This tragedy of an ancient Mediterranean grouch is part of Arkangel's ambitious recording of all Shakespeare's plays. Unfinished and unperformed in the playwright's lifetime, TIMON takes place during the time of Socrates. Deserted by his sycophants after his wealth gives out, Timon leaves Athens, cursing his false countrymen. When he finds new riches, he bankrolls anybody who will harm his former hometown, especially the young soldier Alcibiades. Scholars speculate that Shakespeare abandoned this play before finishing it and that it was never performed in his lifetime. This is not a perfect mounting. The players, all Brits, are uneven.

The New Penguin Shakespeare offers a complete edition of the plays and poems. Each volume has been prepared from the original texts and includes an introduction, a list of further reading, a full and helpful commentary, and a short account of the textual problems of the play.

INTRODUCTION

FURTHER READING

TIMON OF ATHENS

COMMENTARY

AN ACCOUNT OF THE TEXT