TITLE/ SETTING CHARACTERS PLOT THEMES/SYMBOLS/

INFLUENCES MOTIFS

Romeo - The son and In the streets of Verona another brawl breaks Themes
ROMEO AND heir of Montague and out between the servants of the feuding noble
JULIET SETTINGS (TIME) Lady Montague. A young families of Capulet and Montague. Benvolio, a The Forcefulness of Love
Renaissance man of about sixteen, Montague, tries to stop the fighting, but is (The play focuses on
Romeo and Juliet (fourteenth or fifteenth Romeo is handsome, embroiled when the rash Capulet, Tybalt, arrives romantic love, specifically the
belongs to a tradition century) intelligent, and sensitive. on the scene. After citizens outraged by the intense passion that springs
of tragic romances constant violence beat back the warring up at first sight between
stretching back to Juliet - A beautiful factions, Prince Escalus, the ruler of Verona, Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo
SETTINGS (PLACE)
antiquity. Its plot is thirteen-year-old girl and attempts to prevent any further conflicts and Juliet, love is a violent,
· Verona and Mantua
based on an Italian the daughter of Capulet between the families by decreeing death for any ecstatic, overpowering force
(cities in northern Italy)
tale, translated into and Lady Capulet. individual who disturbs the peace in the future. that supersedes all other
verse as The values, loyalties, and
Tragical History of Friar Lawrence - A Romeo, the son of Montague, runs into his emotions).
Romeus and Juliet Franciscan friar, friend to cousin Benvolio, who had earlier seen Romeo
by Arthur Brooke in both Romeo and Juliet. moping in a grove of sycamores. After some Love as a Cause of
1562, and retold in He is kind, civic-minded, prodding by Benvolio, Romeo confides that he is Violence (Love, in Romeo
prose in Palace of a proponent of in love with Rosaline, a woman who does not and Juliet, is a grand
Pleasure by William moderation, and always return his affections. Benvolio counsels him to passion, and as such it is
Painter in 1582. ready with a plan. forget this woman and find another, more blinding; it can overwhelm a
Shakespeare beautiful one, but Romeo remains despondent. person as powerfully and
borrowed heavily Mercutio - A kinsman to completely as hate can).
from both, but the Prince, and Romeo’s Meanwhile, Paris, a kinsman of the Prince,
developed close friend. seeks Juliet’s hand in marriage. Her father
supporting Capulet, though happy at the match, asks Paris The Individual versus
characters, The Nurse - Juliet’s to wait two years, since Juliet is not yet even Society (Much of Romeo
particularly Mercutio nurse, the woman who fourteen. Capulet dispatches a servant with a and Juliet involves the
and Paris, in order to breast-fed Juliet when list of people to invite to a masquerade and lovers’ struggles against
expand the plot. she was a baby and has feast he traditionally holds. He invites Paris to public and social institutions
cared for Juliet her entire the feast, hoping that Paris will begin to win that either explicitly or
Romeo and Juliet life. Juliet’s heart. implicitly oppose the
borrows from a existence of their love. Such
tradition of tragic Tybalt - A Capulet, Romeo and Benvolio, still discussing Rosaline, structures range from the
love stories dating Juliet’s cousin on her encounter the Capulet servant bearing the list of concrete to the abstract:
back to antiquity. mother’s side. He is vain, invitations. Benvolio suggests that they attend, families and the placement of
One of these is fashionable, and since that will allow Romeo to compare his familial power in the father;
Pyramus and supremely aware of beloved to other beautiful women of Verona. law and the desire for public
Thisbe, from Ovid's courtesy and the lack of Romeo agrees to go with Benvolio to the feast, order; religion; and the social
Metamorphoses, it. but only because Rosaline, whose name he importance placed on
which contains
parallels to Capulet - The patriarch
Shakespeare's story: of the Capulet family,
the lovers' parents father of Juliet, husband
despise each other, of Lady Capulet, and
and Pyramus falsely enemy, for unexplained
believes his lover reasons, of Montague.
Thisbe is dead.The
Ephesiaca of Lady Capulet - Juliet’s
Xenophon of mother, Capulet’s wife.
Ephesus, written in
the 3rd century, also Montague - Romeo’s
contains several father, the patriarch of the
similarities to the Montague clan and bitter
play, including the enemy of Capulet.
separation of the
lovers, and a potion Lady
which induces a Montague - Romeo’s
deathlike sleep. mother, Montague’s wife.
Paris - A kinsman of the
Prince, and the suitor of
Juliet most preferred by
Capulet.
Benvolio - Montague’s
nephew, Romeo’s cousin
and thoughtful friend.
Prince Escalus - The
Prince of Verona. A
kinsman of Mercutio and
Paris.
Friar John - A
Franciscan friar charged
by Friar Lawrence with
taking the news of Juliet’s
false death to Romeo in
Mantua.
Balthasar - Romeo’s
dedicated servant, who
reads on the list, will be there.
masculine honor).
In Capulet’s household, young Juliet talks with
her mother, Lady Capulet, and her nurse about The Inevitability of Fate
the possibility of marrying Paris. Juliet has not (The mechanism of fate
yet considered marriage, but agrees to look at works in all of the events
Paris during the feast to see if she thinks she surrounding the lovers: the
could fall in love with him. feud between their families;
the horrible series of
The feast begins. A melancholy Romeo follows accidents that ruin Friar
Benvolio and their witty friend Mercutio to Lawrence’s seemingly well-
Capulet’s house. Once inside, Romeo sees intentioned plans at the end
Juliet from a distance and instantly falls in love of the play; and the tragic
with her; he forgets about Rosaline completely. timing of Romeo’s suicide
As Romeo watches Juliet, entranced, a young and Juliet’s awakening.
Capulet, Tybalt, recognizes him, and is enraged These events are not mere
that a Montague would sneak into a Capulet coincidences, but rather
feast. He prepares to attack, but Capulet holds manifestations of fate that
him back. Soon, Romeo speaks to Juliet, and help bring about the
the two experience a profound attraction. They unavoidable outcome of the
kiss, not even knowing each other’s names. young lovers’ deaths).
When he finds out from Juliet’s nurse that she is
the daughter of Capulet—his family’s enemy—
he becomes distraught. When Juliet learns that Motifs
the young man she has just kissed is the son of Light/Dark Imagery
Montague, she grows equally upset. Opposite Points of View
As Mercutio and Benvolio leave the Capulet Symbols
estate, Romeo leaps over the orchard wall into
the garden, unable to leave Juliet behind. From Poison (Poison is not
his hiding place, he sees Juliet in a window intrinsically evil, but is instead
above the orchard and hears her speak his a natural substance made
name. He calls out to her, and they exchange lethal by human hands).
vows of love.
Thumb-biting (The thumb-
Romeo hurries to see his friend and confessor biting, as an essentially
Friar Lawrence, who, though shocked at the meaningless gesture,
sudden turn of Romeo’s heart, agrees to marry represents the foolishness of
the young lovers in secret since he sees in their the entire Capulet/Montague
love the possibility of ending the age-old feud feud and the stupidity of
between Capulet and Montague. The following violence in general).
day, Romeo and Juliet meet at Friar Lawrence’s
cell and are married. The Nurse, who is privy to
brings Romeo the news
of Juliet’s death, unaware
that her death is a ruse.
Sampson & The next day, Benvolio and Mercutio encounter
Gregory - Two servants
of the house of Capulet,
who, like their master,
hate the Montagues.
Abram - Montague’s
servant, who fights with
Sampson and Gregory in
the first scene of the play.
The Apothecary - An
apothecary in Mantua.
Peter - A Capulet servant
who invites guests to
Capulet’s feast and
escorts the Nurse to meet
with Romeo.
Rosaline - The woman
with whom Romeo is
infatuated at the
beginning of the play.
the secret, procures a ladder, which Romeo will
use to climb into Juliet’s window for their Queen Mab
wedding night.
Tybalt—Juliet’s cousin—who, still enraged that
Romeo attended Capulet’s feast, has
challenged Romeo to a duel. Romeo appears.
Now Tybalt’s kinsman by marriage, Romeo begs
the Capulet to hold off the duel until he
understands why Romeo does not want to fight.
Disgusted with this plea for peace, Mercutio
says that he will fight Tybalt himself. The two
begin to duel. Romeo tries to stop them by
leaping between the combatants. Tybalt stabs
Mercutio under Romeo’s arm, and Mercutio
dies. Romeo, in a rage, kills Tybalt. Romeo flees
from the scene. Soon after, the Prince declares
him forever banished from Verona for his crime.
Friar Lawrence arranges for Romeo to spend
his wedding night with Juliet before he has to
leave for Mantua the following morning.
In her room, Juliet awaits the arrival of her new
husband. The Nurse enters, and, after some
confusion, tells Juliet that Romeo has killed
Tybalt. Distraught, Juliet suddenly finds herself
married to a man who has killed her kinsman.
But she resettles herself, and realizes that her
duty belongs with her love: to Romeo.
Romeo sneaks into Juliet’s room that night, and
at last they consummate their marriage and their
love. Morning comes, and the lovers bid
farewell, unsure when they will see each other
again. Juliet learns that her father, affected by
the recent events, now intends for her to marry
Paris in just three days. Unsure of how to
proceed—unable to reveal to her parents that
she is married to Romeo, but unwilling to marry
Paris now that she is Romeo’s wife—Juliet asks
her Nurse for advice. She counsels Juliet to
proceed as if Romeo were dead and to marry
Paris, who is a better match anyway. Disgusted
with the Nurse’s disloyalty, Juliet disregards her
advice and hurries to Friar Lawrence. He
concocts a plan to reunite Juliet with Romeo in
Mantua. The night before her wedding to Paris,
Juliet must drink a potion that will make her
appear to be dead. After she is laid to rest in the
family’s crypt, the Friar and Romeo will secretly
retrieve her, and she will be free to live with
Romeo, away from their parents’ feuding.

Juliet returns home to discover the wedding has

been moved ahead one day, and she is to be
married tomorrow. That night, Juliet drinks the
potion, and the Nurse discovers her, apparently
dead, the next morning. The Capulets grieve,
and Juliet is entombed according to plan. But
Friar Lawrence’s message explaining the plan to
Romeo never reaches Mantua. Its bearer, Friar
John, gets confined to a quarantined house.
Romeo hears only that Juliet is dead.

Romeo learns only of Juliet’s death and decides

to kill himself rather than live without her. He
buys a vial of poison from a reluctant
Apothecary, then speeds back to Verona to take
his own life at Juliet’s tomb. Outside the Capulet
crypt, Romeo comes upon Paris, who is
scattering flowers on Juliet’s grave. They fight,
and Romeo kills Paris. He enters the tomb, sees
Juliet’s inanimate body, drinks the poison, and
dies by her side. Just then, Friar Lawrence
enters and realizes that Romeo has killed Paris
and himself. At the same time, Juliet awakes.
Friar Lawrence hears the coming of the watch.
When Juliet refuses to leave with him, he flees
alone. Juliet sees her beloved Romeo and
realizes he has killed himself with poison. She
kisses his poisoned lips, and when that does not
kill her, buries his dagger in her chest, falling
dead upon his body.
 The watch arrives, followed closely by the
Prince, the Capulets, and Montague. Montague
declares that Lady Montague has died of grief
over Romeo’s exile. Seeing their children’s
bodies, Capulet and Montague agree to end
their long-standing feud and to raise gold
statues of their children side-by-side in a newly
peaceful Verona.

Troilus - A prince of In the seventh year of the Trojan War, a Trojan Themes
TROILUS AND Troy. The younger brother prince named Troilus falls in love with Cressida,
CRESSIDA It is set in the city of of Hector and Paris, he is the daughter of a Trojan priest who has defected Ignorance breeds
Troy and surrounding a valiant warrior and an to the Greek side. Troilus is assisted in his mediocrity. The central
Shakespeare drew plains in northwestern honorable man. pursuit of her by Pandarus, Cressida's uncle. characters in the play do not
on a number of Anatolia, a region in the Meanwhile, in the Greek camp, the Greek understand themselves and
sources for this Asia Minor that is part Cressida - A beautiful general, Agamemnon, wonders why his do not learn from their
plotline, in particular of modern-day Turkey. young Trojan woman. commanders seem so downcast and mistakes. Consequently, they
Chaucer's version of The action takes place The daughter of Calchas, pessimistic. The wise and crafty Ulysses informs do not grow or change
the tale, Troilus and in Troy and the Greek a Trojan priest who him that the army's troubles spring from a lack radically; they remain small
Criseyde, but also camp outside the walls defected to the Greek of respect for authority, brought about by the and mediocre.
John Lydgate's Troy of Troy. Anatolia is west camp, she becomes behavior of Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior,
Book and Caxton's of Greece (across the Troilus's lover. who refuses to fight and instead spends his time Love is blind. Troilus falls in
translation of the Aegean Sea) and north sitting in his tent with his comrade (and lover) love with Cressida without
Recuyell of the of Egypt (across the Hector - A prince of Troy. Patroclus, mocking his superiors. Shortly due heed to her faults.
Historyes of Troye. Mediterranean Sea). The greatest warrior on thereafter, a challenge to single combat arrives
The time is about 3,200 the Trojan side--and from Prince Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, Fame and glory are false
The story of the years ago in recorded matched in might only by and Ulysses decides to have Ajax, a headstrong gods. The Greeks and
persuasion of history's infancy. Achilles himself--he is a fool, fight Hector instead of Achilles, in the Trojans kill for glory, bragging
Achilles into battle is hero to his entire city and hopes that this snub will wound Achilles's pride rights, and eternal fame–false
drawn from Homer's is respected even by his and bring him back into the war. gods that entice them onto
Iliad (perhaps in the enemies. the path of self-destruction.
translation by In Troy, the sons of King Priam debate whether
George Chapman), Ulysses - One of the it is worthwhile to continue the war--or whether
and from various Greek commanders. A they should return Helen to the Greeks and end It is folly to fight a war for a
medieval and highly intelligent, even the struggle. Hector argues for peace, but he is trivial reason. The Greeks
Renaissance philosophical man, he is won over by the impassioned Troilus, who wants and Trojans went to war after
retellings. renowned for his cunning. to continue the struggle. In the Greek camp, Paris took Helen from King
Thersites, Ajax's foul-mouthed slave, abuses Menelaus, bruising Greek
The story was a Pandarus - Cressida's everyone who crosses his path. His master, pride and honor. After seven
popular one for uncle. He serves as a go- meanwhile, has been honored by the years of war, the combatants
dramatists in the between for Troilus and commanders over the sulking Achilles, and is to stubbornly continue to fight.
early 1600s and Cressida, acting as a kind fight Hector the next day.
Shakespeare may of cheerful, bawdy pimp Appearances are deceiving.
have been inspired for his niece.
by contemporary
plays. Thomas Thersites - A deformed
Heywood's two-part slave serving Ajax who
play The Iron Age has a vicious, abusive
also depicts the tongue.
Trojan war and the
story of Troilus and Achilles - The greatest
Cressida, but it is not of the Greek warriors, he
certain whether his is also an arrogant,
or Shakespeare's vicious thug, who refuses
play was written first. to fight in the war
In addition, Thomas whenever his pride is
Dekker and Henry injured.
Chettle wrote a play
called Troilus and Ajax - A Greek warrior,
Cressida at around he is as proud as
the same time as Achilles, but less
Shakespeare, but intelligent and less skilled
this play survives in battle.
only as a The next day, in spite of unhappy premonitions
fragmentary plot Agamemnon - The
outline. Greek general, and the
elder brother of
Menelaus.
Diomedes - A Greek
commander who seduces
Cressida.
Paris - A prince of Troy.
His theft of Menelaus's
wife, Helen, precipitated
the Trojan War.
Menelaus - A Greek
commander,
Agamemnon's brother,
and the abandoned
husband of Helen.
Helen - Menelaus's wife.
Her elopement with Paris
That night, Pandarus brings Troilus and Outwardly, Cressida and
Cressida together, and after they pledge to be Helen are beautiful and
forever true to one another, he leads them to a charming; the various
bedchamber to consummate their love. warriors, handsome and
Meanwhile, Cressida's father, the treacherous mighty. Inwardly, they are all
Trojan priest Calchas, asks the Greek ugly, spiteful, weak, and/or
commanders to exchange a Trojan prisoner for depraved.
his daughter, so that he may be reunited with
her. The commanders agree, and the next
morning--to Troilus and Cressida's dismay--the
trade is made, and a Greek lord named
Diomedes leads Cressida away from Troy. That
afternoon, Ajax and Hector fight to a draw, and
after Hector and Achilles exchange insults,
Hector and Troilus feast with the Greeks under a
flag of truce. As the camp goes to bed, Ulysses
leads Troilus to the tent of Calchas, where the
Trojan prince watches from hiding as Cressida
agrees to become Diomedes's lover.
from his wife, sister, and his father, Hector takes
the field, and a furious and heartbroken Troilus
accompanies him. The Trojans drive the Greeks
back, but Patroclus is killed, which brings a
vengeful Achilles back into the war, finally.
Achilles is unable to defeat Hector in single
combat, but he later catches him unarmed and,
together with a gang of Greek warriors,
slaughters him. Achilles then drags Hector's
body around the walls of Troy, and the play ends
with the Trojan warriors retreating to the city to
mourn their fallen hero.
 led to the Trojan War.

Calchas - A Trojan
priest, and Cressida's
father. He defected to the
Greeks in the early days
of the war.

Aeneas - A Trojan
commander.

Nestor - The oldest of

the Greek commanders.

Cassandra - A Trojan
princess and prophetess;
she is considered mad.

Patroclus - A Greek
warrior. Achilles's best
friend--and, it is
suggested, his lover.

Priam - The king of

Troy, and the father of
Hector, Paris, and Troilus,
among others.

Antenor - A Trojan
commander, he is
exchanged for Cressida
after his capture by the
Greeks.

Helenus - A prince of
Troy.

Andromache - Hector's
wife.

Katherine - The “shrew” IN THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE, a poor tinker named Themes
TAMING OF THE SETTINGS (TIME) of the play’s title, Christopher Sly becomes the target of a prank
SHREW · Unspecific, though Katherine, or Kate, is the by a local lord. Finding Sly drunk out of his wits Marriage as an Economic
 presumably sometime daughter of Baptista in front of an alehouse, the lord has his men Institution
The basic elements during the Italian Minola, with whom she take Sly to his manor, dress him in his finery, The Taming of the Shrew
of the story are Renaissance lives in Padua. and treat him as a lord. When Sly recovers, the emphasizes the economic
present in the 14th- men tell him that he is a lord and that he only aspects of marriage—
century Castilian tale SETTINGS (PLACE) Petruccio - Petruccio is believes himself to be a tinker because he has specifically, how economic
by Don Juan Manuel · Padua, a city-state in a gentleman from Verona. been insane for the past several years. Waking considerations determine who
of the "young man Italy prominent during Loud, boisterous, in the lord’s bed, Sly at first refuses to accept marries whom.
who married a very the Renaissance eccentric, quick-witted, the men’s story, but when he hears of his “wife,”
strong and fiery and frequently drunk, he a pageboy dressed in women’s clothing, he Renaissance Italy promotes
woman". The play's has come to Padua “to readily agrees that he is the lord they purport inequality of females by
subplot, involving the wive and thrive.” him to be. Sly wants to be left alone with his forcing them into
characters Bianca wife, but the servants tell him that a troupe of submissive roles.
and Lucentio, Bianca - The younger actors has arrived to present a play for him. The The Taming of the Shrew is a
derives from daughter of Baptista. She play that Sly watches makes up the main story comedy that satirizes silly and
Ludovico Ariosto's I is soft-spoken, sweet, of The Taming of the Shrew. unfair social customs and
Suppositi, either and unassuming. behaviors that favor males.
directly or through In the Italian city of Padua, a rich young man Consider that Baptista Minola
George Gascoigne's Baptista - Minola named Lucentio arrives with his servants, Tranio treats his daughters, Bianca
English version Baptista is one of the and Biondello, to attend the local university. and Katharina, like
Supposes wealthiest men in Padua, Lucentio is excited to begin his studies, but his marionettes, expecting them
(performed 1566, and his daughters priorities change when he sees Bianca, a always to do his bidding. It is
printed 1573). become the prey of many beautiful, mild young woman with whom he who decides whom Bianca
suitors due to the Lucentio instantly falls in love. There are two will marry (the richest
substantial dowries he problems: first, Bianca already has two suitors, bachelor), and it is he who
can offer. He is good- Gremio and Hortensio; second, Bianca’s father, orders Katharina's betrothal
natured, if a bit a wealthy old man named Baptista Minola, has to Petruchio, a man she says
superficial. declared that no one may court Bianca until first she despises. Consider, too,
her older sister, the vicious, ill-tempered that Petruchio forces
Lucentio - A young Katherine, is married. Lucentio decides to Katharina to acknowledge
student from Pisa, the overcome this problem by disguising himself as that he is always right, even
good-natured and intrepid Bianca’s Latin tutor to gain an excuse to be in when he says the sun is the
Lucentio comes to Padua her company. Hortensio disguises himself as her moon. At the end of the play,
to study at the city’s music teacher for the same reason. While all of the husbands brag
renowned university. Lucentio pretends to be Bianca’s tutor, Tranio about what they apparently
dresses up as Lucentio and begins to confer believe is an important quality
Tranio - Lucentio’s with Baptista about the possibility of marrying of a wife: submissiveness.
servant who is wry and his daughter.
comical. Some women must be
The Katherine problem is solved for Bianca’s tamed, like wild animals.
Gremio and Hortensio suitors when Hortensio’s friend Petruccio, a Petruchio uses the same
- Two gentlemen of brash young man from Verona, arrives in Padua tactics to tame Katharina that
Padua. Gremio and to find a wife. He intends to marry a rich woman, he uses to tame hunting birds
Hortensio are Bianca’s and does not care what she is like as long as
suitors at the beginning of
the play.
Grumio - Petruccio’s
servant and the fool of
the play—a source of
much comic relief.
Biondello - Lucentio’s
second servant, who
assists his master and
Tranio in carrying out
their plot.
Christopher Sly - The
principal character in the
play’s brief Induction, Sly
is a drunken tinker,
tricked by a mischievous
nobleman into thinking
that he is really a lord.
she will bring him a fortune. He agrees to marry and other animals.
Katherine sight unseen. The next day, he goes
to Baptista’s house to meet her, and they have a Money makes the man–and
tremendous duel of words. As Katherine insults woman. Lucentio gets Bianca
Petruccio repeatedly, Petruccio tells her that he because he has the most
will marry her whether she agrees or not. He money. Katharina gets a
tells Baptista, falsely, that Katherine has suitor, Petruchio, because
consented to marry him on Sunday. Hearing this she has a handsome dowry.
claim, Katherine is strangely silent, and the
wedding is set. Love at first SIGHT. When
they first meet, Katharina and
On Sunday, Petruccio is late to his own Petruchio engage in a battle
wedding, leaving Katherine to fear she will of insults. It is clear during
become an old maid. When Petruccio arrives, their exchange that opposites
he is dressed in a ridiculous outfit and rides on a attract and that they are
-broken-down horse. After the wedding, destined to marry and
Petruccio forces Katherine to leave for his become strange bedfellows.
country house before the feast, telling all in
earshot that she is now his property and that he Don't drink and drowse. In
may do with her as he pleases. Once they reach the induction, Christopher Sly
his country house, Petruccio continues the dozes on the side of a road in
process of “taming” Katherine by keeping her the English countryside after
from eating or sleeping for several days—he getting drunk. Mischievous
pretends that he loves her so much he cannot passersby play an elaborate
allow her to eat his inferior food or to sleep in his trick on him deceiving him
poorly made bed. into believing that he is a lord
who has just come through
In Padua, Lucentio wins Bianca’s heart by 15 years of insanity. All of
wooing her with a Latin translation that declares which proves that in vino,
his love. Hortensio makes the same attempt there is no veritas.
with a music lesson, but Bianca loves Lucentio,
and Hortensio resolves to marry a wealthy Kill with kindness. Using
widow. Tranio secures Baptista’s approval for reverse psychology,
Lucentio to marry Bianca by proposing a huge Petruchio praises, pampers,
sum of money to lavish on her. Baptista agrees and coddles Katharina in
but says that he must have this sum confirmed order to rob her of occasion
by Lucentio’s father before the marriage can to complain and thereby kill
take place. Tranio and Lucentio, still in their her scolding tongue.
respective disguises, feel there is nothing left to
do but find an old man to play the role of
Lucentio’s father. Tranio enlists the help of an
old pedant, or schoolmaster, but as the pedant The Effect of Social Roles
speaks to Baptista, Lucentio and Bianca decide on Individual Happiness
to circumvent the complex situation by eloping.
The primary excitement in
Katherine and Petruccio soon return to Padua to The Taming of the Shrew
visit Baptista. On the way, Petruccio forces stems from its permeable
Katherine to say that the sun is the moon and social boundaries,
that an old man is really a beautiful young crisscrossed continually by
maiden. Since Katherine’s willfulness is those who employ a disguise
dissipating, she agrees that all is as her or a clever lie. In the end,
-husband says. On the road, the couple meets however, the conventional
Lucentio’s father, Vincentio, who is on his way to order reestablishes itself, and
Padua to see his son. In Padua, Vincentio is those characters who
shocked to find Tranio masquerading as harmonize with that order
Lucentio. At last, Bianca and Lucentio arrive to achieve personal happiness.
spread the news of their marriage. Both
Vincentio and Baptista finally agree to the Motifs
marriage.
Disguise
At the banquet following Hortensio’s wedding to Domestication
the widow, the other characters are shocked to Fathers and their Children
see that Katherine seems to have been
“tamed”—she obeys everything that Petruccio Symbols
says and gives a long speech advocating the
loyalty of wives to their husbands. When the Petruccio’s Wedding
three new husbands stage a contest to see Costume (The ridiculous
which of their wives will obey first when outfit Petruccio wears to his
summoned, everyone expects Lucentio to win. wedding with Kate
Bianca, however, sends a message back symbolizes his control over
refusing to obey, while Katherine comes her. Simply by wearing the
immediately. The others acknowledge that costume, he is able to
Petruccio has won an astonishing victory, and humiliate her. The outfit also
the happy Katherine and Petruccio leave the symbolizes the transient
banquet to go to bed. nature of clothing.)

The Haberdasher’s Cap and

Tailor’s Gown (The cap and
gown that Petruccio denies
Katherine, despite the fact
that she finds them truly
appealing, symbolizes yet
again his power over her. The
outfit functions as a kind of
bait used to help convince
 Kate to recognize and comply
with Petruccio’s wishes. Only
he has the power to satisfy
her needs and desires, and
this lesson encourages her to
satisfy him in return.)

Prospero - The play’s A STORM STRIKES A SHIP carrying Alonso, Ferdinand, Themes
THE TEMPEST SETTING (TIME)
· The protagonist, and father of Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Stefano, and
Renaissance Miranda. Twelve years Trinculo, who are on their way to Italy after
before the events of the coming from the wedding of Alonso’s daughter, The Illusion of Justice
The Tempest may SETTING (PLACE) · An play, Prospero was the Claribel, to the prince of Tunis in Africa. The
take its overall island in the duke of Milan. royal party and the other mariners, with the The Tempest tells a fairly
structure from Mediterranean sea, exception of the unflappable Boatswain, begin straightforward story involving
traditional Italian probably off the coast Miranda - The daughter to fear for their lives. Lightning cracks, and the an unjust act, the usurpation
commedia dell'arte, of Italy of Prospero, Miranda was mariners cry that the ship has been hit. of Prospero’s throne by his
which sometimes brought to the island at Everyone prepares to sink. brother, and Prospero’s quest
featured a magus an early age and has to re-establish justice by
and his daughter, never seen any men The next scene begins much more quietly. restoring himself to power.
their supernatural other than her father and Miranda and Prospero stand on the shore of
attendants, and a Caliban, though she dimly their island, looking out to sea at the recent Forgive and forget. Though
number of rustics. remembers being cared shipwreck. Miranda asks her father to do Prospero has been wronged,
The commedia often for by female servants as anything he can to help the poor souls in the he reconciles with his
featured a clown an infant. ship. Prospero assures her that everything is all wrongdoers.
known as Arlecchino right and then informs her that it is time she
(or his predecessor, Ariel - Prospero’s spirit learned more about herself and her past. He
helper. He is mischievous reveals to her that he orchestrated the Repent your sins. All of
Zanni) and his Prospero's wrongdoers
partner Brighella, and ubiquitous, able to shipwreck and tells her the lengthy story of her
traverse the length of the past, a story he has often started to tell her repent at the end and achieve
who bear a striking redemption.
resemblance to island in an instant and to before but never finished. The story goes that
Stephano and change shapes at will. Prospero was the Duke of Milan until his brother
Antonio, conspiring with Alonso, the King of The New World (America) is
Trinculo; a lecherous a raw, untamed wilderness.
Neapolitan Caliban - Another of Naples, usurped his position. With the help of
Prospero’s servants. Gonzalo, Prospero was able to escape with his Prospero's island may have
hunchback named symbolized America, or the
Pulcinella, who Caliban, the son of the daughter and with the books that are the source
now-deceased witch of his magic and power. Prospero and his islands off the coast
corresponds to of America, with Caliban
Caliban; and the Sycorax, acquainted daughter arrived on the island where they
Prospero with the island remain now and have been for twelve years. representing the uncivilized
clever and beautiful native population.
Isabella, whose when Prospero arrived. Only now, Prospero says, has Fortune at last
wealthy and sent his enemies his way, and he has raised the
Ferdinand - Son and tempest in order to make things right with them Exploration of new lands
manipulative father, often results in
Pantalone, heir of Alonso. Ferdinand once and for all.
seems in some ways to mistreatment of native
 be as pure and naïve as After telling this story, Prospero charms Miranda populations. It has been
constantly seeks a Miranda. to sleep and then calls forth his familiar spirit suggested that Caliban
suitor for her, thus Ariel, his chief magical agent. Prospero and represents indigenous
mirroring the Alonso - King of Naples Ariel’s discussion reveals that Ariel brought the peoples exploited by
relationship between and father of Ferdinand. tempest upon the ship and set fire to the mast. Europeans during the Age of
Miranda and He then made sure that everyone got safely to Discovery.
Prospero. Antonio - Prospero’s the island, though they are now separated from
brother. Antonio quickly each other into small groups. Ariel, who is a The storms of life are
demonstrates that he is captive servant to Prospero, reminds his master followed by peace and
One of Gonzalo's
power-hungry and foolish. that he has promised Ariel freedom a year early calm.
speeches is derived
if he performs tasks such as these without Friends in need are friends
from Montaigne's
Sebastian - Alonso’s complaint. Prospero chastises Ariel for indeed. Thanks to his friend
essay Of the
brother. Like Antonio, he protesting and reminds him of the horrible fate Gonzalo, Prospero and his
Canibales, which
is both aggressive and from which he was rescued. Before Prospero daughter survive their ordeal
John Florio
cowardly. came to the island, a witch named Sycorax at sea.
translated into
imprisoned Ariel in a tree. Sycorax died, leaving
English in 1603, that
Gonzalo - An old, honest Ariel trapped until Prospero arrived and freed Freedom must be earned.
praises the society
lord, Gonzalo helped him. After Ariel assures Prospero that he knows Everyone in The Tempest is a
of the Caribbean
Prospero and Miranda to his place, Prospero orders Ariel to take the slave or a captive–socially,
natives.
escape after Antonio shape of a sea nymph and make himself emotionally, geographically or
usurped Prospero’s title. invisible to all but Prospero. otherwise. For example,
In addition, much of
Prospero and Miranda,
Prospero's Trinculo & Stefano - Miranda awakens from her sleep, and she and victims of treachery, are
renunciative speech Trinculo, a jester, and Prospero go to visit Caliban, Prospero’s servant captives of their environment.
is taken word for Stefano, a drunken butler, and the son of the dead Sycorax. Caliban The shipwrecked adversaries
word from a speech are two minor members curses Prospero, and Prospero and Miranda of Prospero are captives of
by Medea in Ovid's of the shipwrecked party. berate him for being ungrateful for what they guilt, ambition or desire for
poem have given and taught him. Prospero sends revenge. Ariel, a free spirit of
Metamorphoses. Boatswain - Appearing Caliban to fetch firewood. Ariel, invisible, enters the air, is Prospero's slave.
only in the first and last playing music and leading in the awed Caliban, a misshapen half-
Since source scenes, the Boatswain is Ferdinand. Miranda and Ferdinand are human, is a prisoner of unruly
scholarship began in vigorously good-natured. immediately smitten with each other. He is the instincts. Only through ordeal,
the 18th century, He seems competent and only man Miranda has ever seen, besides tribulation, and
researchers have almost cheerful in the Caliban and her father. Prospero is happy to see demonstrations of humanity
suggested that shipwreck scene, that his plan for his daughter’s future marriage is do these characters redeem
passages from demanding practical help working, but decides that he must upset things and liberate themselves.
Erasmus's rather than weeping and temporarily in order to prevent their relationship
Naufragium (The prayer. from developing too quickly. He accuses
Shipwreck, Ferdinand of merely pretending to be the Prince The Allure of Ruling a
published in 1523 of Naples and threatens him with imprisonment. Colony
and translated into When Ferdinand draws his sword, Prospero
English in 1606) and charms him and leads him off to prison, ignoring
Richard Eden's 1555 Miranda’s cries for mercy. He then sends Ariel The nearly uninhabited island
 on another mysterious mission. presents the sense of infinite
translation of Peter possibility to almost everyone
Martyr's De orbo On another part of the island, Alonso, who lands there. The urge to
novo (or Decades of Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, and other rule and the urge to be ruled
the New Worlde Or miscellaneous lords give thanks for their safety seem inextricably intertwined.
West India, 1530) but worry about the fate of Ferdinand. Alonso
influenced the says that he wishes he never had married his Motifs
composition of the daughter to the prince of Tunis because if he Masters and Servants(The
play had not made this journey, his son would still be play explores the master-
alive. Gonzalo tries to maintain high spirits by servant dynamic most harshly
discussing the beauty of the island, but his in cases in which the
remarks are undercut by the sarcastic sourness harmony of the relationship is
of Antonio and Sebastian. Ariel appears, threatened or disrupted, as by
invisible, and plays music that puts all but the rebellion of a servant or
Sebastian and Antonio to sleep. These two then the ineptitude of a master.)
begin to discuss the possible advantages of
killing their sleeping companions. Antonio Water and Drowning
persuades Sebastian that the latter will become (Perhaps the most important
ruler of Naples if they kill Alonso. Claribel, who overall effect of this water
would be the next heir if Ferdinand were indeed motif is to heighten the
dead, is too far away to be able to claim her symbolic importance of the
right. Sebastian is convinced, and the two are tempest itself.)
about to stab the sleeping men when Ariel Mysterious Noises
causes Gonzalo to wake with a shout. Everyone
wakes up, and Antonio and Sebastian concoct a Symbols
ridiculous story about having drawn their swords
to protect the king from lions. Ariel goes back to The Tempest. The tempest
Prospero while Alonso and his party continue to that begins the play, and
search for Ferdinand. which puts all of Prospero’s
enemies at his disposal,
Caliban, meanwhile, is hauling wood for symbolizes the suffering
Prospero when he sees Trinculo and thinks he Prospero endured, and which
is a spirit sent by Prospero to torment him. He he wants to inflict on others.
lies down and hides under his cloak. A storm is
brewing, and Trinculo, curious about but The Game of Chess. The
undeterred by Caliban’s strange appearance object of chess is to capture
and smell, crawls under the cloak with him. the king. That, at the simplest
Stefano, drunk and singing, comes along and level, is the symbolic
stumbles upon the bizarre spectacle of Caliban significance of Prospero
and Trinculo huddled under the cloak. Caliban, revealing Ferdinand and
hearing the singing, cries out that he will work Miranda playing chess in the
faster so long as the “spirits” leave him alone. final scene.
Stefano decides that this monster requires liquor
and attempts to get Caliban to drink. Trinculo Prospero’s Books. Like the
recognizes his friend Stefano and calls out to tempest, Prospero’s books
him. Soon the three are sitting up together and are a symbol of his power.
drinking. Caliban quickly becomes an
enthusiastic drinker, and begins to sing.

Prospero puts Ferdinand to work hauling wood.

Ferdinand finds his labor pleasant because it is
for Miranda’s sake. Miranda, thinking that her
father is asleep, tells Ferdinand to take a break.
The two flirt with one another. Miranda proposes
marriage, and Ferdinand accepts. Prospero has
been on stage most of the time, unseen, and he
is pleased with this development.

Stefano, Trinculo, and Caliban are now drunk

and raucous and are made all the more so by
Ariel, who comes to them invisibly and provokes
them to fight with one another by impersonating
their voices and taunting them. Caliban grows
more and more fervent in his boasts that he
knows how to kill Prospero. He even tells
Stefano that he can bring him to where
Prospero is sleeping. He proposes that they kill
Prospero, take his daughter, and set Stefano up
as king of the island. Stefano thinks this a good
plan, and the three prepare to set off to find
Prospero. They are distracted, however, by the
sound of music that Ariel plays on his flute and
tabor-drum, and they decide to follow this music
before executing their plot.

Alonso, Gonzalo, Sebastian, and Antonio grow

weary from traveling and pause to rest. Antonio
and Sebastian secretly plot to take advantage of
Alonso and Gonzalo’s exhaustion, deciding to
kill them in the evening. Prospero, probably on
the balcony of the stage and invisible to the
men, causes a banquet to be set out by
strangely shaped spirits. As the men prepare to
eat, Ariel appears like a harpy and causes the
banquet to vanish. He then accuses the men of
supplanting Prospero and says that it was for
this sin that Alonso’s son, Ferdinand, has been
taken. He vanishes, leaving Alonso feeling
vexed and guilty.

Prospero now softens toward Ferdinand and

welcomes him into his family as the soon-to-be-
husband of Miranda. He sternly reminds
Ferdinand, however, that Miranda’s “virgin-knot”
(IV.i.15) is not to be broken until the wedding
has been officially solemnized. Prospero then
asks Ariel to call forth some spirits to perform a
masque for Ferdinand and Miranda. The spirits
assume the shapes of Ceres, Juno, and Iris and
perform a short masque celebrating the rites of
marriage and the bounty of the earth. A dance of
reapers and nymphs follows but is interrupted
when Prospero suddenly remembers that he still
must stop the plot against his life.

He sends the spirits away and asks Ariel about

Trinculo, Stefano, and Caliban. Ariel tells his
master of the three men’s drunken plans. He
also tells how he led the men with his music
through prickly grass and briars and finally into a
filthy pond near Prospero’s cell. Ariel and
Prospero then set a trap by hanging beautiful
clothing in Prospero’s cell. Stefano, Trinculo,
and Caliban enter looking for Prospero and,
finding the beautiful clothing, decide to steal it.
They are immediately set upon by a pack of
spirits in the shape of dogs and hounds, driven
on by Prospero and Ariel.

Prospero uses Ariel to bring Alonso and the

others before him. He then sends Ariel to bring
the Boatswain and the mariners from where
they sleep on the wrecked ship. Prospero
confronts Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian with
their treachery, but tells them that he forgives
them. Alonso tells him of having lost Ferdinand
in the tempest and Prospero says that he
recently lost his own daughter. Clarifying his
meaning, he draws aside a curtain to reveal
 Ferdinand and Miranda playing chess. Alonso
and his companions are amazed by the miracle
of Ferdinand’s survival, and Miranda is stunned
by the sight of people unlike any she has seen
before. Ferdinand tells his father about his
marriage.

Ariel returns with the Boatswain and mariners.

The Boatswain tells a story of having been
awakened from a sleep that had apparently
lasted since the tempest. At Prospero’s bidding,
Ariel releases Caliban, Trinculo and Stefano,
who then enter wearing their stolen clothing.
Prospero and Alonso command them to return it
and to clean up Prospero’s cell. Prospero invites
Alonso and the others to stay for the night so
that he can tell them the tale of his life in the
past twelve years. After this, the group plans to
return to Italy. Prospero, restored to his
dukedom, will retire to Milan. Prospero gives
Ariel one final task—to make sure the seas are
calm for the return voyage-before setting him
free. Finally, Prospero delivers an epilogue to
the audience, asking them to forgive him for his
wrongdoing and set him free by applauding.

Proteus - Valentine's Bosom buddies Valentine and Proteus bid a Themes

THE TWO The action takes place supposed best friend and tearful farewell on a street in Verona. Valentine
GENTLEMEN OF in Italy, including one of the title gentleman is off to improve himself, venturing out to see the True love is steadfast and
VERONA Verona, Milan, and a of Verona, though he world, while Proteus stays home in Verona, tied strong while infatuation is
forest near Mantua. behaves in a most by his love for Julia. After Valentine departs, his fickle and weak. Valentine
In writing The Two Milan and Mantua are ungentlemanly fashion. servant, Speed, enters. Proteus inquires and Silvia never waver in
Gentlemen of in Lombardy, a province whether or not Speed delivered a letter to Julia, their love for one another. Nor
Verona, in north-central Italy. Valentine - The other to which Speed replies affirmatively. Julia, does Julia in her love for
Shakespeare drew Verona is in Veneto, a title gentlemen of Verona. meanwhile, asks her maid, Lucetta, with which Proteus. But Proteus, who is
on a Spanish prose province in He is Proteus' best friend, man she should fall in love, and Lucetta infatuated with Silvia, hardly
romance Diana northeastern Italy. and Silvia's love. recommends Proteus. Lucetta admits that she blinks when he abandons his
Enamorada by the has a letter for Julia from Proteus. After much suit for her to return to Julia.
Portuguese writer Julia - Proteus' beloved, bickering, Julia tears up the letter, only to regret
Jorge de and mistress to the this act an instant later. Disloyalty and perfidy
Montemayor. This servant Lucetta. cannot defeat constancy.
work was published Antonio decides to send Proteus, his son, to the Proteus (whose very name–
in 1559, was Silvia - Daughter to the Duke's court in Milan, a decision with which that of a Greek god who
translated into Duke and beloved of
French in 1578, and Valentine, also sought
was published in after by Proteus and
English in 1598, Thurio.
though the
translation was Duke of Milan - Silvia's
made several years father, the Duke wants
earlier. It is believed her to marry the boorish
that Shakespeare but wealthy suitor Sir
could have read the Thurio.
story in French, or in
an unpublished Lucetta - Julia's servant,
English version, or who considers love from
could have learned a practical point of view.
of it from an Lucetta helps Julia
anonymous English disguise herself as a
play of 1585, The man.
History of Felix and
Philiomena, which is Launce - Proteus'
now lost humorous servant, and
master to a poorly-trained
mutt named Crab.
Speed - Valentine's
page, though at the
beginning of the play he
does Proteus' bidding as
well.
Thurio - A foolish rival to
Valentine for Silvia's
hand. Thurio is very rich,
but does not make for
pleasant company.
Sir Eglamour - The
gentleman upon whom
Silvia calls to help her
escape from the Duke's
court, in order to find her
love, Valentine, and to
avoid marrying Thurio.
neither Proteus nor Julia is particularly happy. could change his appearance
They exchange rings and promises to keep at will–symbolizes caprice
loving each other. Meanwhile, Valentine has and inconstancy) betrays
fallen in love with the Duke's feisty daughter, both Valentine and Julia when
Silvia. When Proteus arrives at court, he too he woos Silvia on a whim. But
falls in love with Silvia, and vows to do anything he discovers his flighty,
he can to win her away from Valentine. When immature behavior is no
Valentine confesses that he and Silvia plan to match for true fidelity.
elope, Proteus notifies the Duke of their plans,
gaining favor for himself and effecting Father does not always
Valentine's banishment from court. Back in know best. Silvia's father, the
Verona, Julia has hatched a plan to disguise Duke of Milan, attempts to
herself as a man so that she can journey to force her to marry Thurio, a
Milan to be reunited with Proteus. Upon arriving haughty buffoon. Silvia
at court, she witnesses Proteus and Thurio refuses–and rightly so–for her
wooing Silvia. heart and soul are with
Valentine.
The banished Valentine, while traveling to
Mantua, is apprehended by a group of outlaws. Forgive and forget.
The outlaws, all of whom are banished Valentine and Julia forgive
gentlemen as well, demand Valentine to become Proteus for his reprehensible
their king. Since they threaten to kill him if he behavior, and the Duke of
refuses, Valentine accepts. Silvia and Julia, who Milan pardons the outlaws.
is disguised as the page Sebastian, meet when Lovers exhibit irrational,
Julia delivers the ring Proteus had given her to unpredictable, or silly
Silvia on behalf of Proteus. Julia does not reveal behavior. Proteus first loves
her identity. Silvia calls on her friend Sir Julia, then Silvia, then Julia.
Eglamour to help her escape her father's Julia wears a disguise to be
oppressive will (he wants her to marry Thurio) close to Proteus. Silvia
and to find Valentine. However, while traveling dictates loves letters to
through the forest, she and Eglamour are Valentine, pretending they are
overtaken by a band of outlaws. Eglamour runs for someone else when they
away, leaving Silvia to fend for herself against are really for Valentine.
the outlaws. By this time, the Duke, Proteus,
and Thurio, with Sebastian/Julia in tow, have A major theme of the play is
organized a search party for Silvia. the contest between
friendship and love: that is,
Proteus wrests Silvia away from the outlaws. the question of whether the
Valentine watches the interaction unseen. relationship between two
Proteus demands that Silvia give him some sign male friends is more
of her favor for freeing her, but she refuses. He important than that between
tries to rape her for her resistance, but Valentine lovers.
jumps out and stops him. Proteus immediately
 Antonio - Father to apologizes, and Valentine offers to give him Motifs
Proteus and master to the Silvia as a token of their friendship. At this Disguise
servant Panthino. moment, Sebastian faints and his true identity
becomes clear. Proteus decides that he really
Host - Houses Julia loves Julia better than Silvia, and takes her
while she searches for instead. The Duke realizes that Thurio is a thug
Proteus. and says that Valentine is far nobler and can
marry Silvia. Valentine asks for clemency for the
Outlaws - When outlaws, and suggests that his marriage to Silvia
Valentine is banished and Proteus' marriage to Julia should take place
from Milan, the outlaws on the same day.
intercept him during his
journey to Mantua and
make him the king of their
crew of gentlemen
bandits.

Crab - Launce's dog.

Panthino - Antonio's
servant.

SETTING (TIME)
· The Beatrice - Leonato’s LEONATO, A KINDLY, RESPECTABLE NOBLEMAN, lives in the The road to marriage is
MUCH ADO ABOUT sixteenth century niece and Hero’s cousin. idyllic Italian town of Messina. Leonato shares often lined with pitfalls and
NOTHING Beatrice is “a pleasant- his house with his lovely young daughter, Hero, impediments. Benedick and
SETTING spirited lady” with a very his playful, clever niece, Beatrice, and his Beatrice are hostile lovers
(PLACE) · Messina, Sicily, sharp tongue. elderly brother, Antonio. As the play begins, before they warm to each
Much Ado About on and around Leonato prepares to welcome some friends other. Claudio doubts Hero's
Nothing conflates Governor Leonato’s Benedick - An home from a war. The friends include Don chastity before he is proven
two separate stories estate aristocratic soldier who Pedro, a prince who is a close friend of Leonato, wrong.
into one plot: the has recently been fighting and two fellow soldiers: Claudio, a well-
baiting of Benedick under Don Pedro, and a respected young nobleman, and Benedick, a People often wear masks to
and Beatrice into a friend of Don Pedro and clever man who constantly makes witty jokes, disguise their true feelings.
declaration of love Claudio. Benedick is very often at the expense of his friends. Don John, For example, Benedick and
and the deception of witty, always making Don Pedro’s illegitimate brother, is part of the Beatrice pretend to despise
Claudio into jokes and puns. crowd as well. Don John is sullen and bitter, and each other even though they
mistakenly thinking makes trouble for the others. love each other, and Don
that Hero is Claudio - A young John pretends to be
unchaste. There is soldier who has won When the soldiers arrive at Leonato’s home, remorseful when all the while
not specific source great acclaim fighting Claudio quickly falls in love with Hero. he is plotting revenge.
for the first story, under Don Pedro during Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice resume the
although Chaucer's the recent wars. war of witty insults that they have carried on with All is not what it seems.
each other in the past. Claudio and Hero pledge Mistaken identities, false
 Hero - The beautiful
Troilus and Criseyde young daughter of
provides a basis Leonato and the cousin of
where two people Beatrice. Hero is lovely,
who scorn love fall in gentle, and kind.
love with each other.
The for the second Don Pedro - An
story of a lady falsely important nobleman from
accused, however, Aragon, sometimes
there are numerous referred to as “Prince.”
possible sources. Don Pedro is generous,
Ludovico Ariosto's courteous, intelligent, and
version in Canto V of loving to his friends, but
Orlando Furioso in he is also quick to believe
1516 was translated evil of others and hasty to
into English in 1591 take revenge.
by Sir John
Harington or Matteo Leonato - A respected,
Bandello's twenty- well-to-do, elderly noble
second Novella from at whose home, in
1554 and translated Messina, Italy, the action
into French by is set. Leonato is the
Belleforest in 1590 father of Hero and the
are two possible uncle of Beatrice.
versions that
Shakespeare may Don John - The
have known. illegitimate brother of Don
Pedro; sometimes called
“the Bastard.” Don John
is melancholy and sullen
by nature, and he creates
a dark scheme to ruin the
happiness of Hero and
Claudio.
Margaret - Hero’s
serving woman, who
unwittingly helps
Borachio and Don John
deceive Claudio into
thinking that Hero is
unfaithful.
their love to one another and decide to be accusations, misleading
married. To pass the time in the week before the conversations, and ironic
wedding, the lovers and their friends decide to outcomes all confound the
play a game. They want to get Beatrice and principle characters.
Benedick, who are clearly meant for each other,
to stop arguing and fall in love. Their tricks prove Love is NOT blind. Benedick
successful, and Beatrice and Benedick soon fall well knows that Beatrice has
secretly in love with each other. a sharp tongue whose stings
he must endure if he is to be
But Don John has decided to disrupt everyone’s her husband and live with her
happiness. He has his companion Borachio for decades to come.
make love to Margaret, Hero’s serving woman, Likewise, Beatrice well knows
at Hero’s window in the darkness of the night, Benedick's faults. Yet, before
and he brings Don Pedro and Claudio to watch. the end of play, they
Believing that he has seen Hero being unfaithful acknowledge their deep love
to him, the enraged Claudio humiliates Hero by for each other and marry.
suddenly accusing her of lechery on the day of
their wedding and abandoning her at the altar. Love IS blind. Hero ignores
Hero’s stricken family members decide to Claudio's faults. For example,
pretend that she died suddenly of shock and she accepts Claudio as her
grief and to hide her away while they wait for the husband even though only a
truth about her innocence to come to light. In the short time before he so
aftermath of the rejection, Benedick and readily believed the slanders
Beatrice finally confess their love to one against her, called her a
another. Fortunately, the night watchmen "rotten orange," and agreed
overhear Borachio bragging about his crime. to marry another in her place.
Dogberry and Verges, the heads of the local Moreover, she never
police, ultimately arrest both Borachio and questions his motives–one of
Conrad, another of Don John’s followers. which, apparently, is to marry
Everyone learns that Hero is really innocent, into money. (He had
and Claudio, who believes she is dead, grieves previously inquired whether
for her. Governor Leonato had a son
and was told Hero was
Leonato tells Claudio that, as punishment, he Leonato's only child and,
wants Claudio to tell everybody in the city how thus, sole heir to his
innocent Hero was. He also wants Claudio to property.)
marry Leonato’s “niece”—a girl who, he says,
looks much like the dead Hero. Claudio goes to A woman's chastity is a
church with the others, preparing to marry the treasure no man should
mysterious, masked woman he thinks is Hero’s possess except in
cousin. When Hero reveals herself as the marriage. The brouhaha over
masked woman, Claudio is overwhelmed with the false charge that Hero
joy. Benedick then asks Beatrice if she will
Borachio - An associate marry him, and after some arguing they agree. slept with a stranger
of Don John. Borachio is The joyful lovers all have a merry dance before underscores the high regard
the lover of Margaret, they celebrate their double wedding. that the central characters in
Hero’s serving woman. the play have for a virginal
bride.
Conrad - One of Don
John’s more intimate
associates, entirely The Ideal of Social Grace.
devoted to Don John. The characters’ dense,
colorful manner of speaking
Dogberry - The represents the ideal that
constable in charge of the Renaissance courtiers strove
Watch, or chief for in their social interactions.
policeman, of Messina. Benedick and his companions
Dogberry is very sincere try to display their polished
and takes his job social graces both in their
seriously, but he has a behavior and in their speech.
habit of using exactly the
wrong word to convey his Deception as a Means to an
meaning. End. Deceit is neither purely
positive nor purely negative: it
Verges - The deputy to is a means to an end, a way
Dogberry, chief to create an illusion that helps
policeman of Messina. one succeed socially.
Antonio - Leonato’s
elderly brother, and Hero The Importance of Honor. In
and Beatrice’s uncle. Shakespeare’s time, a
woman’s honor was based
Balthasar - A waiting upon her virginity and chaste
man in Leonato’s behavior. For a woman to
household and a lose her honor by having
musician. sexual relations before
marriage meant that she
Ursula - One of Hero’s would lose all social standing,
waiting women. a disaster from which she
could never recover.
Moreover, this loss of honor
would poison the woman’s
whole family.

Motifs
Public Shaming (Even
though Hero is ultimately
vindicated, her public
shaming at the wedding
ceremony is too terrible to be
ignored. Shame is also what
Don John hopes will cause
Claudio to lose his place as
Don Pedro’s favorite)

Noting (In Shakespeare’s

time, the “Nothing” of the title
would have been pronounced
“Noting.” Thus, the play’s title
could read: “Much Ado About
Noting.” Indeed, many of the
players participate in the
actions of observing,
listening, and writing, or
noting. In order for a plot
hinged on instances of deceit
to work, the characters must
note one another constantly.)

Entertainment (From the

witty yet plaintive song that
Balthasar sings about the
deceitfulness of men to the
masked ball and the music
and dancing at the end of the
play, the characters of Much
Ado About Nothing spend
much of their time engaging
in elaborate spectacles and
entertainments.)

Counterfeiting (The idea of

counterfeiting, in the sense of
presenting a false face to the
world, appears frequently
throughout the play. A
particularly rich and complex
example of counterfeiting

Rosalind - The daughter
AS YOU LIKE IT SETTING (TIME) of Duke Senior. Rosalind,
· Sixteenth century considered one of
As his only source Shakespeare’s most
for As You Like It, SETTING (PLACE)· France, delightful heroines, is
Shakespeare used primarily the fictional independent minded,
Rosalynde: Euphues Forest of Ardenne strong-willed, good-
Golden Legacie, a hearted, and terribly
novel written by clever.
Thomas Lodge,
published in 1590. Orlando - The youngest
son of Sir Rowland de
Bois and younger brother
of Oliver. Orlando is an
attractive young man
who, under his brother’s
neglectful care, has
languished without a
occurs as Leonato, Claudio,
and Don Pedro pretend that
Beatrice is head over heels in
love with Benedick. Another,
more serious reference to
counterfeiting occurs at the
wedding ceremony, as
Claudio rhetorically paints a
picture of Hero as a perfect
counterfeit of innocence,
unchaste and impure beneath
a seemingly unblemished
surface)
Symbols
The Taming of Wild Animals
War
Hero’s Death (Hero’s false
death is less a charade aimed
to induce remorse in Claudio
than it is a social ritual
designed to cleanse her
name and person of infamy.)
SIR ROWLAND DE BOIS HAS RECENTLY DIED, and, The Delights of Love. As
according to the custom of primogeniture, the You Like It spoofs many of
vast majority of his estate has passed into the the conventions of poetry and
possession of his eldest son, Oliver. Although literature dealing with love,
Sir Rowland has instructed Oliver to take good such as the idea that love is a
care of his brother, Orlando, Oliver refuses to do disease that brings suffering
so. Out of pure spite, he denies Orlando the and torment to the lover, or
education, training, and property befitting a the assumption that the male
gentleman. Charles, a wrestler from the court of lover is the slave or servant of
Duke Frederick, arrives to warn Oliver of a his mistress. But at the end of
rumor that Orlando will challenge Charles to a the play, Rosalind proves that
fight on the following day. Fearing censure if he love is a source of
should beat a nobleman, Charles begs Oliver to incomparable delight.
intervene, but Oliver convinces the wrestler that
Orlando is a dishonorable sportsman who will The Malleability of the
take whatever dastardly means necessary to Human Experience. As You
win. Charles vows to pummel Orlando, which Like It not only insists that
delights Oliver. people can and do change,
gentleman’s education or
training.
Duke Senior - The
father of Rosalind and the
rightful ruler of the
dukedom in which the
play is set. Duke Senior
proves himself to be a
kind and fair-minded
ruler.
Jaques - A faithful lord
who accompanies Duke
Senior into exile in the
Forest of Ardenne.
Jaques is an example of
a stock figure in
Elizabethan comedy, the
man possessed of a
hopelessly melancholy
disposition.
Celia - The daughter of
Duke Frederick and
Rosalind’s dearest friend.
Celia possesses a loving
heart, but is prone to
deep, almost excessive
emotions.
Duke Frederick - The
brother of Duke Senior
and usurper of his throne.
Duke Frederick’s cruel
nature and volatile
temper are displayed
when he banishes his
niece, Rosalind, from
court without reason.
Touchstone - A clown in
Duke Frederick’s court
Duke Senior has been usurped of his throne by but also celebrates their
his brother, Duke Frederick, and has fled to the ability to change for the
Forest of Ardenne, where he lives like Robin better.
Hood with a band of loyal followers. Duke
Frederick allows Senior’s daughter, Rosalind, to City Life Versus Country
remain at court because of her inseparable Life. Often, it suggests that
friendship with his own daughter, Celia. The day the oppressions of the city
arrives when Orlando is scheduled to fight can be remedied by a trip into
Charles, and the women witness Orlando’s the country’s therapeutic
defeat of the court wrestler. Orlando and woods and fields, and that a
Rosalind instantly fall in love with one another, person’s sense of balance
though Rosalind keeps this fact a secret from and rightness can be restored
everyone but Celia. Orlando returns home from by conversations with
the wrestling match, only to have his faithful uncorrupted shepherds and
servant Adam warn him about Oliver’s plot shepherdesses. This type of
against Orlando’s life. Orlando decides to leave restoration, in turn, enables
for the safety of Ardenne. Without warning, one to return to the city a
Duke Frederick has a change of heart regarding better person, capable of
Rosalind and banishes her from court. She, too, making the most of urban life.
decides to flee to the Forest of Ardenne and
leaves with Celia, who cannot bear to be without
Rosalind, and Touchstone, the court jester. To Motifs
ensure the safety of their journey, Rosalind Artifice
assumes the dress of a young man and takes Homoeroticism
the name Ganymede, while Celia dresses as a Exile
common shepherdess and calls herself Aliena.
Symbols
Duke Frederick is furious at his daughter’s
disappearance. When he learns that the flight of Orlando’s Poems . The
his daughter and niece coincides with the poems that Orlando nails to
disappearance of Orlando, the duke orders the trees of Ardenne are a
Oliver to lead the manhunt, threatening to testament to his love for
confiscate Oliver’s lands and property should he Rosalind.
fail. Frederick also decides it is time to destroy
his brother once and for all and begins to raise The Slain Deer. The deer
an army. placed atop the hunter’s head
is a symbol of cuckoldry,
Duke Senior lives in the Forest of Ardenne with commonly represented by a
a band of lords who have gone into voluntary man with horns atop his
exile. He praises the simple life among the head.
trees, happy to be absent from the machinations
of court life. Orlando, exhausted by travel and
who accompanies
Rosalind and Celia in
their flight to Ardenne.
Oliver - The oldest son
of Sir Rowland de Bois
and sole inheritor of the
de Bois estate.
Silvius - A young,
suffering shepherd, who
is desperately in love with
the disdainful Phoebe.
Phoebe - A young
shepherdess, who
disdains the affections of
Silvius.
Lord Amiens - A faithful
lord who accompanies
Duke Senior into exile in
the Forest of Ardenne.
Lord Amiens is rather jolly
and loves to sing.
Charles - A professional
wrestler in Duke
Frederick’s court.
Adam - The elderly
former servant of Sir
Rowland de Bois.
Sir Rowland de Bois -
The father of Oliver and
Orlando, friend of Duke
Senior, and enemy of
Duke Frederick.
Corin - A shepherd.
Corin attempts to counsel
his friend Silvius in the
desperate to find food for his starving Ganymede. Rosalind’s
companion, Adam, barges in on the duke’s choice of alternative identities
camp and rudely demands that they not eat until is significant. Ganymede is
he is given food. Duke Senior calms Orlando the cupbearer and beloved of
and, when he learns that the young man is the Jove and is a standard
son of his dear former friend, accepts him into symbol of homosexual love.
his company. Meanwhile, Rosalind and Celia, In the context of the play, her
disguised as Ganymede and Aliena, arrive in the choice of an alter ego
forest and meet a lovesick young shepherd contributes to a continuum of
named Silvius who pines away for the disdainful sexual possibilities.
Phoebe. The two women purchase a modest
cottage, and soon enough Rosalind runs into
the equally lovesick Orlando. Taking her to be a
young man, Orlando confides in Rosalind that
his affections are overpowering him. Rosalind,
as Ganymede, claims to be an expert in
exorcising such emotions and promises to cure
Orlando of lovesickness if he agrees to pretend
that Ganymede is Rosalind and promises to
come woo her every day. Orlando agrees, and
the love lessons begin.
Meanwhile, Phoebe becomes increasingly cruel
in her rejection of Silvius. When Rosalind
intervenes, disguised as Ganymede, Phoebe
falls hopelessly in love with Ganymede. One
day, Orlando fails to show up for his tutorial with
Ganymede. Rosalind, reacting to her infatuation
with Orlando, is distraught until Oliver appears.
Oliver describes how Orlando stumbled upon
him in the forest and saved him from being
devoured by a hungry lioness. Oliver and Celia,
still disguised as the shepherdess Aliena, fall
instantly in love and agree to marry. As time
passes, Phoebe becomes increasingly insistent
in her pursuit of Ganymede, and Orlando grows
tired of pretending that a boy is his dear
Rosalind. Rosalind decides to end the charade.
She promises that Ganymede will wed Phoebe,
if Ganymede will ever marry a woman, and she
makes everyone pledge to meet the next day at
the wedding. They all agree.
 ways of love, but Silvius The day of the wedding arrives, and Rosalind
refuses to listen. gathers the various couples: Phoebe and
Silvius; Celia and Oliver; Touchstone and
Audrey - A Audrey, a goatherd he intends to marry; and
simpleminded goatherd Orlando. The group congregates before Duke
who agrees to marry Senior and his men. Rosalind, still disguised as
Touchstone. Ganymede, reminds the lovers of their various
vows, then secures a promise from Phoebe that
William - A young if for some reason she refuses to marry
country boy who is in love Ganymede she will marry Silvius, and a promise
with Audrey. from the duke that he would allow his daughter
to marry Orlando if she were available. Rosalind
leaves with the disguised Celia, and the two
soon return as themselves, accompanied by
Hymen, the god of marriage. Hymen officiates at
the ceremony and marries Rosalind and
Orlando, Celia and Oliver, Phoebe and Silvius,
and Audrey and Touchstone. The festive
wedding celebration is interrupted by even more
festive news: while marching with his army to
attack Duke Senior, Duke Frederick came upon
a holy man who convinced him to put aside his
worldly concerns and assume a monastic life.
-Frederick changes his ways and returns the
throne to Duke Senior. The guests continue
dancing, happy in the knowledge that they will
soon return to the royal court.

Mistress Ford - A Justice Shallow, Master Slender, and Sir Hugh Women can hold their own
THE MERRY WIVES The action takes place resident of Windsor, Evans enter, discussing Shallow's anger at Sir against men–and the
OF WINDSOR in Windsor in Berkshire Mistress Ford is married John Falstaff. Evans changes the topic to the dictates of custom. The
Some elements of County, England, to Ford and is a friend of young Anne Page, whom he would like to see Merry Wives of Windsor takes
The Merry Wives of during the Elizabethan Mistress Page. Slender marry. They arrive at Master Page's place in an age when males
Windsor may have Age. Windsor, a few door, where Shallow confronts Falstaff and his often regarded females as
been adapted from Il miles west of London, Mistress Page - A entourage. The men enter to dine, but Slender playthings and when parents
Pecorone, a is the site of Windsor resident of Windsor, drifts around outside, trying unsuccessfully to often chose the suitors for
collection of stories Castle, a royal Mistress Page is married converse with Anne Page until he goes inside. their daughters. But it is the
by Ser Giovanni residence from the time to Page and is a friend of women who win the day in
Fiorentino; one of of William the Mistress Ford. Falstaff and his entourage settle in at the Garter this comedy. Two ordinary
these stories was Conqueror, who Inn, where Falstaff reveals his plan to seduce housewives, Mrs. Page and
included in William reigned as king from Falstaff - Falstaff is a Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, both of whom Mrs. Ford, get the better of a
Painter's The Palace 1066 to 1087. The play knight, but he is also a have control over their husband's money, which gold-digging philanderer,
of Pleasure. was said to have scoundrel and he desires. He sends Pistol and Nim to deliver Falstaff. And Anne Page goes
debuted at Windsor occasionally a thief.
Castle before Queen
Elizabeth I. Ford - Husband of
Mistress Ford. Ford is
very jealous of his wife.
Page - Husband of
Mistress Page.
Sir Hugh Evans - Sir
Hugh Evans is the local
clergyman.
Caius - The local doctor,
Caius is Mistress
Quickly's master.
Anne Page - Daughter
of Page and Mistress
Page, Anne is sought for
marriage by an array of
idiots, including Caius
and Slender.
Fenton - A suitor for
Anne Page's hand, Page
denies his suit because
he fears that Fenton's
interest is purely financial,
being high-born but poor.
Slender - The third suitor
for Anne Page's hand,
Slender is urged on by
Shallow, but he is unable
to speak anything but
nonsense to Anne.
Shallow - Shallow is a
figure of the law, but
nevertheless a foolish
character of misplaced
authority.
letters to the women, but they refuse. Instead against the wishes of her
they plot to stymie Falstaff's plans by telling parents when she runs off
Page and Ford of his intentions. with Fenton. The outcome of
the play must have pleased
Mistress Quickly talks to Slender's servant the women in Shakespeare's
Simple, sent by Evans, and agrees that she will audience. One of them was
consent to speak positively of Slender to Anne Queen Elizabeth I, according
Page. Her master, Doctor Caius, enters and to evidence indicating that the
encounters Simple. When he hears about his play was first performed
errand, he becomes angry and drafts a letter to before her at Windsor Castle.
Evans. Caius too is in love with Anne Page and It is interesting to note,
blames Evans for encouraging Slender; hence though, that the women who
he challenges him to a duel. He threatens make a fool of Falstaff, a
Quickly, who had promised him she would knight, are members of the
encourage Anne to look favorably on him. Later middle class, not the nobility
Fenton enters; he's also in love with Anne and or aristocracy. If the queen
wants to know if Quickly has related his indeed delighted in the victory
affections to her. of the merry wives, her
enjoyment may have been
Mistress Page enters with a letter from Falstaff. tempered by this fact–or so
She's astonished that he has the gall to try to one may speculate.
seduce her and wonders how she will seek
revenge. Mistress Ford appears with her own All things are not as they
letter, which they discover is exactly the same. seem. Falstaff first deceives
They decide to lead Falstaff on until he is ruined the wives. The wives then
and humiliated. Mistress Ford agrees to deceive Falstaff and their
anything that won't harm her honor. Meanwhile, husbands. Mr. Ford and
Pistol and Nim enter, conversing with Ford and Mistress Quickly also deceive
Page; they reveal Falstaff's plans. The Falstaff. Falstaff deceives
husbands are astonished. Page doesn't think his himself.
wife will fall for Falstaff, but Ford is horribly Insincerity breeds trouble.
jealous and convinced his wife will dishonor him. Falstaff gets into trouble
because he is insincere,
Shallow and the Host of the Garter Inn enter pretending to be lovestruck
with news of a fight between Caius and Evans. when he is really money-
Page goes with them to watch, while Ford struck.
makes a deal with the Host to be introduced to
Falstaff in disguise, in order to find out how far Turnabout is fair play. The
Falstaff has gotten in his plan. wives turn the tables on
Falstaff, and he gets his just
At the Garter Inn, Quickly enters with a desert.
message from Mistresses Ford and Page for
Falstaff. She reports that Ford will be out the
 next morning, and Mistress Ford will be
Mistress Quickly - expecting a visit from him. Mistress Page has
Caius's servant, Mistress not yet gotten her husband to leave the house,
Quickly is everyone's so she'll make a date at a later time. Then Ford
messenger. enters in disguise, announced under the name
Brooke. He tells Falstaff that he's in love with
Bardolph - One of Mistress Ford, but that she has always rebuffed
Falstaff's men, Bardolph his advances, claiming that she's too honorable
takes over as the to cheat on her husband. He asks Falstaff to
bartender of the Garter seduce Mistress Ford, thus destroying her
Inn in order to pay for honor, so she won't be able to turn him down in
Falstaff's entourage's the future. Falstaff reports his date the next
room and board. morning with Mistress Ford. Alone, Ford curses
his wife for preparing to cheat on him and thinks
Nim - One of Falstaff's Page is foolish to trust his wife.
men, Nim wants to stay
honest, and he refuses to Caius awaits Evans for their duel, but Evans is
deliver Falstaff's nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Evans has
seductive letters to been wandering around looking for Caius. They
Mistress Page and meet and prepare to fight. The other men take
Mistress Ford. their swords away, and Caius and Evans speak
quietly to each other of their suspicion that the
Pistol - One of Falstaff's Host has plotted to make them look like fools
men, Pistol wants to stay because he scorns Evans for his Welsh accent
honest, and he refuses to and Caius for his French one. They agree to
deliver Falstaff's work together to get revenge against the Host.
seductive letters to
Mistress Page and On the way back from the fight, the men discuss
Mistress Ford. Anne's marriage options. Page says he favors
Slender, but his wife prefers Caius. What about
Host - Host of the Garter Fenton?, asks one, but Page dismisses him
Inn, the Host makes fun entirely. Ford invites the men back to his house
of Evans and Caius's to catch Falstaff.
broken and accented
English Falstaff has arrived at Mistress Ford's house; he
hides when Mistress Page is announced. She
William Page - Page's comes in and speaks loudly of the imminent
son, he meets Evans, arrival of Ford, who angrily suspects his wife of
who gives him an cheating. Falstaff comes out and asks them to
impromptu Latin lesson help him flee. They hide him in a laundry basket.
which Mistress Quickly Ford and his buddies enter as Mistress Ford's
entirely mishears as men carry the laundry out. Ford is unable to find
sexual innuendo. Falstaff, and the Mistresses are doubly delighted
 to have fooled both Falstaff and Ford. They
Simple - Slender's decide to humiliate Falstaff further in the service
servant. of making Ford get over his jealousy.

Fenton and Anne Page speak. He says her

father objects to him because he suspects him
of just wanting Anne's money, since he is high-
born but poor. Fenton admits that that was his
intention at first, but, since getting to know her,
he has come to feel differently. Shallow, Slender,
and Quickly enter; Quickly draws Fenton away,
while Shallow tries to get Slender to talk to
Anne. Slender only makes a fool of himself by
speaking nonsense. Page and his wife enter,
and they invite the favored Slender inside.
Fenton asks Quickly to continue to campaign on
his behalf with Anne. Alone, Quickly notes that
she likes him better than the other two men who
have asked her to sway Anne's opinion.

Falstaff arrives at the Garter Inn, soaked after

having been thrown in the river with the laundry.
Quickly enters with a second invitation from
Mistress Ford. Ford enters in disguise as
Brooke and asks how Falstaff's date with
Mistress Ford went. He tells how it ended, but
says he is visiting again that night!

Falstaff returns to Mistress Ford's house, and

again Mistress Page enters soon after. Falstaff
hides, and Mistress Page warns Mistress Ford
of her husband's approach. How will they hide
Falstaff this time? He emerges and refuses to
go in the laundry again. Mistress Ford suggests
that he wear the clothes of her servant's fat aunt
to escape in disguise. He does, and when Ford
arrives, he beats Falstaff and chases him away
because he hates the fat aunt. Mistress Ford
and Mistress Page are pleased; they think they
have proven their point, and so they decide to
tell their husbands of their schemes.

Ford apologizes to his wife for his jealousy, and

he promises never to suspect her again. They
decide that it would be fun to work together to
humiliate Falstaff publicly. They plan to have
Mistress Ford invite Falstaff to meet her in an
allegedly haunted wood, and they'll dress their
children up as ghosts and monsters to terrify
and embarrass Falstaff. Then, having caught
him in the act of trying to meet Mistress Ford
secretly, they can tell the story all around town.

Fenton speaks to the Host of a letter he has

received from Anne. She says that her parents
want to use the chaos of disguised children in
the haunted wood as an opportunity for her
suitors to elope with her. Her mother wants her
to run off with Caius and her father prefers
Slender. Each instructs her to wear a specific
outfit so each suitor may find her. But she
intends to deceive them both. Fenton asks the
Host to help him find a vicar who will marry them
that night.

Meanwhile, Caius and Evans avenge

themselves on the Host by stealing three of his
horses in a scheme that had him believing he
had lent the horses to three German lords on
their way to the royal court.

Falstaff arrives in the haunted woods. The

disguised children hide and wait. Ford and Page
and their friends arrive to watch, and Mistress
Ford and Mistress Page approach Falstaff. He's
delighted to see they have both come to meet
him. Then they hear a noise and the women run
away. Falstaff is surrounded by disguised elves
and ghouls and is terrified. Mistress Quickly,
playing the fairy queen, says they should try to
burn the human they have encountered, and if
he doesn't burn then he is pure. They burn
Falstaff with candles and encircle him and pinch
him.

Finally, the disguised children depart, and Page

 and Ford enter. Falstaff sees that he has been
fooled and humiliated. Evans tells Falstaff that
he should give up on his lusts and tells Ford that
he should trust his wife. Meanwhile, they all
wonder where Anne is. Slender arrives upset; in
the confusion, he eloped with a young boy in
Anne's outfit. Then Caius enters, in a rage that
he has married a boy wearing Anne's assigned
color outfit. Then Anne herself enters with
Fenton. Fenton scolds the Pages for having
thought to send Anne into a marriage without
love. He and Anne have long been in love, he
says, and now it has been finalized.

Ford says that love has won out, and Page and
his wife realize their mistake in not having
listened to the wishes of their daughter. Falstaff
is pleased that their plan to humiliate him
backfired partially in the marriage of Anne and
Fenton. They adjourn to celebrate the marriage
and invite Falstaff to join them.

Helena - The play's Helena, the orphan daughter of a famous A human being should be
ALL’S WELL THAT The action begins in heroine. The orphan physician, is the ward of the Countess of judged on his or her inner
ENDS WELL Roussillon, a region in daughter of a great Rousillon, and hopelessly in love with her son, qualities, not on social
southern France, then doctor, she is the ward of Count Bertram, who has been sent to the court standing. Bertram rejects
moves to other locales, the Countess of of the King of France. Despite her beauty and Helena (until the end of the
The play is based on including Paris, France; Rousillon, and hopelessly worth, Helena has no hope of attracting play) because she is below
a tale of Boccacio's Florence, Italy; and in love with the Countess' Bertram, since she is of low birth and he is a him on the social scale.
Decameron. Marseilles, France. son, Bertram. nobleman. However, when word comes that the Blinded by his prejudices, he
Shakespeare may Bertram, one of the King is ill, she goes to Paris and, using her fails to see her good qualities.
have read an central characters in Bertram - The Count of father's arts, cures the illness. In return, she is This theme foreshadows the
English translation of the play, is the Count of Rousillon since the death given the hand of any man in the realm; she themes of later English
the tale in William Roussillon. of his father, and the chooses Bertram. Her new husband is appalled writers, such as Jane Austen,
Painter's Palace of Countess' only son. A at the match, however, and shortly after their Emily Brontë and Charles
Pleasure. handsome, well-liked marriage flees France, accompanied only by a Dickens.
young man, he proves to scoundrel named Parolles, to fight in the army of
be an excellent soldier, the Duke of Florence. Women have the
The name of the
but a cad in his intelligence and know-how
play comes from the
relationship with Helena, Helena is sent home to the Countess, and to compete with men.
proverb All's well
who he unwillingly receives a letter from Bertram informing her that Examples: (1) Only Helena
that ends well, which
marries and quickly he will never be her true spouse unless she can can cure the king's fistula. (2)
means that problems
abandons. get his family ring from his finger, and become Helena and Diana team up to

do not matter so Countess - The mother
long as the outcome of Bertram, the mistress
is good. of Rousillon, and
Helena's guardian, she is
a wise, discerning old
woman who perceives
Helena's worth and
rejoices when she
marries Bertram.
King of France - Widow. With the connivance of the daughter,
Bertram's liege lord. He is
deathly ill when the play
begins, and is
miraculously cured by
Helena, who uses one of
her father's medicines.
Lafew - An old French
nobleman, who offers
advice to the King and is
friendly with the
Countess. He is wise and
discerning, perceiving
both Helena's worth and
Parolles' worthlessness.
Parolles - A companion
of Bertram, he is a
coward, a liar and a
braggart, who pretends to
be a great soldier when
he is nothing of the sort.
First Lord - A genial
French nobleman named
Dumaine, he serves in
the Florentine army and
becomes friends with
Bertram.
Second Lord - The First
pregnant with his child--neither of which, he trick Bertram. The motif of
declares, will ever come to pass. The Countess, women struggling to prove
who loves Helena and approves of the match, their worth--or suffering under
tries to comfort her, but the distraught young male domination--is a
woman departs Rousillon, planning to make a recurring theme in literature.
religious pilgrimage. For example, in the 5th
Century B.C., Sophocles
Meanwhile, in Florence, Bertram has become a dealt with this theme in
general in the Duke's army. Helena comes to Antigone, a play in which a
the city, and discovers that her husband is trying teenage girl challenges the
to seduce the virginal daughter of a kindly authority of a king. In the 19th
Century A.D., Kate Chopin
named Diana, she contrives to trick Bertram: he dealt with this theme in
gives Diana his ring as a token of his love, and several of her works,
when he comes to her room at night, Helena is including a splendid short
in the bed, and they make love without him story entitled "The Story of an
realizing that it is her. At the same time, two Hour," in which an oppressed
lords in the army expose Parolles as a coward woman fails to assert herself
and a villain, and he falls out of Bertram's favor. in a male world but does
Meanwhile, false messengers have come to the enjoy an hour of freedom.
camp bearing word that Helena is dead, and
with the war drawing to a close, Bertram All things are not as they
decides to return to France. Unknown to him, seem. Bertram thinks high
Helena follows, accompanied by Diana and the standing brings happiness. In
Widow. reality, he discovers later,
only love, honesty, and other
In Rousillon, everyone is mourning Helena as virtues can bring happiness.
dead. The King is visiting, and consents to
Bertram marrying the daughter of an old, faithful All is well when it ends
lord, named Lafew. However, he notices a ring well. Helena gets her man
on Bertram's finger that formerly belonged to even though she had to
Helena--it was a gift from the King after she pretend to be another
saved his life. (Helena gave the ring to Diana in woman, in a darkened room,
Florence, and she in turn gave it to her would-be to trick him into accepting her.
lover.) Bertram is at a loss to explain where it At the end of the play, Helena
came from, but just then Diana and her mother says that success or failure of
appear to explain matters--followed by Helena, a course of action depends
who informs her husband that both his on how it turned out, not on
conditions have been fulfilled. Chastened, how it came about.
Bertram consents to be a good husband to her,
and there is general rejoicing.
 Lord Dumaine's brother,
similar in character and
also a friend to Bertram.

Diana - A young virgin in

Florence, who Bertram
attempts to seduce.

Widow - Diana's mother.

Mariana - A woman of
Florence.

Duke of Florence - The

ruler of Florence, many
French lords (including
Bertram, Parolles, and
Dumaine) volunteer to
fight for him.

Clown - An old servant

of the Countess, who
serves as a messenger
and enjoys coarse,
sexual humor.

Steward - Another
servant of the Countess.

Isabella - The main Shakespeare's Measure for Measure centers It discusses serious issues of
MEASURE FOR The setting is in character, Isabella, is a around the fate of Claudio, who is arrested by the abuses of power and
MEASURE Vienna. very virtuous and chaste Lord Angelo, the temporary leader of Vienna. authority.
young woman who faces Angelo is left in charge by the Duke, who
a difficult decision when pretends to leave town but instead dresses as a In Shakespeare's time,
The main source of her brother is sentenced friar to observe the goings-on in his absence. sexual harassment was non-
the play is George to death for fornication Angelo is strict, moralistic, and unwavering in existent, but today it remains
Whetstone's 1578 (unlawful sex). Isabella his decision-making; he decides that there is too a large issue. Measure for
lengthy two-part does not approve of her much freedom in Vienna and takes it upon Measure deals with this
closet drama brother's actions at all, himself to rid the city of brothels and unlawful harassment in the
Promos and but she pleads for his life sexual activity. Laws against these behaviors relationship between Isabella
Cassandra. out of loyalty and sisterly and institutions already exist, and Angelo simply and Angelo. To gain her
Whetstone took the devotion. Isabella is a decides to enforce them more strictly. Claudio is brother's freedom, Isabella
spiritual person who arrested for impregnating Juliet, his lover, before
 starts off wanting to
story from Cinthio's become a nun.
Hecatommithi, which
Shakespeare seems The Duke - The other
to have consulted, central figure is the Duke,
as well as a who spends most of his
dramatization of the time dressed as a friar in
story, also by order to observe what is
Cinthio. happening in his
absence. The Duke is
unfailingly virtuous, good,
The title, which
and kind-hearted.
appears as a line of
dialogue in the play,
Claudio - Isabella's
may be related to
brother Claudio is a
the Bible, Matthew
young man sentenced to
7:2
death for impregnating an
unmarried woman.
Lord Angelo - Angelo is
the villain of the play, a
man who rules strictly
and without mercy. He
has his own weaknesses,
however, and he is
loathsome more for his
hypocrisy than for
anything else.
Escalus - Escalus is a
wise lord who advises
Angelo to be more
merciful.
Lucio - Lucio, described
by Shakespeare as a
"fantastic," is a her brother is dead, and that she should submit
flamboyant bachelor who
provides much of the
play's comedic content.
Mariana - Mariana was
supposed to marry
they were married. Although they were engaged
and their sexual intercourse was consensual, has to make the choice of
Claudio is sentenced to death in order to serve whether to sleep with Angelo
as an example to the other Viennese citizens. or let her brother die. The
ultimatum is something that
Isabella, Claudio's sister, is about to enter a would be illegal today.
nunnery when her brother is arrested. She is
unfailingly virtuous, religious, and chaste. When A leader being above the law
she hears of her brother's arrest, she goes to is another major theme that
Angelo to beg him for mercy. He refuses, but runs rampant through the
suggests that there might be some way to
story. Though Claudio is
change his mind. When he propositions her,
sentenced to death for
saying that he will let Claudio live if she agrees
sleeping with his fiancée
to have sexual intercourse with him, she is
whom he loves, Angelo takes
shocked and immediately refuses. Her brother
advantage of being in power,
agrees at first but then changes his mind.
and sleeps with Isabella.
Isabella is left to contemplate a very important Even though he has attacks
decision. of conscience, Angelo still
expects to get away with his
Isabella is, in a way, let off the hook when the crime because of the position
Duke, dressed as a friar, intervenes. He tells her he holds. The major
that Angelo's former lover, Mariana, was metaphor in the play was also
engaged to be married to him, but he a person of power. The Duke
abandoned her when she lost her dowry in a in disguise stands as a God-
shipwreck. The Duke forms a plan by which like watcher figure who fixes
Isabella will agree to have sex with the Angelo, the wrongs the characters
but then Mariana will go in her place. The next make, judges those who
morning, Angelo will pardon Claudio and be deserve to be judged, and
forced to marry Mariana according to the law. rewards those who are loyal
and virtuous. The Duke uses
Everything goes according to plan, except that his power to help, not to
Angelo does not pardon Claudio, fearing hinder those around him as
revenge. The provost and the Duke send him Shakespeare may have
the head of a dead pirate, claiming that it perceived his God to be.
belonged to Claudio, and Angelo believes that
his orders were carried out. Isabella is told that
a complaint to the Duke, who is due to arrive
shortly, accusing Angelo of immoral acts.
The Duke returns in his usual clothes, saying
that he will hear all grievances immediately.
Isabella tells her story, and the Duke pretends
 Angelo, but he called the
wedding off when she lost
her dowry in a shipwreck
that killed her brother.
Mistress Overdone -
Mistress Overdone runs a
brothel in Vienna.
not to believe her. Eventually, the Duke reveals
his dual identity, and everyone is forced to be
honest. Angelo confesses to his misdeeds,
Claudio is pardoned, and the Duke asks Isabella
to marry him.

Pompey - Pompey is a
clown who also works for
Mistress Overdone.

Provost - The provost

runs the prison and is
responsible for carrying
out all of Angelo's orders.

Elbow - Elbow is a dim-

witted constable who
arrests people for
misconduct, particularly
of the sexual variety.

Barnadine - A long-term
prisoner in the jail,
Barnadine is sentenced
to be executed together
with Claudio.

Juliet - Claudio's lover,

she is pregnant with his
baby.

Leontes - The King of King Leontes of Sicilia begs his childhood friend, Youth and Age
WINTER’S TALE The action takes place Sicilia, and the childhood King Polixenes of Bohemia, to extend his visit to One theme is the power of
in Sicily (or Sicilia) and friend of the Bohemian Sicilia. Polixenes protests that he has been youth to regenerate age. For
The main plot of The Bohemia. Sicily is a King Polixenes. away from his kingdom for nine months, but example, it is the young
Winter's Tale is large island west of the after Leontes's pregnant wife, Hermione, pleads people, Perdita and Florizel,
taken from Robert toe of Italy's boot. Hermione - The virtuous with him he relents and agrees to stay a little who effect the reconciliation
Greene's pastoral Bohemia was a and beautiful Queen of longer. Leontes, meanwhile, has become between the old kings,
romance Pandosto, kingdom within the Sicilia. possessed with jealousy--convinced that Leontes and Polixenes. This
published in 1590. boundaries of the Polixenes and Hermione are lovers, he orders theme is struck in the very
present-day Czech Perdita - The daughter
republic, between of Leontes and Hermione.
present-day Poland on
the north and Austria on Polixenes - The King of
the south. In ancient Bohemia, and Leontes's
times, a Celtic people boyhood friend.
called the Boii settled
the land that became Florizel - Polixenes's
Bohemia. In The only son and heir
Winter's Tale, Bohemia
has a coastline along Camillo - An honest
which ships arrive and Sicilian nobleman
debark. In real life,
Bohemia was a Paulina - A noblewoman
landlocked region; it of Sicily, she is fierce in
was entirely surrounded her defense of
by terra firma. Hermione's virtue, and
Shakespeare may have unrelenting in her
been a magnificent condemnation of Leontes
writer, but he was no after Hermione's death
geographer.
Autolycus - A roguish
peddler, vagabond, and
pickpocket
Shepherd - An old and
honorable sheep-tender,
he finds Perdita as a
baby and raises her as
his own daughter.
Antigonus - Paulina's
husband, and also a loyal
defender of Hermione.
Clown - The Shepherd's
buffoonish son, and
Perdita's adopted brother.
Mamillius - The young
prince of Sicilia, Leontes
and Hermione's son.
his loyal retainer, Camillo, to poison the first scene, in which Camillo
Bohemian king. Instead, Camillo warns comments that young
Polixenes of what is afoot, and the two men flee Mamilius is such a promising
Sicilia immediately. prince that he makes "old
hearts fresh." (See also
Furious at their escape, Leontes now publicly Polixenes' comments, Act 1,
accuses his wife of infidelity, and declares that scene 2, lines 170-71.)
the child she is bearing must be illegitimate. He Mamilius of course does not
throws her in prison, over the protests of his live to fulfill his promise, but
nobles, and sends to the Oracle of Delphi for Perdita does. There is a
what he is sure will be confirmation of his sense of human life renewing
suspicions. Meanwhile, the queen gives birth to itself through the cycle of
a girl, and her loyal friend Paulina brings the generations.
baby to the king, in the hopes that the sight of
the child will soften his heart. He only grows Forgiveness and
angrier, however, and orders Paulina's husband, Reconciliation
Lord Antigonus, to take the child and abandon it The importance of
in some desolate place. While Antigonus is forgiveness and reconciliation
gone, the answer comes from Delphi--Hermione is another theme in the last
and Polixenes are innocent, and Leontes will plays of Shakespeare.
have no heir until his lost daughter is found. As Hermoine forgives Leontes
this news is revealed, word comes that the wrong he inflicted on her,
Leontes's son, Mamillius, has died of a wasting and they are finally
sickness brought on by the accusations against reconciled. Polixenes forgives
his mother. Hermione, meanwhile, falls in a Leontes. Leontes must also
swoon, and is carried away by Paulina, who try to forgive himself.
subsequently reports the queen's death to her
heartbroken and repentant husband. Supernatural Intervention
Supernatural or improbable
Antigonus, meanwhile abandons the baby on events often feature in the
the Bohemian coast, reporting that Hermione Shakespearean romances. In
appeared to him in a dream and bade him name The Winter's Tale, the god
the girl Perdita and leave gold and other tokens Apollo intervenes, through the
on her person. Shortly thereafter, Antigonus is oracle, when Leontes is blind
killed by a bear, and Perdita is raised by a kindly to the truth and bent on
Shepherd. Sixteen years pass, and the son of injustice. The "resurrection" of
Polixenes, Prince Florizel, falls in love with Hermoine is also presented
Perdita. His father and Camillo attend a as a supernatural event, a
sheepshearing in disguise and watch as Florizel miracle.
and Perdita are betrothed--then, tearing off the
disguise, Polixenes intervenes and orders his
son never to see the Shepherd's daughter Nobility of Woman
again. With the aid of Camillo, however, who Another theme of the
 Cleomenes - A lord of longs to see his native land again, Florizel and romances, prominent in The
Sicilia, sent to Delphi to Perdita take ship for Sicilia, after using the Winter's Tale, is the nobility,
ask the Oracle about clothes of a local rogue, Autolycus, as a purity and resoluteness of
Hermione's guilt. disguise. They are joined in their voyage by the woman. These qualities are
Shepherd and his son, a Clown, who are embodied in Hermoine, who
Dion - A Sicilian lord, he directed there by Autolycus. is not only beyond reproach
accompanies Cleomenes in her duties as queen, but
to Delphi. In Sicilia, Leontes--still in mourning after all this also endures false accusation
time--greets the son of his old friend effusively. and condemnation with great
Emilia - One of Florizel pretends to be on a diplomatic mission dignity.
Hermione's ladies-in- from his father, but his cover is blown when
waiting. Polixenes and Camillo, too, arrive in Sicilia. Nature and the Perpetual
What happens next is told to us by gentlemen of Renewal of Life. human life
Archidamus - A lord of the Sicilian court: the Shepherd tells everyone will be healed by nature and
Bohemia. his story of how Perdita was found, and Leontes time, just as spring always
realizes that she is his daughter, leading to returns to the earth. What
general rejoicing. The entire company then goes time takes away it will
to Paulina's house in the country, where a statue ultimately restore.
of Hermione has been recently finished. The
sight of his wife's form makes Leontes
distraught, but then, to everyone's amazement,
the statue comes to life--it is Hermione, restored
to life. As the play ends, Paulina and Camillo are
engaged, and the whole company celebrates
the miracle.

Antipholus of Syracuse Egeon, a merchant of Syracuse, is condemned Identity

THE COMEDY OF The setting for The - The twin brother of to death in Ephesus for violating the ban against That this is a play about
ERRORS Comedy of Errors is Antipholus of Ephesus travel between the two rival cities. As he is led to identity is heralded by the
Ephesus, in present- and the son of Egeon his execution, he tells the Ephesian Duke, presence of two sets of
day Turkey, which Solinus, that he has come to Syracuse in search identical twins who have been
Key plot elements was a leading trade Antipholus of Ephesus of his wife and one of his twin sons, who were separated since they were
are taken from two centre in ancient - The twin brother of separated from him 25 years ago in a babies.
Roman comedies of times. Antipholus of Syracuse shipwreck. The other twin, who grew up with
Plautus. and the son of Egeon; he Egeon, is also traveling the world in search of Debt
is a well-respected the missing half of their family. (The twins, we Debt is a theme that arises in
merchant in Ephesus and learn, are identical, and each has an identical almost every scene of the
From Menaechmi
Adriana's husband. twin slave named Dromio.) The Duke is so play. It appears in two forms:
comes the main
moved by this story that he grants Egeon a day material debt (money and
premise of mistaken
Dromio of Syracuse - to raise the thousand-mark ransom that would goods) and social or marital
identity between
The bumbling, comical be necessary to save his life. obligations. The entire theme
identical twins with
slave of Antipholus of of debt is that of a cruelly
the same name, plus
Syracuse. He is the twin Meanwhile, unknown to Egeon, his son binding chain of cause and
 brother of Dromio
some of the stock Ephesus.
characters such as
the comic courtesan. Dromio of Ephesus -
In Menaechmi one of The bumbling, comical
the twins is from slave of Antipholus of
Epidamnus; Ephesus. He is the
Shakespeare Syracusan Dromio's twin
changes this to brother.
Ephesus and
includes many Adriana - The wife of
allusions to St Paul's Antipholus of Ephesus,
Epistle to the she is a fierce, jealous
Ephesians. woman.
Luciana - Adriana's
From Amphitruo he
unmarried sister and the
borrows the twin
object of Antipholus of
servants with the
Syracuse's affections.
same name, plus the
scene in Act 3 where
Solinus - The Duke of
a husband is shut
Ephesus; a just but
out of his house
merciful ruler.
while his wife
mistakenly dines
Egeon - A Syracusan
with a look-alike.
merchant, husband of the
Abbess (Emilia), and the
The frame story of father of the two Antipholi
Egeon and Emilia
derives from Abbess - Emilia, the
Apollonius of Tyre, long-lost wife of Egeon
also a source for and the mother of the two
Twelfth Night and Antipholi.
Pericles, Prince of
Tyre. Balthasar - A merchant
in Syracuse.
Angelo - A goldsmith in
Syracuse and a friend to
Antipholus of Ephesus.
Merchant - An Ephesian
friend of Antipholus of
of Antipholus of Syracuse (and Antipholus' slave effect that ties the characters
Dromio) is also visiting Ephesus--where up in fear, deception, distress
Antipholus' missing twin, known as Antipholus of and jealousy, and banishes
Ephesus, is a prosperous citizen of the city. love, forgiveness, and
Adriana, Antipholus of Ephesus' wife, mistakes friendship.
Antipholus of Syracuse for her husband and
drags him home for dinner, leaving Dromio of
Syracuse to stand guard at the door and admit Love and marriage
no one. Shortly thereafter, Antipholus of This theme is explored in the
Ephesus (with his slave Dromio of Ephesus) relationship between Adriana
returns home and is refused entry to his own and her husband, Antipholus
house. Meanwhile, Antipholus of Syracuse has E., and in the debate on
fallen in love with Luciana, Adriana's sister, who marriage between Adriana
is appalled at the behavior of the man she thinks and Luciana.
is her brother-in-law.
Gender issues
The confusion increases when a gold chain
The theme of gender
ordered by the Ephesian Antipholus is given to
overlaps with the theme of
Antipholus of Syracuse. Antipholus of Ephesus
love and marriage. Critical
refuses to pay for the chain (unsurprisingly,
debate of this issue centers
since he never received it) and is arrested for
around Adriana and Luciana,
debt. His wife, seeing his strange behavior,
in terms of their respective
decides he has gone mad and orders him bound
attitudes to marriage and
and held in a cellar room. Meanwhile, Antipholus
men.
of Syracuse and his slave decide to flee the city,
which they believe to be enchanted, as soon as
possible--only to be menaced by Adriana and
the debt officer. They seek refuge in a nearby
abbey.
Adriana now begs the Duke to intervene and
remove her "husband" from the abbey into her
custody. Her real husband, meanwhile, has
broken loose and now comes to the Duke and
levels charges against his wife. The situation is
finally resolved by the Abbess, Emilia, who
brings out the set of twins and reveals herself to
be Egeon's long-lost wife. Antipholus of
Ephesus reconciles with Adriana; Egeon is
pardoned by the Duke and reunited with his
spouse; Antipholus of Syracuse resumes his
romantic pursuit of Luciana, and all ends happily
with the two Dromios embracing.
 Syracuse.

Second Merchant - A
tradesman to whom
Angelo is in debt.

Doctor Pinch - A
schoolteacher, conjurer,
and would-be exorcist.

Luce - Also called Nell.

Antipholus of Ephesus'
prodigiously fat maid and
Dromio of Ephesus' wife.

Courtesan - An
expensive prostitute and
friend of Antipholus of
Ephesus.

Imogen - Cymbeline's Imogen, the daughter of the British king Appearance versus reality
CYMBELINE The settings for daughter, the British Cymbeline, goes against her father's wishes and In Cymbeline, nothing is as it
Cymbeline are princess. She is wise, marries a lowborn gentleman, Posthumus, seems. Outward appearance
The plot of Ancient England, beautiful, and resourceful. instead of his oafish stepson, Cloten. Cloten is does not fit inward reality.
Cymbeline is loosely Wales and Rome. the son of Cymbeline's new Queen, a villainous
based on a tale by Posthumus - An woman who has made the king her puppet. Youth and age
Geoffrey of orphaned gentleman, he Cymbeline sends Posthumus into exile in Italy, Cymbeline and, by extension,
Monmouth about the is adopted and raised by where he encounters a smooth-tongued Italian his court and the kingdom,
real-life British Cymbeline, and he named Iachimo. Iachimo argues that all women has lost touch with youth and
monarch marries Imogen in secret, are naturally unchaste, and he makes a wager all that goes with it-love,
Cunobelinus. against her father's will. with Posthumus that he will be able to seduce fertility, and renewal. This is
Shakespeare, Imogen. He goes to the British court and, failing shown in the loss of his two
however, freely Cymbeline - The king of in his initial attempt to convince the princess to sons, in his wedding a cruel
adapts the legend to Britain and Imogen's sleep with him, resorts to trickery: He hides in a Queen, and in his harsh
a large extent and father. A wise and large chest and has it sent to her room; that imprisonment of Imogen.
adds entirely original gracious monarch, he is night he slips out, observes her sleeping, and
sub-plots. Iachimo's led astray by the steals a bracelet that Posthumus once gave to Restorative power of nature
wager and machinations of his her. Cymbeline is one of several
subsequent hiding- wicked Queen. plays in which Shakespeare
place within a chest Cloten, meanwhile, continues to pursue Imogen, contrasts the corrupt and
in order to gather Queen - Cymbeline's but she rebuffs him harshly. He becomes furious decaying court with the purity
details of Imogen's wife and Imogen's and vows revenge, while she worries over the and truth of the natural world.
room derive from stepmother. loss of her bracelet. In the meantime, Iachimo
story II.9 of Giovanni has returned to Italy, and, displaying the stolen Forgiveness and
Boccaccio's Cloten - The Queen's bracelet and an intimate knowledge of the reconciliation
Decameron. son, he was betrothed to details of Imogen's bedchamber, convinces The final scene is
Imogen before her secret Posthumus that he won the bet. Posthumus, characterized by forgiveness
wedding to Posthumus. furious at being betrayed by his wife, sends a and reconciliation.
letter to Britain ordering his servant, Pisanio, to Posthumus learns that
Iachimo - A clever and murder Imogen. But Pisanio believes in Imogen was innocent and
dishonest Italian Imogen's innocence, and he convinces her to expresses repentance.
gentleman. disguise herself as a boy and go search for her Imogen forgives Posthumus.
husband, while he reports to Posthumus that he Cymbeline is reunited with
Pisanio - Posthumus's has killed her. Imogen and with his lost
loyal servant sons, forgives Belarius, and is
Imogen, however, soon becomes lost in the reconciled with the enemy he
Belarius - A British wilds of Wales, and she comes upon a cave vanquished.
nobleman, unjustly where Belarius, an unjustly banished nobleman,
banished by Cymbeline lives with his two sons, Guiderius and Arviragus.
In fact, the two young men are not his sons but
Guiderius - Cymbeline's Cymbeline's; Belarius has kidnapped them to
eldest son and Imogen's avenge his banishment, though they themselves
brother are ignorant of their true parentage. They
welcome Imogen, who is still dressed as a boy.
Arviragus - Cymbeline's Meanwhile, Cloten appears, having come in
younger son and pursuit of Imogen; he fights a duel with
Imogen's brother Guiderius, who kills him. Imogen, feeling ill,
drinks a potion the queen has given her.
Philario - An Italian Although the queen told her it was medicinal,
gentleman. Posthumus the queen herself believed it to be a poison.
stays at his home during However, the draught merely induces a deep
his exile from Britain. sleep that resembles death. Belarius and his
adoptive sons come upon Imogen and, heart-
Caius Lucius - The broken, lay her body beside that of the slain
Roman ambassador to Cloten. Awaking after they have left the scene,
Britain and, later, the she mistakes the body of Cloten for that of
general of the Roman Posthumus, and she sinks into despair. A
invasion force. Roman army has invaded Britain, seeking the
restoration of a certain tribute Britain has
Cornelius - A doctor at ceased to pay. (A "tribute" here is a payment
the court of Cymbeline given to one nation by another in return for a
promise of non-aggression.) The disguised
Soothsayer - A seer, in Imogen hires herself out to them as a page.
the service of Caius
Lucius Posthumus and Iachimo are traveling with the
Roman army, but Posthumus switches to the

LOVE’S LABOUR
LOST The action takes place
in Navarre (Spanish,
Navarra), originally a
Love's Labour's Lost region in northern
is, along with The Spain and southern
Tempest, a play France (département of
without any obvious Basses-Pyrénées). At
sources. Cymbeline one time, Navarre was
falls into this a kingdom. In 1515,
category to some Spain annexed most of
extent, although that Navarre; in 1589,
play draws strands France annexed the
of its narrative from rest of the kingdom.
some texts agreed The capital of present-
on by modern day Navarre
scholars. Some Pamplona, on the Arga
possible influences River, founded by the
can be found in the ancient Roman general
Pompey the Great. The
Jupiter - The thunder-
god and king of Olympus
in Roman myth
Ferdinand, King of
Navarre - While the
play's dramatis personae
lists the King as
Ferdinand, throughout the
play he is referred to only
as "King." He is a scholar
and has sworn an oath to
uphold his scholarship at
the expense of earthly
pleasures, the most
important of which will
turn out to be receiving
women at his court.
Berowne, Longaville,
is Dumaine - Three lords
who have joined the King
in his oath of scholarship.
Princess of France
garb of a British peasant and fights valiantly for
Britain. Indeed, in his combat he actively seeks
death: He believes his servant to have carried
out his orders and killed Imogen, and he regrets
his actions. The Romans are defeated, thanks to
the intervention of Belarius, Guiderius, and
Arviragus, and Posthumus, still trying to punish
himself, switches back to Roman garb and
allows himself to be taken prisoner. That night,
the god Jupiter promises the spirits of
Posthumus's dead ancestors that he will care for
their descendant. The next day, Cymbeline calls
the prisoners before him, and the confusion is
sorted out. Posthumus and Imogen are reunited,
and they forgive a contrite Iachimo, who
confesses his deception. The identity of
Guiderius and Arviragus is revealed, Belarius is
forgiven, and the Queen dies, leaving the king
free of her evil influence. As a final gesture,
Cymbeline frees the Roman prisoners and even
agrees to resume paying the tribute.
The King of Navarre and his three lords, Love's Labor's Lost is
Berowne, Longaville, and Dumaine, swear an Shakespeare's attempt at
oath to scholarship, which includes fasting and showing his characters do not
avoiding contact with women for three years. always achieve their ends.
They receive a letter from Don Armado, a The play focuses on its
Spaniard visiting the King's court, telling them character's flaws instead of
that he has caught Costard, a fool, and their virtues. First, the men of
Jaquenetta, a country wench, consorting in the the play try to make sacrifices
park. The King announces Costard's sentence, in order to better their minds
and he and the lords go off to begin their oath. and their studies.
Don Armado confesses to Moth, his page, that In the play, the only
he has fallen in love with Jaquenetta. He writes knowledge that the
her a letter that he asks Costard to deliver. characters gain is that in
taking away life's natural
Meanwhile, the Princess of France has arrived distractions, they focus on
to visit the King. Because of his oath, however, what they cannot have.
the King cannot receive the Princess and her
party at his court; he and his lords must visit Love's Labor's Lost also
them at their camp outside the castle. The three shows the audience the
lords fall in love with the three ladies, as does values of keeping an oath.
 area was later occupied - She pays a visit to the the King with the Princess. Berowne gives The women of the play, in
early plays of John by Visigoths and King of Navarre and, Costard a letter to deliver to Rosaline, but attempts to show the men
Lyly, Robert Wilson's Moors. Pamplona is along with some of her Costard accidentally switches it with the letter what fools they have been,
The Cobbler's famous for the Festival attendants, plays a game from Don Armado to Jaquenetta. When he gives teach them this lesson.
Prophecy (c.1590) of St. Fermin (July 6- of wits with the King and Berowne's letter to Jaquenetta, she brings it to
and Pierre de la 14), in which a chief his lords. the learned Holofernes and Sir Nathaniel to read The "Lost" in the title
Primaudaye's attraction is encierro– for her. They tell her that the letter was meant accurately describes the fact
L'Academie the running of bulls Rosaline, Maria, for someone else and to deliver it to the King. that the men gained nothing
française (1577). each morning through Katherine - Three through their oath both to
the streets of the city. ladies attending the Berowne watches the King from a hiding spot as their king, and to the women
Princess who catch the he reads about his love for the Princess. to whom they professed their
fancy of the King's lords. Longaville enters, and the King hides as well; he love. It shows that no matter
and Berowne observe Longaville reading of his how hard one tries, keeping
Boyet - A lord attending love for Maria. Dumaine enters, Longaville promises is often more
on the Princess, he hides, and all three see Dumaine reading an important and more respect
serves as a messenger to ode he has written to Katherine. Longaville gaining than expressions of
the King's court and advances and tells Dumaine that he is not alone love.
exchanges jokes with the in love. The King then advances and scolds the
lords. two men for breaking their oath. Berowne
advances and reveals that the King is in love as
Don Armado - well. Jaquenetta arrives and gives Berowne the
Described in the list of letter, which he rips up. However, Dumaine
characters as "a picks up a piece of the letter with Berowne's
fantastical Spaniard." name on it, and Berowne confesses that he is in
love as well. The four men decide to court their
Mote - Don Armado's women.
page.
The King and his lords arrive at the Princess's
Costard - He is pavilion dressed as Muscovites. The women
described as "a clown" heed Boyet's prior warnings and decide to
switch favors, so that the men will mistake them
Jaquenetta - A country for each other. After the men leave and
wench caught with reappear as themselves, the women reveal their
Costard by Don Armado. prank. They all watch a show of the Nine
Worthies, performed by Don Armado, Sir
Sir Nathaniel, Nathaniel, and Holofernes. A messenger arrives
Holofernes - A curate to tell the Princess that her father has died, and
and schoolmaster she prepares to return to France. The women
tell their suitors to seek them again in a year,
Dull - A constable, and the play ends with their departure.
usually appearing with Sir
Nathaniel and
Holofernes. He provides
 a dull contrast to their
scholarship.

Mercadé - Another lord

attending on the
Princess.

Antony - A once fierce MARK ANTONY, ONE OF THE THREE RULERS of the Blind passion mutes the
ANTONY AND and feared soldier who Roman Empire, spends his time in Egypt, living voice of reason and leads
CLEOPATRA The action takes place rules the Roman Empire a life of decadence and conducting an affair with to the death of two mighty
in Africa, Europe, and along with Octavius the country’s beautiful queen, Cleopatra. When leaders. Antony and
the Middle East Caesar and Lepidus. a message arrives informing him that his wife, Cleopatra both pay with their
The principal source between 40 and 30 Fulvia, is dead and that Pompey is raising an lives for their scandalous, all-
for the story is B.C. The grand, far- Cleopatra - The queen army to rebel against the triumvirate, Antony consuming love affair.
Plutarch's "Life of flung, macrocosmic of Egypt and Antony’s decides to return to Rome. In Antony’s absence,
Mark Antony" from scope of the settings lover. A highly attractive Octavius Caesar and Lepidus, his fellow Beware of young men of
Lives of the Noble helps to underscore the woman who once triumvirs, worry about Pompey’s increasing ambition. Excessive ambition
Grecians and immensity of the seduced Julius Caesar, strength. Caesar condemns Antony for is a flaw that destroys the
Romans Compared political and emotional Cleopatra delights in the neglecting his duties as a statesman and people that it infects.
Together, in the drives and impulses at thought that she has military officer in order to live a decadent life by
translation made by work in the play.The caught Antony like a fish. Cleopatra’s side. Headstrong, selfish acts
Sir Thomas North in settings also serve to can alienate and victimize
1579. A large demonstrate the Octavius Caesar - The The news of his wife’s death and imminent even the best of friends.
number of phrases pronounced differences nephew and adopted son battle pricks Antony’s sense of duty, and he Antony's behavior ruptures
within between sober, of Julius Caesar. feels compelled to return to Rome. Upon his his friendship with
Shakespeare's play straitlaced Rome and Octavius rules the Roman arrival, he and Caesar quarrel, while Lepidus Enobarbus, his most devoted
are taken directly hedonistic, decadent Empire with Antony and ineffectually tries to make peace. Realizing that friend, who dies of a broken
from North's prose, Egypt. The settings Lepidus. an alliance is necessary to defeat Pompey, heart.
including include the following: Antony and Caesar agree that Antony will marry
Enobarbus's famous Cleopatra's palace in Enobarbus - Antony’s Caesar’s sister, Octavia, who will solidify their Only the fittest survive. In
description of Alexandria, Egypt; the most loyal supporter. loyalty to one another. Enobarbus, Antony’s Antony and Cleopatra,
Cleopatra's barge, house of Octavius Worldly and cynical, closest friend, predicts to Caesar’s men that, Lepidus is unfit because he is
beginning "The Caesar in Rome, Italy; Enobarbus is friendly with despite the marriage, Antony will surely return to weak, tending to pacify his
barge she sat in, like the house of Sextus the subordinates of both Cleopatra. rivals and seek compromise
a burnished Pompeius in Messina, Pompey and Caesar, yet rather than sally forth with a
throne/Burned on Italy; the house of stays faithful to his In Egypt, Cleopatra learns of Antony’s marriage closed fist. Consequently, the
the water." However Lepidus in Rome; a master even after Antony and flies into a jealous rage. However, when a ambitious Octavius easily
Shakespeare also street in Rome; a makes grave political and messenger delivers word that Octavia is plain pushes him aside.
adds scenes, meeting place near military missteps. and unimpressive, Cleopatra becomes confident
including many of Misenum, Italy; the that she will win Antony back. The triumvirs Deception ends in disaster.
the ones portraying galley of Sextus Marcus Aemilius meet Pompey and settle their differences To win Antony's sympathy,
Pompeius off Misenum; Lepidus - The third without going to battle. Pompey agrees to keep Cleopatra sends word to him
 a plain in Syria; Mark
Cleopatra's domestic Antony's residence in
life, and the role of Athens, Greece; Mark
Enobarbus is greatly Antony's camp near
developed. Historical Actium, Greece; a plain
facts are also near Actium; Octavius
sometimes changed: Caesar's camp in
in Plutarch Antony's Egypt; Mark Antony's
final defeat was camp at Alexandria;
many weeks after Egyptian field of battle;
the battle of Actium, the walls at Alexandria;
and Octavia lived a monument at
with mark for several Alexandria.
years and bore him
two children.
member of the triumvirate peace in exchange for rule over Sicily and that she has died. Antony
and the weakest, both Sardinia. That evening, the four men drink to then falls on his sword,
politically and personally. celebrate their truce. One of Pompey’s soldiers mortally wounding himself.
discloses to him a plan to assassinate the
Pompey - The son of a triumvirs, thereby delivering world power into The greater the civilization,
great general who was Pompey’s hands, but Pompey dismisses the the greater its problems.
one of Julius Caesar’s scheme as an affront to his honor. Meanwhile, Rome was the greatest
partners in power. one of Antony’s -generals wins a victory over the civilization of its time. But
Pompey is young and kingdom of Parthia. because of its size and
popular with the Roman complexity and because of
people, and he Antony and Octavia depart for Athens. Once the size and complexity of the
possesses enough they are gone, Caesar breaks his truce, wages egos that controlled it, it was
military might to stand as war against Pompey, and defeats him. After also a troubled civilization.
a legitimate threat to the using Lepidus’s army to secure a victory, he
triumvirs. accuses Lepidus of treason, imprisons him, and Overweening pride leads to
confiscates his land and possessions. This news a downfall. Ostensibly,
Octavia - Octavius angers Antony, as do the rumors that Caesar Cleopatra commits suicide
Caesar’s sister. has been speaking out against him in public. because she cannot endure
Octavia pleads with Antony to maintain a life without Antony. She is a
Charmian and Iras - peaceful relationship with her brother. Should complex woman. Love for
Cleopatra’s faithful Antony and Caesar fight, she says, her Antony burns in her breast, to
attendants. affections would be painfully divided. Antony be sure, but so do other
dispatches her to Rome on a peace mission, emotions. One of them is
The Soothsayer - An and quickly returns to Egypt and Cleopatra. great pride that renders her
Egyptian fortune-teller There, he raises a large army to fight Caesar, incapable of undergoing
who follows Antony to and Caesar, incensed over Antony’s treatment ridicule.
Rome and predicts that of his sister, responds in kind. Caesar
his fortune will always commands his army and navy to Egypt. Ignoring
pale in comparison to all advice to the contrary, Antony elects to fight The Struggle Between
Caesar’s. him at sea, allowing Cleopatra to command a Reason and Emotion. The
ship despite Enobarbus’s strong objections. play offers us a worldview in
Dolabella - One of Antony’s forces lose the battle when Cleopatra’s which one sensibility cannot
Octavius Caesar’s men. ship flees and Antony’s follows, leaving the rest easily dominate another.
of the fleet vulnerable. Reason cannot ever fully
Agrippa - One of conquer the passions, nor
Octavius Caesar’s Antony despairs, condemning Cleopatra for can passion wholly undo
officers. leading him into infamy but quickly forgiving her. reason.
He and Cleopatra send requests to their
Camidius - A general in conqueror: Antony asks to be allowed to live in The Clash of East and
Antony’s army. Egypt, while Cleopatra asks that her kingdom be West. Antony and
passed down to her rightful heirs. Caesar Cleopatra details the conflict
Ventidius - A Roman dismisses Antony’s request, but he promises between Rome and Egypt,
soldier under Antony’s Cleopatra a fair hearing if she betrays her lover.
command. Cleopatra seems to be giving thought to
Caesar’s message when Antony barges in, giving us an idea of the
Scarus - A brave young curses her for her treachery, and orders the Elizabethan perceptions of
soldier serving under innocent messenger whipped. When, moments the difference between
Antony. later, Antony forgives Cleopatra, Enobarbus Western and Eastern
decides that his master is finished and defects cultures. The Western and
Proculeius - One of to Caesar’s camp. Eastern poles of the world are
Caesar’s soldiers, who characterized by those who
proves untrustworthy. Antony meets Caesar’s troops in battle and inhabit them.
scores an unexpected victory. When he learns
Diomedes - Cleopatra’s of Enobarbus’s desertion, Antony laments his The Definition of Honor.
servant. own bad fortune, which he believes has The notion of honor to that of
corrupted an honorable man. He sends his death suggests the latter as a
Eros - An attendant friend’s possessions to Caesar’s camp and surefire means of achieving
serving Antony returns to Cleopatra to celebrate his victory. the former. In Antony and
Enobarbus, undone by shame at his own Cleopatra, honor seems less
Menas - An ambitious disloyalty, bows under the weight of his guilt and a function of Western or
young soldier under dies. Another day brings another battle, and Eastern culture than of the
Pompey once again Antony meets Caesar at sea. As characters’ determination to
before, the Egyptian fleet proves treacherous; it define themselves on their
Seleucus - Cleopatra’s abandons the fight and leaves Antony to suffer own terms. Both Antony and
treasurer, who betrays his defeat. Convinced that his lover has betrayed Cleopatra secure honorable
master. him, Antony vows to kill Cleopatra. In order to deaths by refusing to
protect herself, she quarters herself in her compromise their identities.
Clown - An Egyptian monument and sends word that she has
who brings a basket of committed suicide. Antony, racked with grief,
figs containing poisonous determines to join his queen in the afterlife. He Motifs
snakes to Cleopatra. commands one of his attendants to fulfill his Extravagant Declarations of
promise of unquestioned service and kill him. Love
Decretas - One of The attendant kills himself instead. Antony then Public Displays of Affection
Antony’s soldiers. falls on his own sword, but the wound is not Female Sexuality
immediately fatal. He is carried to Cleopatra’s
monument, where the lovers are reunited briefly Symbols
before Antony’s death. Caesar takes the queen
prisoner, planning to display her in Rome as a Shape-Changing Clouds.
testament to the might of his empire, but she Act IV, scene xv, Antony
learns of his plan and kills herself with the help likens his shifting sense of
of several poisonous snakes. Caesar has her self to a cloud that changes
buried beside Antony. shape as it tumbles across
the sky. Just as the cloud
turns from “a bear or lion, / A
towered citadel, a pendent
rock,” Antony seems to
 change from the reputed
conqueror into a debased
victim (IV.xv.3–4). As he says
to Eros, his uncharacteristic
defeat, both on the battlefield
and in matters of love, makes
it difficult for him to “hold this
visible shape” (IV.xv.14).

Cleopatra’s Fleeing Ships.

The ships remind us of
Cleopatra’s inconstancy and
of the inconstancy of human
character in the play.

The Asps. One of the most

memorable symbols in the
play comes in its final
moments, as Cleopatra
applies deadly snakes to her
skin. The asps are a prop in
the queen’s final and most
magnificent performance.
King Richard II - The Richard II, written around 1595, is the first play Is kingly authority
RICHARD II The action in the play King of England when the in Shakespeare's second "history tetralogy," a inviolable? The central
takes place in England play begins, Richard is a series of four plays that chronicles the rise of the theme of the play is whether
Shakespeare's and Wales, beginning young man who has not house of Lancaster to the British throne. (Its the subjects of a king have a
primary source for in 1398. (Richard II matured much since his sequel plays are Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2, and right to overthrow and replace
Richard II, as for reigned between 1377 adolescence. Stately and Henry V.) Richard II, set around the year 1398, him if he is weak, unwise, or
most of his chronicle and 1399.) Locales poetic, he enjoys the traces the fall from power of the last king of the unduly harsh.
histories, was include London, trappings of kingship and house of Plantagenet, Richard II, and his
Raphael Holinshed's Coventry, the wilds of has an extraordinary flair replacement by the first Lancaster king, Henry Prodigality arouses the
Chronicles; the Gloucestershire, and for poetic language. IV (Henry Bolingbroke). Richard II, who wrath of the people. Richard
publication of the Bristol. ascended to the throne as a young man, is a II spends lavishly and bleeds
second edition in Henry Bolingbroke regal and stately figure, but he is wasteful in his his subjects to fill his coffers.
1589 provides a Duke of Herford spending habits, unwise in his choice of Richard fails to realize an old
terminus post quem - Bolingbroke is King counselors, and detached from his country and political truth: When pockets
for the play. Edward Richard's cousin and the its common people. He spends too much of his lack jingle, the people
Hall's The Union of son of Richard's uncle, time pursuing the latest Italian fashions, retaliate.
the Two Illustrious John of Gaunt. spending money on his close friends, and
Families of raising taxes to fund his pet wars in Ireland and True patriots remain
Lancaster and York John of Gaunt Duke of elsewhere. When he begins to "rent out" parcels steadfast and loyal. Old
 Lancaster - Called
appears also to have either "Gaunt" or
been consulted, and "Lancaster." An important
scholars have also nobleman, John of Gaunt
supposed is Richard's uncle and the
Shakespeare father of Richard's
familiar with Samuel banished cousin
Daniel's poem on Bolingbroke, who
the civil wars. eventually usurps the
throne.
Edmund of Langley
Duke of York - Called
"York." Richard's uncle,
and a brother of John of
Gaunt and of the late
Thomas of Gloucester.
The Duke of Aumerle -
Also called "Rutland" late
in the play, since he is the
Earl of Rutland. He is the
son of Edmund, Duke of
York, and thus a cousin to
both King Richard II and
Henry Bolingbroke.
Thomas Mowbray Duke
of Norfolk - Mowbray,
sometimes called
"Norfolk," is a nobleman
whom Henry Bolingbroke
accuses of treason.
Bushy, Bagot, and
Green (also called
Greene) - Richard's
friends and loyal backers
in the court.
Henry Percy Earl of
Northumberland; Lord
Ross; and Lord
of English land to certain wealthy noblemen in John of Gaunt (Duke of
order to raise funds for one of his wars, and Lancaster) remains
seizes the lands and money of a recently steadfastly loyal to his
deceased and much respected uncle to help fill country through the turmoil
his coffers, both the commoners and the king's unfolding around him. Gaunt
noblemen decide that Richard has gone too far. dies with dignity. Today, the
words Shakespeare gave him
Richard has a cousin, named Henry continue to live in England on
Bolingbroke, who is a great favorite among the the tongues of every
English commoners. Early in the play, Richard schoolchild who values his
exiles him from England for six years due to an heritage.
unresolved dispute over an earlier political
murder. The dead uncle whose lands Richard Blood is thinner than water,
seizes was the father of Bolingbroke; when or familiarity breeds
Bolingbroke learns that Richard has stolen what contempt. The main enemies
should have been his inheritance, it is the straw in Richard II are relatives.
that breaks the camel's back. When Richard John of Gaunt is Richard II’s
unwisely departs to pursue a war in Ireland, uncle. When Gaunt dies,
Bolingbroke assembles an army and invades Richard seizes his property.
the north coast of England in his absence. The Henry Bolingbroke is the son
commoners, fond of Bolingbroke and angry at of Gaunt and Richard’s
Richard's mismanagement of the country, cousin. He deposes Richard
welcome his invasion and join his forces. One and seizes his throne.
by one, Richard's allies in the nobility desert him
and defect to Bolingbroke's side as Bolingbroke
marches through England. By the time Richard
returns from Ireland, he has already lost his
grasp on his country.
There is never an actual battle; instead,
Bolingbroke peacefully takes Richard prisoner in
Wales and brings him back to London, where
Bolingbroke is crowned King Henry IV. Richard
is imprisoned in the remote castle of Pomfret in
the north of England, where he is left to
ruminate upon his downfall. There, an assassin,
who both is and is not acting upon King Henry's
ambivalent wishes for Richard's expedient
death, murders the former king. King Henry
hypocritically repudiates the murderer and vows
to journey to Jerusalem to cleanse himself of his
part in Richard's death. As the play concludes,
we see that the reign of the new King Henry IV
Willoughby - Noblemen has started off inauspiciously.
who join Bolingbroke's
rebel army early to fight
against King Richard.

Duchess of York - The

wife of the Duke of York
and mother of the Duke
of Aumerle.

Duchess of
Gloucester - The aged
widow of the late Thomas
of Gloucester, and the
sister-in-law of John of
Gaunt and the Duke of
York.

Queen Isabel - King

Richard's wife.

Thomas Percy, Earl of

Worcester - The Lord
Steward of the king's
household, he is also the
brother of Henry Percy,
Earl of Northumberland,
and thus the uncle of
young Harry Percy.

Lord Berkeley - The

ruler of Berkeley Castle in
Gloucestershire, where
York's army meets
Bolingbroke's army in Act
II, scene iii. He is loyal to
King Richard.

Lord Salisbury - A lord

loyal to King Richard.

Bishop of Carlisle - A
clergyman loyal to
 Richard.

Sir Stephen Scroope -

A nobleman loyal to
Richard.

Abbot of Westminster -
A clergyman loyal to
Richard.

Sir Piers Exton - A

nobleman who
assassinates the former
King Richard in Pomfret
Castle in Act V, scene v,
believing he is acting
under King Henry's
orders

Lord Fitzwater - A minor

lord who throws down a
gage sometime during
Act IV, scene i, and also
throws his weight around
in Act V, scene vi .
The action takes place Richard - Also called the AFTER A LONG CIVIL WAR between the royal family of All-consuming ambition
RICHARD III in England in the duke of Gloucester, and York and the royal family of Lancaster, England leads to all-consuming evil.
following locales: eventually crowned King enjoys a period of peace under King Edward IV Richard III, in his thirst for
London (including Richard III. Deformed in and the victorious Yorks. But Edward’s younger power, is willing to commit
Shakespeare's castles and the royal body and twisted in mind, brother, Richard, resents Edward’s power and any atrocity to win the throne.
primary source for palace), Salisbury, a Richard is both the the happiness of those around him. Malicious, He is Macbeth raised to the
Richard III, as with camp near Tamworth, central character and the power-hungry, and bitter about his physical second power–or third. After
most of his history and Bosworth Field villain of the play. He is deformity, Richard begins to aspire secretly to an assassin murders the late
plays, was Raphael (about 12 miles west of evil, corrupt, sadistic, and the throne—and decides to kill anyone he has to king's sons, Richard says to
Holinshed's Leicester in the East manipulative, and he will in order to become king. him, "Thou shalt tell the
Chronicles; the Midlands). stop at nothing to become process of their death" (4. 3.
publication date of king. His intelligence, Using his intelligence and his skills of deception 38).
the second edition, political brilliance, and and political manipulation, Richard begins his
1587, being the dazzling use of language campaign for the throne. He manipulates a All things are not as they
terminus post quem keep the audience noblewoman, Lady Anne, into marrying him— seem. During most of the
for the play. It is also fascinated—and his even though she knows that he murdered her play, Richard wears a mask
likely that subjects and rivals under first husband. He has his own older brother, of innocence. He is always
his thumb. Clarence, executed, and shifts the burden of pretending, always deceiving.

Shakespeare Buckingham - Richard’s
consulted Edward right-hand man in his
Hall's The Union of schemes to gain power.
the Two Illustrious The duke of Buckingham
Families of is almost as amoral and
Lancaster and York ambitious as Richard
(second edition, himself.
1548).
King Edward IV - The
older brother of Richard
and Clarence, and the
king of England at the
start of the play.
Clarence - The gentle,
trusting brother born
between Edward and
Richard in the York family.
Queen Elizabeth - The
wife of King Edward IV
and the mother of the two
young princes (the heirs
to the throne) and their
older sister, young
Elizabeth.
Dorset, Rivers, and
Gray - The kinsmen and
allies of Elizabeth, and
members of the
Woodeville and Gray
families.
Anne - The young widow
of Prince Edward, who
was the son of the former
king, Henry VI.
Duchess of York -
Widowed mother of
Richard, Clarence, and
King Edward IV.
guilt onto his sick older brother King Edward in Eventually, his adversaries
order to accelerate Edward’s illness and death. see through the mask.
After King Edward dies, Richard becomes lord
protector of England—the figure in charge until Where there is pure evil,
the elder of Edward’s two sons grows up. there is no conscience.
Richard never expresses
Next Richard kills the court noblemen who are regret or remorse. He is bad
loyal to the princes, most notably Lord Hastings, to the bone, and proud of it.
the lord chamberlain of England. He then has Modern psychologists would
the boys’ relatives on their mother’s side—the probably label him a
powerful kinsmen of Edward’s wife, Queen psychopath or sociopath.
Elizabeth—arrested and executed. With
Elizabeth and the princes now unprotected, I am what I am. Richard
Richard has his political allies, particularly his acknowledges at the
right-hand man, Lord Buckingham, campaign to beginning of the play that he
have Richard crowned king. Richard then is an ugly, misshapen lump of
imprisons the young princes in the Tower and, in flesh–a monster. Then,
his bloodiest move yet, sends hired murderers accepting himself as he is, he
to kill both children. announces that he will live up
to his physical image by
By this time, Richard’s reign of terror has performing ugly deeds.
caused the common people of England to fear
and loathe him, and he has alienated nearly all
the noblemen of the court—even the power- The Allure of Evil. Richard
hungry Buckingham. When rumors begin to III does not explore the cause
circulate about a challenger to the throne who is of evil in the human mind so
gathering forces in France, noblemen defect in much as it explores its
droves to join his forces. The challenger is the operation, depicting the
earl of Richmond, a descendant of a secondary workings of Richard’s mind
arm of the Lancaster family, and England is and the methods he uses to
ready to welcome him. manipulate, control, and
injure others for his own gain.
Richard, in the meantime, tries to consolidate Central to this aspect of the
his power. He has his wife, Queen Anne, play is the idea that Richard’s
murdered, so that he can marry young victims are complicit in their
Elizabeth, the daughter of the former Queen own destruction.
Elizabeth and the dead King Edward. Though
young Elizabeth is his niece, the alliance would The Connection between
secure his claim to the throne. Nevertheless, Ruler and State. The moral
Richard has begun to lose control of events, and righteousness of a political
Queen Elizabeth manages to forestall him. ruler has a direct bearing on
Meanwhile, she secretly promises to marry the health of the state. A state
young Elizabeth to Richmond.
Margaret - Widow of the
dead King Henry VI, and
mother of the slain Prince
Edward.
The princes - The two
young sons of King
Edward IV and his wife,
Elizabeth, their names
are actually Prince
Edward and the young
duke of York, but they are
often referred to
collectively.
Young Elizabeth - The
former Queen Elizabeth’s
daughter.
Ratcliffe, Catesby - Two
of Richard’s flunkies
among the nobility.
Tyrrell - A murderer
whom Richard hires to kill
his young cousins, the
princes in the Tower of
London.
Richmond - A member
of a branch of the
Lancaster royal family.
Hastings - A lord who
maintains his integrity,
remaining loyal to the
family of King Edward IV.
Stanley - The stepfather
of Richmond.
Lord Mayor of London -
Richmond finally invades England. The night with a good ruler will tend to
before the battle that will decide everything, flourish (as Denmark does
Richard has a terrible dream in which the ghosts under King Hamlet), while a
of all the people he has murdered appear and state with a bad ruler will tend
curse him, telling him that he will die the next to suffer (as Scotland does
day. In the battle on the following morning, under Macbeth).
Richard is killed, and Richmond is crowned King
Henry VII. Promising a new era of peace for The Power of Language. An
England, the new king is betrothed to young interesting secondary theme
Elizabeth in order to unite the warring houses of of Richard III is the power of
Lancaster and York. language, or the importance
of language in achieving
political power. Language
may not always be a
necessary instrument of
power, but for Richard, it is a
crucial weapon.
Motifs
The Supernatural. These
supernatural elements serve
to create an atmosphere of
intense dread and gloom that
matches the malice and evil
of Richard’s inner self, and
also serve to heighten the
sense that Richard’s reign is
innately evil, transforming
England into a kind of Gothic
netherworld.
Dreams. The motif of
prophetic dreams is part of
the play’s larger
preoccupation with the
supernatural, but the idea of
dreams emerges as its own
separate motif after Stanley’s
dream about Hastings’s
death.
A gullible and suggestible
fellow whom Richard and
Buckingham use as a
pawn in their ploy to
make Richard king.
Vaughan - A friend of
Elizabeth, Dorset, Rivers,
and Gray who is
executed by Richard
along with Rivers and
Grey.
Symbol
The Boar. The boar is
Richard’s heraldic symbol,
and is used several times
throughout the play to
represent him, most notably
in Stanley’s dream about
Hastings’s death. The idea of
the boar is also played on in
describing Richard’s
deformity, and Richard is
cursed by the duchess as an
“abortive, rooting hog”
(I.iii.225). The boar was one
of the most dangerous
animals that people hunted in
the Middle Ages and
Renaissance, and
Shakespeare’s audience
would have associated it with
untamed aggression and
uncontrollable violence.

Tanmay Baid
‘That’s_Tany’