It was TS Eliot who spoke of a 'pattern in Shakespeare's plays', to be recognized only when all the plays are seen together, instead (as is usually the case) separately one by one. This is the pattern presented in this book, by taking famous passages from 15 of the more famous plays, 5 comedies, 5 tragedies, and 5 tragi-comedies, following the rough order of composition. Through them one may come to see what may be called 'the heart of Shakespeare's mystery'.