Shakespeare's History Summaries

Histories
1	The Life and Death of King John
	Two different approaches to decision making.  King gives up kingdom to save skin, and other gives up inheritance. Ignore time and collapse John's reign from ten years into days.  Rarely produced play.
2	Richard II
	A century later than King John, Richard tries to unify the country.  Ends up yielding the crown to Henry IV yet still plots and is killed by a well meaning knight.
3	Henry IV Pt 1 and II
	Henry must defend his precarious position and quell a wayward son.  True story according to Shakespeare.
4	The Life of Henry the Fifth
	True story of England and the battle of Agincourt--the longest running war with the French.  Famous for it's siloquey, The St. Crispin's Day Speech, We few, We happy few, we band of brothers."
5	Henry VI, Parts I, II & III
	These plays are a series that cover the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.  It gives an English perspective on Joan of Arc
6	The Tragedy of Richard the Third
	The real Richard III was nothing like this depiction, but Shakespeare merely reflected the attitude of the time.  King Henry IVV defeated Richard, and the victors write the history books.
7	Henry VIII
	How many wives are enough?  Six?  Beheading or divorcing most of them.  The play ends with birth of Anne's daughter, Elizabeth to be queen.
8	Cardenio
	The content of the comedy is based on an episode in Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote involving the character Cardenio, a young man who has been driven mad and lives in the Sierra Morena. -

Shakespeare's Tragedy Summaries

TRAGEDIES
1	Julius Caesar
	A tragedy about how good people do bad things.  A hero, loved by people, hated by politics, making enemies.
2	Anthony & Cleopatra
	More interested in entertainment than history, War, love, intrigue, obsession, conquest are all in this play.
3	Coriolanus
	A play set in Rome, well before Caesar, consuls and senators. War, deceipt, denial, tribunals, and Rome's fate.  Coriolanus is killed in the end.
4	Hamlet -- "The Play"
	King Hamlet is killed by his brother who takes the queen to wive and Hamlet discovers and creates a play within a play as he slowely goes crazy and takes everyone with him.  Everyone dies of poison or by swords in the end.
5	Tragedy of Cymbeline, the King
	This is His most confusing play.  It's a history, no a tragedy, no a comedy.  Because it ends happy, it's not a tragedy technically.  Yeah, the play is confusing too.
6	King Lear
	Sibling Rivalry, three daughters, flattery, malice, who loves who best, that is the test.  Banishments, death, hangings, poisoned, suicide.
7	MacBeth
	An historical figure, Macbeth murdered Duncan and Shakespeare expounded from there.  It has three witches, skeletons, prophesys, and insanity "Out dam spots,
8	Othello
	Othello, a general listens to the Iago, the villain, becomes jealous over his wife, smothers her, kills himself,
9	Romeo & Juliet
	Boy meets girl, fall in love, parents angry,  poison, pretend to die, suicide, no one marries in the end.
10	The Life Of Timon of Athens
	Timon learns trouble separates fair-weather friends from true friends.  Gold, and power can't make that up.  And in the end, Timon dies.
11	Titus Andronicus
	In every act of this play, somes kills or slices body parts off someone else.  It is totally gross, the most gruesome play he wrote.  Serious blue period for Shakespeare.
12	Trolius and Cressida
	Trojan war is the backdrop, and this play warns about meddling and interfering with natural order.  Pandarus, a busybody who interferes  in the matters, both backfire.  Title characters don't die, so it's not technically a tragedy, but as a comedy, it's a real downer.
13	Pericles, Prince of Tyre
	This one is again confusing, Pericles comes to Antioch to answer the riddle and win the princess.  The King is jealous and tried to kill him, he runs, goes to another island, marries someone else, she appears to die in childbirth, is actually only mostly dead.  She goes to a convent.  It gets better at the end… or at least weirder.

Shakespeare's Comedy Summaries

COMEDIES
1	All’s Well That Ends Well
	Bertram is a bad boy, He disregards his wife Helena, disobeys the king and hangs out with a disreputable scoundrel.  He returns to his wife, obeys his king's orders, gives up on his companion and all's well that ends well.
2	As You Like It
	It takes sibling rivalry to a new level. One duke banished, then his daughter banished, love affairs abound, good ending, so everyone ends up happy.
3	Comedy of Errors
	Two sets of twins having the same name are separated at birth, one set servant and the other master and the hilarity that ensues.
4	Love's Labor Lost
	Four men isolate themselves from women for three years, women move in and hilarity ensues.  Not a typical comedy as no one gets married in the end, all four couples put it off.
5	Measure for Measure
	The Duke feels there is too much wild and crazy behavior in the city so he sets up a death punishment and then leaves town.  #2, Angelo sets himself up as boss.  As leading politician gets caught in a scandal--just like today.  It's dark, but all marry and no one dies in the end.
6	Merchant of Venice
	Another of Shakespeare's "Problem" plays, the villian is a moneylender who wants his pound of flesh and mixed up with that are love affairs and marriages.
7	Merry Wives of Windsor
	Falstaff, the fat knight in both Henry IV's was so popular he is the lead, holding the highest station in this town.  He is also the biggest buffoon amidst merry wives and marriages are in the end.
8	Midsummer Night’s Dream
	It is His most popular and widest performed play.  Full of confusion and affection, there are plays within plays, donkeys, fairies, and all turns out well in the end.
9	Much Ado About Nothing
	It intertwines two love stories of love won, lost, and regained with a twist of dastardly doings by Don John.  All lovers marry, so all is well in the end.
10	Twelfth Night
	Called the name of the first date of performance, this play was really named What You Will.  Twin brother and sister are shipwrecked and supposedly dead andcause confusion to Orsino the duke loves Olivia, who is in mourning, and won't see him.  Accidental marriages mixed up plans end in hilarity.
11	Taming of the Shrew
	It's the story of a shrewish woman, controlled by a manipulating husband  and hilarity ensues.
12	The Tempest
	The play is on an island inhabited by spirits and people are visitors.  Its all about trials, triumphs, love, hate and fear.
13	The Winter’s Tale
	The same plot as Othello, insane jealousy.  King of Sicilia suspects his wife and friend of infidelity and suspects her baby is not his.  He wants his friend killed, he escapes, baby is born and King wants it left to die.  It is rescued and in the end those not dead marry.
14	Two Gentlemen of Verona
	Two best friends part company, one trys to stay near his love, father intercedes.  In Milan, one falls in love with the Duke's daughter who is pledged to another.  The servant Speed steals the show with his dog Crab.  Believed to be Shakespeare's first and weakest play.

Romeo and Juliet Part One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=079_iKX9VVI

Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqX2HawwxzI

Reward Gnomio and Juliet  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zX4Szi-fi4

Twelfth Night or As You Will Theater Link Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwgQ9Qof88




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Another version directed by Kenneth Branaugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i3J17Jp0ag


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Another version with Helena Bonham Carter

Part One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQIdfuROV7E

Part Two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmuea5brRZY

Part Three

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0724Hxxxxcs

Taming of the Shrew Video Link Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ris5gVKV99g

The Tempest Movie Link Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFtIGZnHe6s



Theater Version

Much Ado About Nothing Youtube Link

Excellent Rendition of this play outdoors by Riverside Theater Company in a Theater in the Park

Part One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY59pu2qvtM

Part Two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFE3T0SHJo8





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Bexhille Theater Company


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zX4Szi-fi4

All's Well That Ends Well Theater Link Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djOkgHXuT2w

A Winter's Tale

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAIydKlxtik

Comedy of Errors Theater Production Links Youtube

Act One Scene 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na82N9JMbWU

Act One Scene 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4enu5jDqiOM

Act 2 scene 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBBMnwpbdXw

Act II Scene 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLKkYL1g_zM

Act III Scene 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-lzVcOBUP0

Act III Scene 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HDCYNmOggI

Act IV Scene 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe_-jorlm-Y

Act IV Scene 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUNBsq8_WN0

Act IV  Scene 3 & 4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXX37cvqsn8

MISSING SECTION   GRRRR   all this work and no ending?  

Act 5, conclusion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fZrxKn0B6Q

Julius Caesar Film Link Youtube

1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdrBYFdJKxw
2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ0Vhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSN1GFJZ0PIl_4y9Ac
3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcvG4AgU9FA
4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wSQImpiFaE
5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3ymaal9zbc
6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epN82LsT3UE
7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osc5nh-MlBI
8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdtDgzL9jIo
9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tUKMdLdLvM
10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaKz6CPUcjs
11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSN1GFJZ0PI
12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5n088PTYnU