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Period: 1564 to
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's foremost dramatist. He is often referred as England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon." -
Henry VI Part One
Henry IV, Part 1 by William Shakespeare is a historical play about power, rebellion, and honor during the reign of King Henry IV of England. The play explores the political conflict between the king and a group of rebellious nobles, while also following the escapades of the king's son, Prince Hal. -
The Taming of the Shrew
Lucentio loves Bianca but cannot court her until her shrewish older sister Katherina marries. The eccentric Petruccio marries the reluctant Katherina and uses a number of tactics to render her an obedient wife. Lucentio marries Bianca and, in a contest at the end, Katherina proves to be the most obedient wife. -
Richard III
Jealous and bitter, Richard of Gloucester desires to be King of England and resorts to manipulation and deceit to fulfill his ambition. He murders his brothers, nephews, and anyone who opposes him to seize the throne as King Richard III. Ultimately, Henry of Richmond raises an army, defeats Richard in battle, and becomes King Henry VII. -
The Comedy of Errors
Click here to play After being separated from their twins in a shipwreck, Antipholus and his slave, Dromio, travel to Ephesus to search for them. The other set of twins resides in Ephesus, and their arrival leads to a series of mistaken identity incidents. In the end, the twins reunite with each other and their parents, resolving all the problems that arose earlier. -
Romeo and Juliet
Click here to play An age-old feud between two powerful families leads to violence. Romeo falls in love with Juliet. They plan to marry the next day. After Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin Tybalt in a street fight, he is banished. In a desperate attempt to reunite, Juliet fakes her death, he believes she is truly dead and takes his life. Juliet awakens, discovers Romeo's corpse, and kills herself. Grieving, the two families agree to end their feud. -
Love's Labour's Lost
In "Love's Labor's Lost," the comedy revolves around four young men who unexpectedly fall in love. Among them is the king of Navarre, who vows that they will dedicate three years to studying and avoiding all contact with women. However, when the Princess of France arrives on a state visit, the king insists that she and her ladies stay outside the court. -
As You Like It
Rosalind and her cousin escape into the forest, where they encounter Orlando, Rosalind's love. Disguised as a boy shepherd, Rosalind encourages Orlando to pursue her, pretending that she is trying to "cure" him of his love for her. Eventually, Rosalind reveals her true identity as a girl and marries Orlando during a group wedding at the end of the play. -
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Two best friends, Proteus and Valentine, travel to Milan, where they both fall in love with Silvia. Silvia, however, loves Valentine. Despite having a girlfriend back home, Proteus pursues Silvia. After a heartfelt apology, Proteus and Valentine reconcile. Proteus then reaffirms his love for his girlfriend, and ultimately, both couples get married. -
Hamlet
The ghost of the King of Denmark appears to his son, Hamlet, urging him to avenge his murder by killing the new king, who is Hamlet's uncle. In response, Hamlet pretends to be mad, reflecting on the concepts of life and death while plotting his revenge. Meanwhile, his uncle, fearing for his own safety, schemes to kill Hamlet. The play culminates in a duel, during which the king, queen, Hamlet's opponent, and Hamlet himself all meet their demise. -
Othello
Iago is furious after being overlooked for a promotion and devises a plan to take revenge on his general, Othello, the Moor of Venice. He manipulates Othello into believing that his wife, Desdemona, is unfaithful, which stirs Othello's jealousy. Consumed by jealousy, Othello murders Desdemona and then takes his own life.