Four of the Bard's most famous comedies--including The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. "Comedies," as one of William Shakespeare's contemporaries wrote, "begin in trouble and end in peace." This is certainly true of the four masterworks selected for this collection, each of which represents a significant stage in the Bard's development as a writer. Reading these plays, we sample the whole comic spectrum of the Elizabethan world. This comedy collection in the Signet Classics Shakespeare series includes: - An overview of William Shakespeare's life, world, and theater- A special introduction by the series' general editor, Sylvan Barnet- Reliable texts by noted Shakespeare scholars- Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable format- Recommended readings