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"The Tragedy of Macbeth" is a play written by William Shakespeare. Set mainly in Scotland, the play illustrates the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake. The play was most likely written during the reign of James I, who had been James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne in 1603. James was a patron of Shakespeare's acting company and of all the plays Shakespeare wrote during James's reign, "Macbeth" most clearly reflects the playwright's relationship with the sovereign.

"Herodias", "Dance of death" and "The Legend of Saint Julian The Hospitalier" : 3 French short stories by Gustave Flaubert. "Herodias" is a reworking of the tale of Salomé and John the Baptist. "Dance of Death" is a prose poem in which Death laments over the cruel task God has given him. "The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitalier" is an inspiring tale of perseverance and humility, one of Flaubert's most touching short stories.

"The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitalier" is a short story by French writer Gustave Flaubert, one of the great masters of literary style and aesthetics. Saint Julian is predicted at birth to do great things, but a growing hatred takes root in him, leading him to seek a way to escape a destiny which seems more and more likely to be terrible. "The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitalier" is an inspiring tale of perseverance and humility, one of Flaubert's most touching short stories with a religious theme.

"The Last of the Mohicans" is a historical novel set during the Seven Years' War, when France and Great Britain battled for control of North America. It is striking, suspenseful and fast-paced, and has been widely considered the first Great American Novel. James Fenimore Cooper's classic follows an intrepid group of frontiersmen and Native Americans as they navigate the rugged terrain of both the landscape and their racial differences, striving together to deliver Colonel Munro's two daughters to safety.

"Zadig" is a work of philosophical fiction by the famous Enlightenment writer Voltaire. It is a delightful mix of political satire and insightful challenge of religious and metaphysical orthodoxy, with its main character undergoing a complete moral revolution while human life is presented as in the hands of a destiny beyond human control. Along with absolute stylistic mastery, Zadig provides insight into the nature of free will, in a story whose fast pace follows the highs and lows bestowed by Fortune on the hero.

"The Horla" is the chilling tale of one man's descent into madness. Maupassant established a reputation in France as an absolute master of the short story, before himself succumbing to the mental illness that ravaged his later life. This story is the terrifying tale of an invisible vampire, told by a narrator himself on the brink of insanity, and written by a master of the macabre clearly at the peak of his powers.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is Arthur Conan Doyle's third Sherlock Holmes novel, first published in 1901–1902. Set in Dartmoor, it follows Holmes and Watson investigating a legendary supernatural hound said to haunt the Baskerville family. The novel marked Holmes's return after his presumed death. The story begins in 1889 when Dr. James Mortimer asks Holmes to look into the Baskerville family curse. The legend tells of Sir Hugo Baskerville, who was killed by a monstrous hound after kidnapping a farmer's daughter. Since then, the hound is believed to haunt the family, causing mysterious deaths.

The plot centers on a locked-room murder and Holmes's reunion with Watson, revealing Holmes's survival and continued pursuit of justice. It was first published in Collier's in the US on September 26, 1903, and in The Strand Magazine in the UK in October 1903.

The story involves Holmes investigating the disappearance of a young pupil, Lord Saltire, from a prestigious preparatory school, along with the school's German master and his bicycle.

During a casual chat, Watson learns that Sherlock's older brother Mycroft has even greater powers of observation and deduction. Watson meets Mycroft and discovers the Diogenes Club, where Mycroft spends much of his time. Unlike Sherlock, Mycroft lacks the energy for detective work and prefers to observe rather than act.

The story follows Holmes as he investigates a puzzling series of incidents where a man repeatedly smashes plaster busts of Napoleon, with no apparent motive beyond destruction. It was first published in Collier's in the US on April 30, 1904, and in The Strand Magazine in the UK in May 1904.

Step into The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, where Sherlock Holmes faces a case of love, danger, and hidden murder. Sir James Damery seeks Holmes' help to protect a young heiress, Violet de Merville, from the charming yet ruthless Austrian Baron Adelbert Gruner, a man with a dark past and a taste for luxury and murder. With every step, Holmes must outwit a cunning villain before tragedy strikes, revealing a story of suspense, intrigue, and brilliant detection.

The Final Problem is a Sherlock Holmes short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in The Strand Magazine in the UK and McClure's in the US in December 1893. The story, set in 1891, introduces Holmes's arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty, and was originally intended to mark the detective's death. Doyle later revived Holmes for further stories. In the narrative, Holmes confides in Watson about his pursuit of Moriarty's criminal network and the threats he faces, leading to a dramatic confrontation.

The story centers on a London pawnbroker, Jabez Wilson, who seeks Holmes's help after a bizarre job opportunity—offered exclusively to red-haired men—suddenly vanishes without explanation. As Holmes investigates, he uncovers a deeper criminal plot hidden behind the seemingly absurd premise, leading to a suspenseful confrontation beneath the streets of London.