"The London Prodigal" by William Shakespeare is a play published in 1605. This city comedy follows Matthew Flowerdale, a merchant's son who squanders his life through gambling, theft, and debauchery. When his father feigns death to witness his son's corruption firsthand, Matthew's schemes lead him into a disastrous marriage and mounting debt. Through his loyal wife's devotion, the prodigal faces a reckoning. Though attributed to Shakespeare, scholars widely reject his authorship, considering it part of the Shakespeare apocrypha. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
These books are free to read. Each is in the public domain in the United States; check your own country's rules before you copy or share one.
