Three Early Modern Utopias» also includes Francis Bacon's «New Atlantis» and Henry Neville's «The Isle of Pines.» Bacon's work, which appears over a century after Utopia, also concerns a utopian island which is happened upon by the crew of a European ship. On Bacon's mythical island of Bensalem, «generosity and enlightenment, dignity and splendor, piety and public spirit» are the commonly held qualities of its inhabitants. Neville's work follows a similar construct as Bacon's when five people are shipwrecked on the idyllic «Isle of Pines.» These three early works help to define an entire genre of literature and greatly influenced the work of the many authors who followed in their footsteps.
Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary (Volume II of II)
David Hume (1711-1776) is regarded as one of the most significant literary figures in the history of the Scottish Enlightenment and Western philosophy. A Scottish born historian, philosopher, economist, and essayist, Hume is especially known for his concentration in philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He is often grouped with a handful of other British Empiricists of the time such as John Locke and George Berkeley. As a strong empiricist and a prominent figure in the skeptical philosophical tradition, Hume strove to create a total naturalistic approach to the «science of man» that examined the psychological basis of human nature. He is chiefly known today for his work, «Treatise of Human Nature» (1739), a treatment on human cognition that includes important statements of his skepticism and experimental method. Almost twenty years later, he produced a collection of essays that gained favorable response to the public. «Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary» (1758) is a two volume compilation of essays by David Hume. Part I includes the essays that largely cover political and aesthetic issues, while Part II delves into economic themes.
The Faerie Queen
Considered to be one of the most difficult poems in the history of the English language, «The Faerie Queen» by Edmund Spenser is a marvelous epic poem depicting the virtues of the legendary King Arthur and his knights in a mythical place called Faerieland. Spenser based his interpretation of the virtues on those named by Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. Each one of the seven books discusses a different hero who displays one of these virtues; however, this entire collection was meant to be a tribute to Queen Elizabeth and the Tudor family. The stories are intricate and sometimes hard to understand. The language follows Spenserian prose and is intentionally archaic; Spenser wanted his work to have a mythical feel rather than being a modern piece. Each work was specifically chosen to evoke a certain feeling or image, allowing Spenser to make the world of Faerieland have an enchanting feeling. All readers who make their way through the text find that they are rewarded by the epic poem's masterful plots and inventive setting. Many refer to «The Faerie Queen» as early science fiction, since Spenser merges a mystical Faerieland with Arthurian legend. Students of history and literature will enjoy this timeless classic for its challenging rhetoric, but also for its vivid depictions and stunning allegorical significance.
The Vision of Piers the Plowman (Verse)
William Langland's «The Vision of Piers the Plowman» has been described as one of the most analytically challenging texts in Middle English textual criticism. Of the fifty plus surviving manuscripts, of which some are only fragments, from this 14th century allegorical narrative poem none of these seem to be in the author's own hand or can clearly be linked to each other. The current scholarship on the work suggests that ultimately there were three iterations of the poem, referred to as the A, B, and C texts, that were progressively written by a single author over a period of 20-25 years. The poem, which is part theological allegory, part social satire, concerns the narrator's intense quest for the true Christian life, from the perspective of medieval Catholicism. In this edition a verse rendition by Walter William Skeat of the first seven passuses, or cantos, is presented with significant introductory material.
Fantômas
Initially appearing in a series of French crime fiction, Fantômas is an evil genius who gives no mercy, feels no loyalty, and displays utter ruthlessness. A sadistic sociopath who does not care who he murders, Fantômas is a master of disguise and an ingenious criminal. Created in 1911 by Allain and his collaborator Pierre Souvestre, «Fantômas» is the first volume of a popular series of novels. The only counter to this villain is Inspector Juve, a zealous detective bent on capturing this vaguely understood but clearly terrifying murderer. Representing not only a transition from Gothic villains to more modern serial killers in the history of crime fiction, «Fantômas» was translated into silent films in some of the earliest movies ever made, anticipating Hollywood's thirst for diabolical criminals. Though haunting in his capacity for evil, the creativity of his murders and the struggle of Inspector Juve to catch him provide a compelling and page-turning story for those who brave «Fantômas.»
The Vicomte de Bragelonne
The third volume of the 'd'Artagnan Romances', of which «The Three Musketeers» and «Twenty Years After» constitute the first and second volumes, was first serialized between October 1847 to January 1850. It has subsequently been published in three, four, and five-volume editions. Our edition follows the four-volume edition. The books in this edition in their chronological order are as follows: 1. «The Vicomte de Bragelonne» (chapters 1-75), 2. «Ten Years Later» (chapters 76-140), 3. «Louise de la Vallière» (chapters 141-208), and 4. «The Man in the Iron Mask» (chapters 209-269). «The Man in the Iron Mask» is a tale that brings to life the mystery of one of the Bastille's most famous prisoners. Though they are older and the original three have retired, D'Artagnan has stayed in the corrupt King Louis XIV's service. Though no longer on active duty, the Musketeers are certainly far from idle, for they involve themselves in a plot that will set a humble, masked prisoner who does not know his identity or his crime against the king of a powerful country in a story full of conflicting loyalties. In this final adventure of the immortalized Musketeers, Dumas lavished all of his considerable literary skill in a work of political intrigue and high adventure.
The Diary of an Old Soul
"The Diary of an Old Soul" is a collection of 366 daily Christian devotional poems by Scottish author, poet, and Christian Minister George MacDonald. Known primarily for his fantasy works and fairy tales, MacDonald was heavily influenced in his life and his writings by theology. This influence can easily be seen in «The Diary of an Old Soul» as well as in many of his fictional works too.
Calvary
Born and educated in Dublin, Ireland, William Butler Yeats discovered early in his literary career a fascination with Irish folklore and the occult. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923, Yeats produced a vast collection of stories, songs, and poetry of Ireland's historical and legendary past. These writings helped secure for Yeats recognition as a leading proponent of Irish nationalism and Irish cultural independence. His close friend, Ezra Pound, exposed the playwright to the symbolic theatre genre of Japanese Noh drama, prompting him to write a series of four plays in this style. The final play in this series, which were first printed together in «Four Plays for Dancers», was «Calvary». With Ireland in the midst of a hunger-strike, the story of the self-sacrificing Christ was particularly relevant. In the story, Christ dreams of his passion, only to find that he is still rejected and is essentially alone, as so many heroic figures must find themselves.
The Conquest of Gaul
First published just before the end of the Roman Republic by that legendary country's most immortalized leader, «The Conquest of Gaul,» also called «Commentarii de Bello Gallico,» is an account of Julius Caesar's capture of Gaul in the first century. Beginning with the Helvetian War in 58 BC, Caesar uses his exemplary Latin prose to explain how his forces were protecting Provence, and how they were later drawn out in campaigns against the Veneti, the Aquitani, numerous Germanic peoples, the Belgae, the Gauls, and the Bretons. Caesar, perhaps in defense of his expensive and geographically vast wars, explains the methods of his campaigns, from the timing of the seasons to provisioning and defense. This autobiographical work is both a concise reckoning of forces and an informative wartime narrative, consistently revealing the author as a politically brilliant commander and an unrivaled man.