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Need to get a quick overview of one of Shakespeare’s plays? Read – or listen – to one of our five minute Shakespeare play summaries to understand the main characters, plots and stories of each play.
- Twelfth Night Summary
Plays It is believed that Shakespeare wrote 38 plays in...
- King Lear Summary
Shakespeare's King Lear summary - understand the plot in 5...
- Othello Summary
Here’s a brief Othello summary: In the opening scene, Iago...
- Macbeth Summary
Read or listen to a brief Macbeth summary: King Duncan's...
- Twelfth Night Summary
- Henry Vi Part 2
- Henry Vi Part 3
- King Henry Vi Part 1
- Richard III
- Comedy of Errors
- Titus Andronicus
- The Taming of The Shrew
- The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- Love’s Labour’s Lost
- Romeo and Juliet
Henry VI part 2 synopsis
Henry VI part II is the first of three Shakespeare plays based on the life and events of King Henry the VI. Set in 15thcentury England against the backdrop of the famous dynastic ‘war of the roses’ it dramatizes the struggle for the English throne fought between the houses of Lancaster and the house of York. Opening with the marriage of Henry to Margaret of Anjou, it focuses on the initial turmoil created by several major players to earn favor with the King. However, the central character bes...
Henry VI part 3 synopsis
Shakespeare’s fascination for the English Royalty continues in his sequel to Henry VI part 2. With war breathing down his neck, Henry VItries to strike a bargain with Richard the Duke of York promising to name him heir to the throne. Queen Margaret however disagrees. With the help of Lord Clifford and son Edward, Prince of Wales she wages war on Richard and his army defeating him. With Richard Killed, a new kingmaker emerges in the form of Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, the initial int...
Henry VI part 1 synopsis
Shakespeare’s prequel to the Henry VI trilogy opens with the Young Lancastrian King Henry VIascending the throne amid turmoil in England for power to the monarchy. Supporters of the two warring houses of Lancaster and York choose red or white roses as symbols of their loyalty. Thus begins the war of the roses. Adding to his problems, Henry’s armies in France are defeated by French forces led by Joan of Arc. In a bid for peace, King Henry VIsides with the house of York but confirms his monarch...
Richard III synopsis
Richard III (Richard the third) could well qualify as one of the most treacherous of Shakespearean characters. This Shakespeare play is an evil depiction of the scheming villainous crimes of Richard IIIthe Duke of Gloucester and brother of King Edward IV. Richard’s heinous act of taking over the throne is marked by several murders of his own family including Edward the Prince of Wales. After marrying the Prince’s widow Queen Anne, his plotting succeeds in him becoming King. Richards’s victory...
Comedy of Errors synopsis
Shakespeare play, Comedy of errors is a typical example of Shakespearean slapstick comedy. It narrates the comical drama of mistaken identities involving two sets of identical twins separated since birth. Both Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio have corresponding twins in the likeness of brothers with the same names residing in the city of Ephesus where incidentally Syracusans aren’t allowed and the penalty is death. Comedy of errors unfolds over a series of hilarious events involv...
Titus Andronicus synopsis
Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare’s first Tragedy. Set against the backdrop of the Roman Empire, it never really gained approval in Victorian England, primarily because of its overuse of violent overtones. Titus Andronicus is the story of Roman general Titus and his thirst for bloody revenge against Tamora Queen of Goths may well qualify as the most violent of Shakespeare plays. In what appears to be a treacherous plot of mindless murder and revenge, Shakespeare’s characters namely Titus and Ta...
The taming of the shrew synopsis
As an induction styled play common to Shakespearean literature, the main play of The taming of the shrewis enacted out for the benefit of the introductory character Christopher Sly. Sly is a drunkard who is tricked by a nobleman into believing he descends form nobility. The ensuing play then unfolds with the comical story of Petruchio of Verona and his courtship and marriage to Katherina. The eldest of two sisters, Katrina is a head strong ill mannered shrew. The comedy depicts Petruchio’s wi...
The two gentlemen of Verona synopsis
Shakespeare play, The two gentlemen of Veronais a classic tale of choice between love and friendship. It portrays the story of two friends Proteus and Valentine who both fall in love with the same woman Silvia daughter of the Duke of Milan. Choosing love over friendship, Proteus betrays Valentine’s plan to elope with Silvia resulting in Valentines banishment from Milan. Valentine becomes a leader of outlaws in the forest while Silvia attempts to flee and reunite with him. Meanwhile, the secon...
Love’s Labour’s Lost synopsis
Shakespeare Play, Love’s Labour’s Lostis totally deceptive of its title. It follows the exploits of the King of Navarre and his three companions who swear to avoid women for three years in a bid to further academic pursuits and good health. Unfortunately their commitment coincides with the visit of the princess of Aquitaine and her ladies. Their previous commitments forgotten, the men engage in a number of attempts to woo the ladies. A comical mix up follows with letters and messages being de...
Romeo and Juliet synopsis
Shakespeare play, Romeo and Julietis well known as one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy. As a popular theme for modern day love stories, the tragic tale records the story of two lovers Romeo of the house of Montague and Juliet from the house of Capulet. With love doomed to end in failure, the lovers woo each other in the wake of a warring feud between the two houses of Montague and Capulet. A heartwarming tale ensues with the lovers finding ways and means to romance each other until their...
Shakespeare's plays are a canon of approximately 39 dramatic works written by the English poet, playwright, and actor William Shakespeare. The exact number of plays as well as their classifications as tragedy , history , comedy , or otherwise is a matter of scholarly debate.
Understand Shakespeare's plays and sonnets with SparkNotes' translations, plot summaries, character lists, quotes, lists of themes and symbols, and more.
A short summary of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Hamlet.
Summaries of William Shakespeare's plays. Shakespeare's plays portray recognisable people in situations that we can all relate to - including love, marriage, death, mourning, guilt, the need to make difficult choices, separation, reunion and reconciliation.
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A short summary of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of Romeo and Juliet.
