Major World Dramas is an anthology of outstanding plays by many of the major figures of world drama. Because this anthology is primarily intended to serve as a supplement, the text excludes plays commonly offered in high school literature anthologies, including Antigone, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Tartuffe, The Tempest, A Doll’s House, Pygmalion, and The Crucible. Although the collection includes only one work by a female dramatist, most of these plays offer strong female characters. Because a historical perspective is important for students’ understanding of drama, the anthology is organized chronologically. An introduction offers students guidelines for reading plays. Background on theatre history is provided in selection headnotes and in the Image Gallery sections following each chronological unit. An illustrated glossary at the back of the book defines essential theatre and drama terms.