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      Shakespeare has been a perennial inspiration for writer for centuries. Innumerable novels, stories and films have been born out of Shakespearean literature. Many films that you have watched may have unacknowledged, uncanny similarities with Shakespearean plots.

      Many of Shakespeare’s plays have been written as short stories and novels without changing their names. Many modern novels are inspired by him. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville is said to be inspired by Macbeth and King Lear.

      Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World has its roots in The Tempest. The same play is the inspiration for Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed. E. K Johnston’s Exit, Pursued by a Bear is inspired by the famous line from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

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      Some scholars think that The Two Gentlemen of Verona is Shakespeare’s first play; and therefore, it is not as promising as his later plays.

      The play is centred on the love, perseverance and determination of a young girl named Julia who went to extremes to win over her love. Valentine and Proteus were close friends. Valentine set out on a journey and Proteus did not follow him because he had fallen in love with Julia. However, when Proteus went to meet Valentine, he met Valentine’s lover Silvia and fell in love with her at first sight.

      He forgot about Julia completely. Now, the play takes the viewer through many events, in which adventure, luck and velour become prominent themes. Julia, in order to win back Proteus, disguised herself as a man and followed him around. Finally, Proteus, realizing his mistakes, apologized to Valentine and everything ended on a happy note.

      One of the most controversial episodes in Shakespearean plays appears in this play. Convinced of Proteus’ repentance, Valentine appears to hand his love, Silvia, to Proteus.

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      What would happen if someone decides that he would have nothing to do with women and no women would be allowed within one mile of his home? Love’s Labour’s Lost, one of Shakespeare’s early comedies, has misogyny as its central theme.

      Ferdinand, the King of Navarre, and his friends decided that women were not allowed inside their palace for three years, because they wanted to devote their time and energy to learning and research. However, their plans were thwarted when the Princess of France and her ladies arrived for a diplomatic mission to the Court. The Princess, insulted without an entry to the palace, camped outside the court. In the events that ensued, the King fell in love with the beautiful princess and his friends with other women. They eventually relinquished the vow and realized that the ultimate knowledge was the knowledge of love and understanding.

      As the play ends, the marriages are planned and they would take place in a year’s time.

      This is one of Shakespeare’s original plays. Scholars opine that he has not consulted sources that he used for his other plays. Abounding in sophisticated wordplay, the play contains lines such as: ‘Love is a familiar; love is a devil. There is no evil angel but love’.

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      Some scholars have categorized some of Shakespeare’s plays as problem plays. There are three of them: All’s Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure and Troilus and Cressida.

      These plays are characterized by their complex sensibilities and confusing plots. There are elements of tragedy and comedy in such plays. Measure for Measure centres around sensuality and depravity in Vienna.

      The Duke of Vienna took a break from ruling and appointed a strict judge Angelo as the interim ruler. A citizen named Claudius was convicted of impregnating a woman he was to marry and was ordered to be executed. Claudius’ sister Isabella, a nun, rushed to plead with Angelo who asked her to submit to his will, if Claudius was to be released. Angelo had been betrothed to Mariana whom he did not marry because she had no dowry.

      As it turned out the Duke, in fact, had not left the palace and was disguised as a friar. He saw to it that justice was served to everyone and the guilty were punished. The play’s main themes include justice, morality and mercy.

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      Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy. The source of its plot is from Iliad, the great Greek epic by Homer. The play is set during the years of the Trojan War. The story centers on the Trojan Prince Troilus’ wooing of Cressida, another Trojan.

      Troilus was the son of Priam, the legendary king of Troy. He professed his profound love for Cressida. However, during the war between the Trojans and the Greeks, Cressida was exchanged as a prisoner of war. Troilus tried hard to meet Cressida; and when he finally succeeded realized that Cressida had deceived him. He went back to the war to fight even more determined.

      While the story of Troilus and Cressida constitutes only a small part of the play, there are leaders of the war such as Agamemnon, Priam, Ajax, Hector and Achilles who appear and play vital roles in the play.

      Troilus and Cressida are considered a special play by Shakespeare because of the treatment of the themes like love, honour and power.

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      Shakespeare’s history plays abound with stories of power hungry kings and royal men. They fight, betray and kill each other so that somehow power stays with them. King John, one of Shakespeare’s well-known history plays is about politics, war and bloodshed.

      King John was threatened by the French King Philip to renounce his throne in favour of his nephew Arthur. However, King John did not relent and sent forces against him. Although the war was fierce, there was no decisive victory to suggest a clear winner between them.

      In the meantime, Cardinal Pandolf arrived with the message that John had disobeyed the Pope and therefore, he was excommunicated. While trying to escape from the prison, Arthur died and that was enough for the nobles to withdraw their support for King John. There was war again and many of John’s enemies rejoined him. John, however, was poisoned to death and his son, Prince Henry, becomes the next King.

      The date of the play’s composition is not yet ascertained; however, it is believed to have been written between 1587 and 1588.

      The famous lines ‘Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man’ are from King John.

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      Shakespeare’s Coriolanus is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Caius Marcius Coriolanus.

      The people of Rome were agitated because there was no food available. While Menenius Agrippa, a popular senator, managed to calm them, the arrogant and fiery young general, Caius Marcius, aroused their emotions again by confronting them.

      Marcius led the Roman army against the Volscian forces, led by Tullus Aufidius, which were threatening Rome. Marcius defeated the Volscian in their own city, Corioli, with great personal velour, and was given the title of ‘Coriolanus’. When he returned to Rome the senate elected him succeed, Comenius Consul. He accepted the honour but refused to subject himself to the endorsement of the common people in the market place. Coriolanus was contemptuous towards people and denied them their right to corn free of cost. Eventually, he was expelled from Rome.

      Coriolanus went to the Volscian city of Antium in disguise and was welcomed by his former enemy, Aufidius. Coriolanus joined forces with Aufidius to challenge Rome.

      All diplomatic attempts to stop him failed until his mother, his wife, Virgilia, and his young son, approached him. He is unable to resist their entreaties and agrees to make peace. However, when he returned to the Volscian capital, he was killed by conspirators.

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      Will anybody challenge a stranger to test his wife’s fidelity? Shakespeare’s Cymbeline follows the story of a man who foolishly places a bet over his wife’s faithfulness and suffers a great deal over it. The play deals with the themes of innocence and jealousy.

      Cymbeline was the King of Britain whose wife had an arrogant illegitimate son called Cloten. Cymbeline arranged the marriage of his beautiful daughter, Imogen, to Cloten; however, she defied him and married the poor but worthy Posthumus Leonatus.

      Cymbeline banished Posthumus, who went to Rome. Before he went, Imogen gave him a diamond ring and he presented her with a bracelet Posthumus, living in Italy, had a challenge with lachimo that the latter would seduce the chaste Imogen and bring Posthumus proof of her adultery. Lachimo, though unsuccessful in wooing Imogen, brought proof through cunning and deception. This caused distrust between the lovers. In the ensuing events, several plot lines follow, involving disguises, mistaken identity, deceit, treachery and poison.

      The play ends in a traditional comic note. Lachimo confesses to his treachery, the characters who are thought to be someone else reveal themselves, all the misunderstandings are resolved and the lovers are reunited.

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      What if someone whom we had loved very much died but came back to life later? Shakespeare’s play, The Winter’s Tale tells the story of two friends who, out of misunderstanding, fell out with each other. The play whose date of inception is not clearly known is categorized as both comedy and romance.

      King Leontes of Sicily and King Polixenes of Bohemia were old friends. Polixenes had made a visit to Sicily and was about to return home after a long stay. Al though he was anxious to go, Leontes’ wife, Hermione, persuaded him to stay longer at the bidding of her husband.

      However, Leontes became obsessed with the idea that his pregnant wife has been unfaithful to him with Polixenes. He arranged with a Courtier to poison Polixenes but the servant warned the king of Bohemia and Polixenes and the Courtier, Camilla, escaped together. Furious, Leontes accused his wife of infidelity and the child Hermione was bearing, illegitimate. He threw her in prison and she was reported to have died.

      The king abandoned the child, Perdita, on the coast of Bohemia. He lost his son too. Leontes was heart-broken and repentant over whatever happened in his life. Meanwhile, time passed and after sixteen years, Florizel, Polixene’s son fell in love with Perdita, who was living as a shepherd’s daughter. In the end, the lovers marry each other. Hermione, who was thought to be dead, comes back to life and everything turns out well.

       One of Shakespeare’s most famous stage directions can be found in this play. In one scene, Antigone’s who abandons Perdita is chased out of the stage by a bear. The instruction reads ‘Exit, pursued by a bear’. It is not known whether Shakespeare used a real bear from the London bear-pits, or an actor in bear costume.

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      Antony and Cleopatra is a heart-rending tragedy of two royal lovers. Shakespeare’s play has its sources in Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, written at the beginning of the second century.

      Mark Antony was one of the three rulers of the Roman Empire after the death of Caesar, Brutus and Cassius. Other rulers were Octavius Caesar and Lepidus. Mark Antony was in love with Cleopatra, the ruler of Egypt and an extremely beautiful woman. From Alexandria, Antony had to come back to Rome, as the empire was threatened by the rebellion of Sextus Pompey, who had been previously defeated by Julius Caesar. He had to marry Octavia, the sister of Octavius, in order to make peace with him. Cleopatra was jealous, but she realized that Antony did not love Octavia. He soon returned to Alexandria to be with Cleopatra. Caesar is incensed and declared war on Antony and Cleopatra. In spite of being a renowned soldier and strategist, Antony chose to fight Caesar at sea and was defeated. Cleopatra went to her tomb and sent intimation to Antony that she was dead; Antony, devastated, tried to take his life too. He was brought to Cleopatra’s tomb and Antony died in her arms. She too committed suicide by inciting a venomous snake to bite her.

      You must be familiar with the expression ‘my salad days’. It is from Antony and Cleopatra and it means the youthful and inexperienced period in an individual’s life.

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      Some of Shakespeare’s characters are people we might chance to meet very often in our life.

      Benedick, a soldier, is such a man. Benedick swore that he would not marry ever. However, when he overheard that he was loved by Beatrice, who had been openly despising and ridiculing him, he changed his mind.

      Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing is another comedy that deals with people of unrequited love and adoration.

      Don Pedro, a prince from Aragon, tried to woo Hero, daughter of Leonato, governor of Messina on behalf of Claudio, Don’s friend. His illegitimate brother was villainous and tried to belittle him and ruin Claudio’s relationship with Hero. He also humiliated Hero publically. Hero’s death was faked in order to convince Claudio of her true love. Finally, the truth was revealed and the wedding between Claudio and Hero took place.

      Beatrice and Benedick also married each other. The villain was captured and punished. In the last scene, Don Pedro, lonely and unloved, is given advice by Benedick and it is a famous phrase:’ get thee a wife’.

      The play was probably written between 1598 and 1599.

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      A favourite play among audiences, As You Like it is a comedy by Shakespeare.

      Orlando was the youngest son of Sir Roland de Boys and was ill-treated by his brother Oliver. When Orlando responded to a challenge for a duel by the Duke’s wrestler, Charles, Oliver instructed Charles to injure Orlando in the fight.

      The Duke’s daughter, Celia, and her cousin, Rosalind, watched the fight and Rosalind fell in love with Orlando. Orlando won the match; however, the Duke was enraged when he learned that Orlando was the son of his old enemy, Sir Roland de Boys. The Duke unexpectedly banished Rosalind and she decided to find her father, the real Duke, who has been overthrown by his brother, Celia’s father, Frederick. Together with the court jester, Touchstone, the girls set out, disguised as a country boy, Ganymede, and his sister, Aliena.

      Incidentally, Orlando, fearing for his life, had also left home, accompanied by his father’s servant, Adam. A forest became the meeting place for the lovers and enemies. Orlando and Oliver helped each other and became close again. Other characters found their partners and married each other. In the end, there is a joyful dance celebrating the marriages and love and harmony among them all.

      A very popular phrase from this Shakespearean comedy is ‘All the world’s a stage. And all the men and women merely players.’

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      Have you ever impersonated or cross-dressed to bluff someone? Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night tells the story of a young woman who had to wear a man’s clothing in order to survive.

      Although subtitles for plays were fashionable during the Elizabethan era, the only Shakespearean play to bear a subtitle is Twelfth Night with ‘or’ ‘What you Will’

     Viola and Sebastian, two siblings, were shipwrecked and were separated in the process. Each of them thought that the other did not survive the accident. Viola impersonated as a man named Cesario and started working under Duke Orsino, who was in love with Olivia. Olivia was in mourning after the demises of her parents and had pledged not to marry for seven years. When Cesario approached Olivia for Orsino, Olivia fell in love with Cesario instead of Orsino. The love triangle is a recurring image of the play.

      Sebastian, on the other hand, was rescued by Antonio. He was met by newer characters in the play such as Sir Toy, Sir Andrew and Malvolio. Malvolio was tricked by Belch and Maria into believing that Olivia was in love with him. As the story panned out, the brother and sister recognized one another and were reunited. At the end, Orsino and Viola pledge their love, Olivia and Sebastian remain satisfactorily wed, and Olivia rebukes Belch and Maria for their abuse of Malvolio.

      You may have heard the following lines from the play as they are often quoted by music lovers:

      'If music be the food of love, play on,

      Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,

      The appetite may sicken, and so die.

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      A comedy, The Taming of the Shrew may have been written between 1590 and 1592. There have been many adaptations of this beautiful play by Shakespeare.

     Christopher Sly, a tinker by profession, was tricked into believing that he was a nobleman. In order to entertain him, his tricksters performed a play that centered on taming a shrew.

     Katherine was considered a shrew because she was very assertive and did not heed any man. Bianca, her sister, on the other hand, was considered a desirable woman. Petruchio, fortune seeker, was directed to woo Katherine. There were many suitors for Bianca. Through unpredictable twists and turns, the play progresses as each man tried to woo his lover. In the end, the shrew was tamed and women in the Play learned the lesson that they should obey their men.

     The play has been criticised severely for its loud misogynistic tone in the modern times. The message that the play conveys may not be palatable to the contemporary audience as it sees women as naturally subservient to men. ‘There’s small choice in rotten apples’ and ‘The poorest service is repaid with thanks’ are two of the most popular lines from the play.

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     What if you were dreaming a beautiful dream and upon waking up found that you are transported to another world? A midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular and the most performed plays.

     Duke Theseus and Hippolyta the Amazon queen were planning their wedding, which would take place in four days. However, there were other events connected with this wedding that took place simultaneously.

     Hermia, daughter of Egeus was in love with Lysander, but her father wanted her to marry Demetrius. He declared that if Hermia would not marry Demetrius, she would die. Lysander and Hermia, therefore, decided to escape to Athens. Helena, Hermia’s best friend, was in love with Demetrius. In a last effort to gain Demetrius’ love, Helena decided to tell him of their plan of elopement.

     In the meantime, Peter Quince, a carpenter, was directing group of amateur actors to perform “Pyramus and This-be” for Theseus’ wedding. Nick Bottom, a terrible actor, was given the lead role.

     In a parallel plot, Oberon, the king of fairies, wanted to punish his wife Titania with a potion that would make her fall in love with anything that she would see when she woke up from sleep. In the ensuing events, there were terrible mix-ups and confusion as lovers mistook their partners for others.

     Magic and spells would turn the stage into a wonderful and hilarious spectacle. However, in the end, all turned well as confusion is cleared and everyone got their due. Puck, the fairy, restored everything as before and characters realized that everything was just a dream.

     ‘The course of true love never did run smooth’ and ‘Lord, what fools these mortals be’ are some of the most popular lines from the play.

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