Shakespeare's collection of dramatic stories

Author: (English) Shakespeare / Qian Shan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The 20 stories in this book mostly revolve around the theme of love between men and women. This is because, in the struggle against feudalism in Europe, the fight for marital freedom was one of the most concentrated and acute aspects. At the same time, through these love stories, we can see the ugly side of politics and social life as exposed by Shakespeare. For example, in the play Romeo and Juliet, it depicts a young couple's fierce struggle against the feudal system that obstructs their union out of their idealistic love. In this tragedy, Shakespeare powerfully condemns the suppression of love freedom by feudal society, criticizes the unprincipled feuds between families that have been passed down through generations, critiques the asceticism under the rule of medieval clergy, and also portrays the destruction of a happy marriage by the rogue Aegyptus. The Winter's Tale criticizes King Leontes' foolish suspicion, tyranny, and autocracy. In All's Well That Ends Well, we see social chaos and the decline of morality. Criminals rise to prominence, while the righteous suffer injustice; the worst offenders may go free, while those who stumble once are instead subjected to harsh judgment. In this play, Shakespeare mercilessly exposes the hypocrisy of the law at the time.