A tragicomedy, a satire on materialism, and a cry of pain and injustice, Timon of Athens depicts Shakespeare's greatest optimist and most intense pessimist in its central character, the wealthy and misled Timon. This edition from Penguin Shakespeare is edited by G. R. Hibbard with an introduction by Nicholas Walton. 'What is more terrible on earth than friends, Who can bring the noblest mind to the lowest fate!' After squandering his wealth with exemplary generosity, a rich Athenian finds himself in deep debt. Unmoved by the prospect of bankruptcy, he is sure that his friends will come to his aid. However, when they learn that his fortune is lost, he soon realizes that their promises ultimately fall into the void in this tragic exploration of power, greed, and betrayed loyalty. This book includes a general introduction to Shakespeare's life and the Elizabethan theater, a separate introduction to the play, a chronology, suggestions for further reading, an essay discussing stage and screen performance options, and a commentary. William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden in late April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He wrote about 38 plays (the exact number is not certain), many of which are considered among the most exceptional works of dramatic art ever produced, including Romeo and Juliet (1595), Henry V (1599), Hamlet (1601), Othello (1604), King Lear (1606), and Macbeth (1606), as well as a collection of 154 sonnets, which are among the most profound and influential poetic love works in the English language.