Shakespeare Plays Flashcards
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
1589 comedy - Considered Shakespeare’s 1st play - Proteus is in love with Julia, but leaves for Milan with his friend Valentine, where they both fall in love with Silvia - In the forest, Proteus attempts to rape Silvia, but is stopped by Valentine y Julia (disguised as a boy named Sebastian), and all ends happily - Highlight of the play is considered by many to be Launce, the clownish servant of Proteus, y his dog Crab
The Taming of the Shrew
1592 comedy - Depicts the courtship of Petruchio and Katherina, the headstrong shrew - Petruchio “tames” her with various psychological torments, such as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant, and obedient bride - Adapted into the Broadway musical Kiss Me, Kate (1948-by Cole Porter)
The Comedy of Errors
1594 comedy - The story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth: Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse AND Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus; a series of wild mishaps ensues
Love’s Labour’s Lost
1595 comedy - Ferdinand, King of Navarre, y his 3 noble companions, the lords Berowne, Dumaine, y Longaville, take an oath not to give in to the company of women; but must fight their infatuation with the Princess of Aquitaine y her ladies - Contains longest scene, word, y speech
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1597 comedy - Marriage of Theseus of Athens y Amazon queen Hippolyta brings Fairy King Oberon to have his sprite Puck cast a spell to make Fairy Queen Titania fall in love with actor Nick Bottom (horse head), while lady Hermia is avoiding marriage with Demetrius
The Merry Wives of Windsor
1602 comedy - Fat knight John Falstaff courts two wealthy married women, Mistresses Ford y Page - Adapted into an opera by Verdi in 1893
Much Ado About Nothing
1598 comedy - Benedick y Beatrice are tricked into confessing their love for each other, y Claudio is tricked into rejecting Hero at the altar on the erroneous belief that she has been unfaithful
As You Like It
1599 pastoral comedy - Rosalind flees persecution from her uncle, Duke Frederick, by going to the Forest of Arden with her cousin Celia; they meet variety of characters, incl the melancholy traveller Jaques - Contains lines “All the world’s a stage” y “too much of a good thing”
Twelfth Night (or What You Will)
1602 comedy - Twins Viola y Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck; Viola (who is disguised as a boy, Cesario) falls in love with Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with the Countess Olivia; upon meeting Viola, Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man
Troilus and Cressida
1602 tragedy - The love story of Troilus y Cressida is mostly subplot to the larger story of the Trojan War battles between Agamemnon and Priam, y Achilles and Hector - The story of Troilus and Cressida is a medieval tale that is not part of Greek mythology, y Shakespeare likely based the play on an earlier work by Chacuer
Measure for Measure
1604 comedy - The Duke of Vienna pretends to leave town, y leaves his deputy Angelo in charge, who cracks down on laws, esp. those on sexual activity y brothels - Young gentleman Claudio is arrested for impregnating his fiancee Juliet, y his sister Isabella attempts to save him, but she is propositioned by Angelo, before the Duke returns to set things straight
Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice)
1603 tragedy - Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, marries Desdemona; then is tricked by his ensign Iago into thinking she has an affair with ensign Cassio - Adapted into operas by Rossini (1816) y Verdi (1887)
All’s Well That Ends Well
1605 comedy/problem play - Helena, the low-born ward of a French countess, is in love with the countess’ son Bertram, who is indifferent to her; Bertram serves as aid to ailing King of France, who is healed by Helena, y rewarded with marriage to Bertram, who immedietely leaves for war in Italy; Helena consummates their marriage without Bertram realizing it, y when this is revealed all ends happily - Not highly regarded among Shakespeare’s plays
The Tempest
1611 comedy - Island sorcerer Prospero, rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore daughter Miranda to her rightful place; with help of sprite Ariel, he conjures storm to bring his usurping brother Antonio y King Alonso, y to have king’s son Ferdinand marry Miranda
Coriolanus
1608 tragedy - Based on life of Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus - Following military success, he becomes active in politics, but is quickly deposed, then seeks revenge
The Winter’s Tale
1611 drama/comedy - Leontes, King of Sicilia, suspects his pregnant wife Hermione of cheating with his old friend Polixenes, King of Bohemia; his daughter Perdita is abandoned by Antigonus (“Exit, pursued by a bear”) but rescued, y marries Polixenes’ son Florizel, y all parties are happily reunited
Cymbeline, King of Britain
1611 romance-tragedy - Based on legends about the early Celtic king Cunobeline - Cymbeline ends the marriage of his daughter Imogen to lover Posthumus Leonatus, while his Queen plots to produce a royal heir, then murder everyone else - Exiled Posthumus is tricked by Iachimo into beleiving Imogen was unfaithful, and he attempts to have her killed, but she escapes disguised as a boy named “Fidele”
The Two Noble Kinsmen
1614 tragicomedy attributed to John Fletcher y Shakespeare - Based on The Knight’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales (1400) - Palamon y Arcite, nephews of the King of Thebes, are imprisoned during a war; both fall in love with princess Emilia, y escape from prison separately; when they meet again, they fight for her love - Most likely the last play written by Shakespeare (1564-1616)
