Plays+and+Playwrights

__WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE__

Shakespeare was born and raised in [|Stratford-upon-Avon]. At the age of 18, he married [|Anne Hathaway], who bore him three children: [|Susanna], and twins [|Hamnet] and [|Judith]. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in [|London] as an actor, writer, and part owner of a [|playing company] called the [|Lord Chamberlain's Men], later known as the [|King's Men]. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his [|physical appearance], [|sexuality], [|religious beliefs], and whether the works attributed to him were [|written by others].[|[3]] A wide majority of scholars believe Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1590 and 1613. [|[c]] His early plays were mainly [|comedies] and [|histories], genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the sixteenth century. He then wrote mainly [|tragedies] until about 1608, including //[|Hamlet]//, //[|King Lear]//, and //[|Macbeth]//, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote [|tragicomedies], also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. In 1623, two of his former theatrical colleagues published the [|First Folio], a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare's. Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the nineteenth century. The [|Romantics], in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the [|Victorians] hero-worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that [|George Bernard Shaw] called "[|bardolatry]".[|[4]] In the twentieth century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world
 * William Shakespeare** ([|baptised] 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) [|[a]] was an [|English] [|poet] and [|playwright], widely regarded as the greatest writer in the [|English language] and the world's preeminent dramatist.[|[1]] He is often called England's [|national poet] and the "[|Bard] of [|Avon]" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 [|plays], [|[b]] 154 [|sonnets], two long [|narrative poems], and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.[|[2]]

=__**HIS PLAYS **__= **__ 36 in total ! __** The story unfolds with the death of King Henry V and his young son takes the throne as Henry VI. Gloucester serves as Lord Protector to guide and advise the young monarch through his early years. Meanwhile, Joan of Arc leads France with the fight against the English. Another quarrel breaks out, this one between Richard Plantagenet, of the House of York, and the Earl of Somerset, of the House of Lancaster. The young King intervenes and restores order and pledges his inheritance to the House of York. The king goes to Paris to be crowned there to act as an inspiration to the English whilst demoralising the French. The English capture two important prisoners, Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou. Joan is burnt as witch and a heretic. King Henry, urged by the Earl of Suffolk, marries Margaret of Anjou. The play ends with a self-satisfied Suffolk believing that Margaret will rule the monarch but he will rule both of them giving power to the red rose House of Lancaster**.** The boy King Henry returns from his victory in France with his new bride, Margaret of Anjou. The devious Suffolk has arranged the marriage but Suffolk covets the beautiful Margaret for himself, he also hopes to exert power over the monarch and Margaret. The noble Duke of Gloucester is horrified at the treaty that Suffolk has made with the French which passes the dukedoms of Anjou and Maine to the King of Naples, Margaret's father. The King suspects nothing and Suffolk is rewarded with a Dukedom. Meanwhile Suffolk hires two murderers to kill Gloucester. Suffolk tells the King that Gloucester has died in his bed but the King does not believe him. The Earl of Warwick accuses Suffolk and Winchester of his murder and so brings about their downfall and deaths. Jack Cade marches with a mob on London and the Duke of Clifford turns the mob against Cade who is subsequently killed. York returns from Ireland at the head of his army but is too scared to claim the throne, instead he demands that his old enemy, the Duke of Somerset is imprisoned. The King agrees but goes back on his word which leads a furious York to make a claim for the crown. The War of the Roses between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists so begins. In the wake of the Yorkist victory at St. Albans, York now has the crown of England. Henry arranges for a parley and presents an offer to York: Henry will rule England until his death, with ascension at that time passing to the house of York. York agrees, but this infuriates Queen Margaret; the Prince of Wales, her son, will be the next king. At Sandal Castle, Margaret leads an army that defeats the Yorkists, killing the Duke of York and his youngest boy, Rutland. Margaret and Henry flee to France and Scotland, respectively. Edward, assumes the title of King of England. Henry secretly returns to England, where he is captured by Edward and put in the Tower of London. Margaret, meanwhile, is petitioning the King of France to come to Henry's aid. However, Warwick enters the scene trying to broker a marriage between Edward and the King's sister-in-law, Bona, and the King temporarily lends his allegiance to Edward—only to revoke it when word comes that Edward has hastily wed a woman he fancies, Lady Grey. Warwick, also affronted by the betrayal of his mission, joins forces with Margaret as well. Meanwhile, back in England, further dissension is sown between the York brothers. Richard seeks the throne for himself, and George, is disgruntled with his own lot. Clarence ends up defecting to Margaret's side with Warwick and the French forces. Warwick, however, manages to capture Edward before the major combat begins, thus temporarily restoring Henry to the throne. But Richard rescues Edward and gathers a force to meet Warwick. Clarence rejoins his brothers as well, and at Barnet and Tewkesbury, Warwick is defeated and slain by Edward. Though the French troops attempt to rally, Margaret and the Prince of Wales are captured; the sons of York slay the Prince, but Edward grants mercy to Margaret. Anticipating Edward's further mercy to Henry, Richard pays a visit to the Tower of London, where Henry is held as prisoner. When Henry foretells Richard's bloody future, Richard kills him. Edward now holds the throne as King Edward IV, but Richard yet plots his own means to usurp the crown for himself. Richard sends two murderers to Clarence (his brother), who was arrested in the tower. Also Edward and **King** Henry VI were killed by him. **Richard** loves Anna ,who should have been Edward’s wife. Queen Margaret, **King** Henry’s wife, curses him. Edward IV, his other brother, died, because he stands in the way of **Richard** for getting more power. **Richard** executes other important people in England. After he received the crown of England, he kills the two Princes for saving his rule. **Richard** fights against some lords who would not acknowledge him being king. His former friend Buckingham deserts to the enemies and so Richard kills him. Richard fights against Richmond for the crown of England. All people, who were killed by **Richard**, return as ghosts and wish Richmond to win and say to **Richard**, that he will lose the battle. The play ends with a monologue of Richmond, now King Henry VII about the future of England. Egeon, about to be executed for unlawfully entering Ephesus, tells the sad tale of his search for his twin sons and wife. The Duke agrees to spare him if his family is found. Meanwhile, his twin sons, both of whom are named Antipholus, are actually in Ephesus, each unaware that he even has a twin. After a series of hilarious events involving mistaken identity almost ending in catastrophe, the twins are reunited with their mother and father, and realize their relation to each other. Roman war hero Titus Andronicus returns victorious in his wars against the Goths. He kills one of the sons of the Queens of the Goths in a revenge ritual, despite her pleadings. When the queen becomes the Empress of Rome, she takes revenge on the house of Andronici for her son's blood. She has her sons rape and mutilate Titus' daughter, Lavinia, over her husband's murdered corpse, then frames Titus' own sons for the murder. Lavinia, however, manages to communicate to her father who the true murderers were, and Andronicus takes revenge, killing the queen and her two sons, but being killed in the act. Christopher Sly, a beggar, is tossed out of an alehouse because of his disruptive behavior and quickly falls asleep in front of a Lord's house. When the Lord returns from hunting, he decides to have some fun at Sly's expense and quickly devises a plan to have his household convince Sly that he is a lord, rather than a beggar. Sly is placed in the finest chamber and dressed in the finest clothes so that he will be convinced that he owns the lavish setting in which he finds himself. Should Sly not believe he is and always has been lord of the estate, he is to be told he was ill and had lost his memory. While Sly sleeps off his binge, a group of players appears and are quickly enlisted in the Lord's duping of Sly. He requests they perform a play later that evening (which will mark the play we have come to think of as //The Taming of the Shrew//). The Lord enlists his servant Bartholomew's help in making Sly's duping complete. Bartholomew is to disguise himself as a gentlewoman and pretend to be Sly's wife. Two close friends, Proteus and Valentine, are divided when Valentine is sent to the Duke's court in Milan. Proteus later follows, leaving behind his loyal beloved, Julia, and he and Valentine both fall in love with the Duke's daughter, Silvia. Valentine proves himself brave and honourable, while Proteus is underhand and deceitful - and eventually attempts to rape Silvia. Julia follows her betrothed to Milan, disguised as a boy, Sebastian, who becomes Proteus' page. Eventually Proteus sees the error of his ways and returns to Julia, while Valentine marries Silvia. This drama is one of the great comedy plays by William Shakespeare. The Princess of France with her ladies Rosaline, Maria and Katherine tell the men wooing them (Ferdinand the King of Navarre, Biron, Longaville and Dumain) that they must wait and undergo tests to prove that their love is not just infatuation. King Ferdinand and his compatriots decide to isolate themselves for three years to study great books vowing that they will keep no company with women during this time. However, when more lovely women arrive on a diplomatic mission, the men fail to keep their oaths. The ladies discover the situation and the men realise that they truly love the ladies. The ladies banish the men to a hermitage for a further year before they will associate with them. The play therefore ends with no weddings, a surprising conclusion for an Elizabethan comedy. In Verona, Italy, two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, are in the midst of a bloody feud. Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, fall in love and struggle to maintain their relationship in the face of familial hatred. After Romeo kills Juliet's cousin Tybalt in a fit of passion, things fall apart. Both lovers eventually commit suicide within minutes of each other, and the feuding families make peace over their recent grief. Richard II was a king by virtue of the divine right of kings, he is intelligent but weak. John of Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster is the king's uncle and father of the king's rival, the popular Henry Bolingbroke. Bolingbroke and many nobles rebel against the King and Richard yields and Henry escorts him to London where he is confined to the Tower of London and then Pomfret Castle. He then announces his own coronation as Henry IV. When Bolingbroke, as the new king, asks whether anyone will rid him of Richard, Sir Pierce of Exton assumes Bolingbroke wants him dead. Exton kills the king, who dies bravely. Exton reminds Henry that he wished him dead. King Henry who is filled of guilt, banishes Exton. In Athens, Hermia is in love with Lysander, defying her father's command to marry Demetrius; the couple flee to the woods to avoid the law sentencing her to death or a nunnery. Demetrius pursues them, and is in turn pursued by Helena, who is in unrequited love with him. Meanwhile a group of low-class workers decides to stage a play for the wedding of the King and Queen of Athens; they rehearse in the woods. Fairy king Oberon is quarreling with his queen Titania; he magically causes her to fall in love with one of the actors, Bottom, whom he has transformed to have the head of an ass. He also attempts to resolve the Athenian youths' love triangle, but his servant Puck accidentally causes both Lysander and Demetrius to fall in love with Helena instead of Hermia. In the end, Oberon has Puck restore Lysander to loving Hermia, allows Demetrius to stay in love with Helena, and returns Titania to her senses and Bottom to his shape. They return to Athens, where Lysander and Hermia are pardoned and they all watch the workers (badly) perform their play. John is the weak son of King Henry II and brother of the late King Richard the Lionheart. The plot covers the conflicts between family members. And war between France and England. The consequences of the disputes result in murder. The son of Richard the Lionheart, Arthur, dies. Constance kills herself and Queen Elinor also dies. King John is poisoned. Cardinal Pandulph, the Pope's legate, forges a peace agreement between England and France, and John's son Henry becomes the next King of England. Antonio borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, in order to lend money to his friend Bassanio. Bassanio uses the money to successfully woo Portia, a wealthy and intelligent woman with a large inheritance. Unfortunately, a tragic accident makes Antonio unable to repay his debt to Shylock, and he must be punished as agreed by giving a pound of his flesh to the moneylender. Portia travels in disguise to the court and saves Antonio by pointing out that Shylock may only take flesh, and not any blood. Shylock is foiled, Portia reveals her identity, and Antonio's wealth is restored. Part I is the second in a series of four English history plays. It continues the saga of the Bolingbrook family and the Plantagenet monarchy that begins with Henry IV's seizure of power in Richard II and the coming of age of Prince Henry. The plot moves back and forth between the unhappy court of Henry IV and the vulgar world of the tavern in which Sir John Falstaff presides over his group of rascals where is joined by the fun-loving Prince Hal. The theme of the plot covers rebellion and the struggle for power. Prince Hal and Falstaff join the fighting and Hal kills the rebel Hotspur. Falstaff feigns death saying, "The better part of valour is discretion; in the which better part, I have saved my life.". The play concludes with King Henry and Hal leaving for Wales to confront the rebels. At the same time, Prince John of Lancaster (John of Gaunt), Hal's younger brother, heads toward York to do battle with rebel forces led by the Earl of Northumberland (Hotspur's father). Part I of the play concludes with King Henry and Hal leaving for Wales to confront the rebels. At the same time, Prince John of Lancaster (John of Gaunt), Hal's younger brother, heads toward York to do battle with rebel forces led by the Earl of Northumberland (Hotspur's father). There is much confusion when the fighting is over but the royalists defeat the rebels. More fighting starts and once again Sir John Falstaff appears in the plot encouraging Prince Hal in his boisterous ways. The rebels are finally defeated and peace reigns. However, the King dies and Hal becomes King Henry V. Hal realises he must change and becomes a sober and solemn person. Sir John Falstaff is banished from Hal's court and is lectured to also change his ways. King Henry IV has died and his son Prince Hal reigns. There is war with France and all of England backs the King. At the city of Harfleur, the King and his forces encounter strong resistance and King Hal rally's his forces with the patriotic rallying speech "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more..." England is united under Henry's leadership and win Harfleur. He then goes on to win the Battle of Agincourt and the French King surrenders. He offers Henry the hand of his daughter, Katherine of Valois, in marriage and unites England and France. After he marries Katherine, peace rules, and they have a son. However, after King Hal dies and his son becomes Henry VI war once again looms. Cassius persuades his friend Brutus to join a conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar, whose power seems to be growing too great for Rome's good. After killing Caesar, however, Brutus fails to convince the people that his cause was just. He and Cassius eventually commit suicide as their hope for Rome becomes a lost cause.
 * 1 . King Henry VI Part 1 . 1590 . ( History)**
 * 2. King Henry VI Part 2 . 1590 (History)**
 * 3. King Henry VI Part 3 . 1590 (History )**
 * 4. Richard III 1592 . ( History )**
 * 5. The Comedy Of Errors 1592 . ( Comedy )**
 * 6. Titus Andronicus 1593 ( Tragedy )**
 * 7. The Taming of the Shrew 1593 ( Comedy )**
 * 8. The two Gentleman of Verona 1594 ( Comedy )**
 * 9. Love’s Labour’s Lost 1594 (Comedy)**
 * 10. Romeo and Juliet 1591 -96 ( Tragedy )**
 * 11. King Richard II 1595 ( History )**
 * 12. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1595 ( Comedy ) **
 * 13. King John 1596 ( History ) **
 * 14. The Merchant of Venice 1596 ( Comedy ) **
 * 15. King Henry IV Part 1 1597 ( History ) **
 * 16. **** King Henry IV Part 2 1598 ( History ) **
 * 17. King Henry V 1599 ( History ) **
 * 18. Julius Caesar 1599 ( Tragedy ) **

 __MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING__ (comedy)

The story of two very different sets of lovers, Beatrice and Benedick and Claudio and Hero. The witty banter between Beatrice and Benedick is the highlight of the play. The main plot of Much Ado revolves around obstacles to the union of two young lovers (Claudio and Hero), the plays sub-plot, the "merry war" of the sexes between Beatrice and Benedick. Benedict thinks he hates Beatrice but really loves her and Beatrice who thinks she hates Benedick but really loves him!  __AS YOU LIKE IT (comedy)__ As You Like It is considered by many to be one of Shakespeare's greatest comedies, and the heroine, Rosalind, is praised as one of his most inspiring characters and has more lines than any of Shakespeare's female characters. Rosalind, the daughter of a banished duke falls in love with Orlando the disinherited son of one of the duke's friends. When she is banished from the court by her usurping uncle, Duke Frederick, Rosalind switches genders and as Ganymede travels with her loyal cousin Celia and the jester Touchstone to the Forest of Arden, where her father and his friends live in exile. Observations on life and love follow (including love, aging, the natural world, and death) friends are made, and families are reunited. By the play's end Ganymede, once again Rosalind, marries her Orlando. Two other sets of lovers are also wed, one of them Celia and Orlando's mean older brother Oliver. As Oliver becomes a gentler, kinder young man so the Duke conveniently changes his ways and turns to religion and so that the exiled Duke, father of Rosalind, can rule once again.  __THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (comedy)__  Falstaff first deceives the wives. The wives, Mr. Ford and Mistress Quickly and then deceive Falstaff. Falstaff gets into trouble because he is insincere, pretending to be lovestruck when all he is really interested in is money. The ladies turn the tables on Falstaff, and he gets his just deserts.  __HAMLET (tragedy)__  Prince Hamlet mourns both his father's death and his mother, Queen Gertrude's remarriage to Claudius. The ghost of Hamlet's father appears to him and tells him that Claudius has poisoned him. Hamlet swears revenge. He arranges an old play whose story has a parallel to that of Claudius. Hamlet's behaviour is considered mad. He kills the eavesdropping Polonius, the court chamberlain, by thrusting his sword through a curtain. Polonius's son Laertes returns to Denmark to avenge his father's death. Polonius's daughter Ophelia loves the Prince but his brutal behaviour drives her to madness. Ophelia dies by drowning. A duel takes place and ends with the death of Gertrude, Laertes, Claudius, and Hamlet. The themes discussed in the plot include indecision, seeking revenge and retribution, deception, ambition, loyalty and fate.  __TWELFTH NIGHT (comedy)__ This drama is one of the great comedy plays by William Shakespeare. Viola, cross dresses and takes the man's name of Cesario. Viola enters the service of the Duke of Illyria, Orsino. Orsino longs for the love of a neighbouring countess. Viola (Cesario) then falls in love with Orsino. To add to the farce Viola's (Cesario) identical twin, Sebastian arrives on the scene. Living in Olivia’s household is her uncle, Sir Toby Belch, a merry character. The steward of the household is the conceited Malvolio.The plot illustrates jealousy, mistaken Identity, cross-dressing and features fights and duels. In the end Sebastian and Olivia fall in love and marry. Orsino realises that it is Viola that he loves and she agrees to marry him. Sir Toby Belch and Maria also decide to marry! Twelfth Night ends and everyone, except Malvolio, is happy and Shakespeare speaks of the madness of love.  __TROILUS AND CRESSIDA (tragedy)__ The setting for the story is the long running Trojan War. Troilus, a brother of Paris, falls in love with Cressida. She loves him, too, but plays hard to get. The plot covers the heroes from Greek mythology including Ulysses, Achilles and Ajax and their plans to try to end the war. The themes cover betrayal and jealousy.  __ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (comedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90.9%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">The play's central romantic figures are a young nobleman called Bertram and an orphaned commoner called Helena. The problems with their romance are due to their different backgrounds and that it is at first a one sided affair with Helena falling in lobe with Bertram. Being a comedy, (albeit with serious undercurrents), Bertram comes around and All's Well does indeed End Well. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __OTHELLO (tragedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">This drama is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. Othello is a highly esteemed general in the service of Venice. Iago is Othello's ambitious friend. Othello promotes the Michael Cassio to the position of personal lieutenant and Iago is deadly jealous. Iago begins an evil and malicious campaign against the hero. Othello elopes with Desdemona but Iago starts to plot against them. Othello becomes jealous and suspicious of Desdemona. He confides in Iago that he plans to poison Desdemona. Plots and murders ensue and Othello returns to the castle to kill his innocent wife. He eventually smothers her to death. Emilia tells Othello the truth about the scheming Iago. Othello wounds Iago, then kills himself. Iago kills Emilia. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __KING LEAR (tragedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> The story of King Lear, an aging monarch who is headstrong old man who is blind to his weaknesses, decides to divide his kingdom amongst his three daughters, according to which one recites the best declaration of love. Goneril and Regan who are the selfish daughters of Lear who pretend to love him but later treat him cruelly. Cordelia who is the loyal and unselfish daughter of Lear. He disowns her after confusing her honesty with insolence. Edgar is Gloucester's loyal son and heir and Edmund is Gloucester's evil bastard son. At first the family appear to be loving and caring but this could not be further from the truth. As the characters unfold we find greed, betrayal, lust for power, and cruelty. In other words, they are anything but normal and caring. The end of the play ends in death everywhere. Regan dies after being poisoned by Goneril. Goneril stabs herself to death. Edgar reveals his true identity to his father, but the old man dies. Mortally wounded, Edmund becomes remorseful and countermands his order to hang Cordelia. But it is too late, and Cordelia dies. Lear, now a broken man, falls upon Cordelia and also dies. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __MACBETH (tragedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">This drama is one of the great tragedy themed plays by William Shakespeare. The themes illustrated in the play include ambition, fate, deception and treachery. Three witches decide to confront the great Scottish general Macbeth on his victorious return from a war between Scotland and Norway. The Scottish king, Duncan, decides that he will confer the title of the traitorous Cawdor on the heroic Macbeth. Macbeth, and another General called Banquo, happen upon the three witches. The witches predict that he will one day become king. He decides that he will murder Duncan. Macbeth's wife agrees to his plan. He then murders Duncan assisted by his wife who smears the blood of Duncan on the daggers of the sleeping guards. A nobleman called Macduff discovers the body. Macbeth kills the guards insisting that their daggers smeared with Duncan's blood are proof that they committed the murder. The crown passes to Macbeth. More murders ensue and the bloodied ghost of Banquo appears to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth's conscience now begins to torture her and she imagines that she can see her hands covered with blood. She commits suicide. Macduff kills Macbeth and becomes king. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __MEASURE FOR MEASURE (comedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> The plot centres on Angelo, the righteous deputy empowered by the Duke of Vienna, to rule whilst he wanders about disguised as a friar to investigate the moral decay of his dukedom. Resorting to an archaic law against fornication to enforce his strict standards of morality, Angelo proceeds to condemn fornicators to death. One of these fornicators is Claudio, a young man who has had pre-marital sex with his fiancee. When Claudio's virginal sister Isabella comes to plead for her brother's life, Angelo's lust is aroused and he uses his power to blackmail Isabella into his bed. It's her virtue or Claudio's life. She threatens to expose him but is told "who will believe you?" Fortunately the Duke overhears. Angelo ends up in the bed of Mariana, a woman from his undisclosed past, Claudio is allowed to live happily ever after with his fiancee, and the virtuous Isabella ends up the Duke's bride. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA__ (tragedy)

The play tells of the scandalous affair between the Roman general Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Their blind passion which leads to their ultimate downfall and deaths. The plot encompasses the strong themes of ambition, power, love, friendship, deception and disaster.

__CORIOLANUS (tragedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> The last of Shakespeare's great political tragedies, chronicling the life of the mighty warrior Caius Marcius Coriolanus. It covers many issues including pride of coming before a fall. The ambitious mother of of the hero plays a large part in his initial successes. Coriolanus supports the old patrician ways and is totally out of tune with the needs of the ordinary people. Aufidius, jealous of Coriolanus's popularity with the Volscians, denounces him as a traitor, and the Volscians then kill the Roman. He then regrets his action and praises Coriolanus a real hero. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __TIMON OF ATHENS (tragedy)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">Timon of Athens is a man who enjoys to please his friends and he does this by lavishing gifts on them. His 'friends', many notable people in the City of Athens, rush to gain his favour. They buy him small gifts - he repays them with big gifts. He ignores the warnings about false friends from the philosopher Apemantus and his extravagance catches up with him in the end when is faced with unpaid bills. When asked for help his 'friends' ignore him. He sends invitations to the Athenians to a 'banquet' and uses the occasion to berate them for being false and he leaves Athens a poor but wiser man. The hero finds gold and becomes rich once again and befriends General Alcibiades who has also been treated badly by the Athenians. He provides the money for the General to wage war against the Athenians and seek revenge for their falseness. The story continues with various people visiting Timon with differing motives. The Athenians beg General Alcibiades for mercy. Timon then dies and a soldier brings the General a copy of the inscription on his gravestone... <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE (comedy, now called a romance)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> As we first meet Pericles a riddle thrusts him onto the horns of a dilemma. He knows the answer to the riddle King Antiochus has presented to him as a prerequisite to winning the hand of his daughter. The problem is if he fails to offer the solution, he will be put to death. But by exposing it he will reveal the King's incestuous relationship with the daughter. Pericles responds to his dilemma by starting on a tour that includes not only "normal experiences" like storms and famines, but also such abnormal and paranormal phenomena as pirates abducting children, births and burials at sea, the waking of the dead and a lengthy visit to a brothel. Eventually Marina marries Lysimachus and they become rulers of Tyre. Pericles and Thaisa rule in Pentapolis after Thaisa's father, King Simonides, dies. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __CYMBELINE (tragedy, now called a romance)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> This drama is one of the great comedy plays by William Shakespeare. Cymbeline, King of Britain, takes a new wife who has an arrogant son called Cloten. Cymbeline's beuatiful daughter Imogen is expected to marry Cloten. Instead Imogen marries the brave, but poor Posthumus Leonatus. Cymbeline is furious when he finds out about the marriage and banishes Posthumus who goes to Rome. The couple have time to exchange love tokens and Imogen gives Posthumus a diamond ring and he gives her a bracelet. The villain of the plot is Iachimo who bets 10,000 ducats against Posthumus's diamond ring that he can seduce Imogen. Various plot lines ensue involving deceit, cross-dressing, poison and treachery. The story has a happy ending when Iachimo confesses and Imogen reveals her true identity and is reunited with Posthumus. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> __WINTER'S TALE (comedy, now called a romance)__ <span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">The story shifts moves King Leontes' court in Sicilia and Bohemia. The complications arise from King Leontes' and his Queen's friendly attentions to the visiting King of Bohemia. Despite a trial at which the Oracle from Delphi declares the queen guiltless, the King banishes her. Their young son, Mamillius dies of grief but the Queen's newborn baby daughter, Perdita, is snatched from death by a Bohemian shepherd who raises her his daughter. There's a time lapse of sixteen years between the Queen's banishment and the story's long-delayed happy ending and with a few surprises. __<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;">THE TEMPEST __ (comedy, now called a romance)

<span style="font-size: 90%; display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">King Alonso of Naples and his entourage sail home for Italy after attending his daughter Claribel's wedding in Tunis, Africa. They encounter a violent storm, or Tempest. Everyone jumps overboard and are washed ashore on a strange island inhabited by the magician Prospero who has deliberately conjured up the storm. Prospero is in fact the rightful Duke of Milan who had been put to sea to die with his three-year-old daughter Miranda by his brother, Antonio who was in league with of King Alonso. Prospero and Miranda live in a cave on the island which is also inhabited by Ariel, a sprite who carries out the bidding of Prospero, and the ugly, half human Caliban. Caliban deeply resents Prospero as he believes that he is the rightful ruler of the island. He plots with some of King Alonso's company to murder Prospero. Miranda and Ferdinand fall deeply in love. Ariel rebukes King Alonso for his previous plotting against Prospero. More plots against Prospero are developed but they fail thanks to his magic. The play ends with all offenders repenting, even Caliban. Prospero regains his dukedom, Ariel calms the Tempest and everyone, except Caliban, leaves the island. The themes discussed in the Tempest are freedom, friendship, repentance and forgiveness. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: left;">

<span style="display: block; font-size: 190%; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> <span style="color: rgb(249, 16, 133); font-size: 220%; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center; display: block;">**__OTHER PLAYWRIGHTS__** <span style="display: block; font-size: 124%; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> BEN JONSON (1572-1637)
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Name:** || <span class="brl_graybit">Ben Jonson ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Birth Date:** || <span class="brl_graybit">1572 ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Death Date:** || <span class="brl_graybit">August 6, 1637 ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Place of Birth:** || <span class="brl_graybit">London, England ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Place of Death:** || <span class="brl_graybit">London, England ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Nationality:** || <span class="brl_graybit">English ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Gender:** || <span class="brl_graybit">Male ||
 * <span class="brl_graybit">**Occupations:** || <span class="brl_graybit">writer, playwright, poet ||


 * Benjamin Jonson** (c. 11 June 1572 – 6 August 1637) was an [|English] [|Renaissance] [|dramatist], [|poet] and [|actor]. A contemporary of [|William Shakespeare], he is best known for his [|satirical] plays, particularly //[|Volpone]//, //[|The Alchemist]//, and //[|Bartholomew Fair]//, which are considered his best, and his [|lyric] poems. A man of vast reading and a seemingly insatiable appetite for controversy, Jonson had an unparalleled breadth of influence on [|Jacobean] and [|Caroline] playwrights and poets.


 * Plays **


 * A Tale of a Tub, comedy (ca. 1596? revised? performed 1633; printed 1640)
 * The Case is Altered, comedy (ca. 1597–98; printed 1609), with Henry Porter and Anthony Munday?
 * Every Man in His Humour, comedy (performed 1598; printed 1601)
 * Every Man out of His Humour, comedy ( performed 1599; printed 1600)
 * Cynthia's Revels (performed 1600; printed 1601)
 * The Poetaster, comedy (performed 1601; printed 1602)
 * Sejanus His Fall, tragedy (performed 1603; printed 1605)
 * Eastward Ho, comedy (performed and printed 1605), a collaboration with John Marston and George Chapman
 * Volpone, comedy (ca. 1605–06; printed 1607)
 * Epicoene, or the Silent Woman, comedy (performed 1609; printed 1616)
 * The Alchemist, comedy (performed 1610; printed 1612)
 * Catiline His Conspiracy, tragedy (performed and printed 1611)
 * Bartholomew Fair, comedy (performed 31 October 1614; printed 1631)
 * The Devil is an Ass, comedy (performed 1616; printed 1631)
 * The Staple of News, comedy (performed Feb. 1626; printed 1631)
 * The New Inn, or The Light Heart, comedy (licensed 19 January 1629; printed 1631)
 * The Magnetic Lady, or Humors Reconciled, comedy (licensed 12 October 1632; printed 1641)
 * The Sad Shepherd, pastoral (ca. 1637, printed 1641), unfinished
 * Mortimer his Fall, history (printed 1641), a fragment

** <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE **
An anonymous portrait in [|Corpus Christi College, Cambridge], often believed to show Christopher Marlowe. || [|Canterbury], [|England] || [|Deptford], [|England] ||
 * Christopher "Kit" Marlowe** (baptised 26 February 1564 – 30 May 1593) was an [|English] [|dramatist], [|poet] and [|translator] of the [|Elizabethan era]. The foremost [|Elizabethan] [|tragedian] next to [|William Shakespeare], he is known for his [|blank verse], his overreaching [|protagonists], and his own mysterious and untimely death. All of his plays involved a moral or religous contreversy.
 * ~ Christopher Marlowe ||
 * = [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/Christopher_Marlowe.jpg width="200" height="309" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Christopher_Marlowe.jpg"]]
 * ~ Born || Baptized 26 February 1564
 * ~ Died || 30 May 1593 (aged 29)
 * ~ [|Occupation] || [|Playwright], [|poet] ||
 * ~ [|Nationality] || [|English] ||
 * ~ Writing period || //circa// 1586 – 1593 ||
 * ~ [|Literary movement] || [|English renaissance theatre] ||
 * Influenced[show][|William Shakespeare] ||
 * ~ Signature || [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/KitMarloweSig.JPG/128px-KitMarloweSig.JPG width="128" height="32" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KitMarloweSig.JPG"]] ||
 * ~ Signature || [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/KitMarloweSig.JPG/128px-KitMarloweSig.JPG width="128" height="32" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KitMarloweSig.JPG"]] ||
 * ~ Signature || [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/KitMarloweSig.JPG/128px-KitMarloweSig.JPG width="128" height="32" link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KitMarloweSig.JPG"]] ||

Plays

 * //[|Dido, Queen of Carthage]// (//c//.1586) (possibly co-written with [|Thomas Nashe])
 * //[|Tamburlaine], part 1// (//c//.1587)
 * //[|Tamburlaine], part 2// (//c//.1587-1588)
 * //[|The Jew of Malta]// (//c//.1589)
 * //[|Doctor Faustus]// (//c//.1589, or, //c//.1593)
 * //[|Edward II]// (//c//.1592)
 * //[|The Massacre at Paris]// (//c//.1593)

<span style="color: rgb(239, 21, 147); text-align: center; display: block; font-size: 200%;">[|PLAY STRUCTURE]

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 145); font-size: 230%; text-align: right; display: block;">BY TSVETI AND NAJLA'A