Shakespeare’s Famous Plays: Summaries and Themes
Shakespeare’s Famous Plays
The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice: Antonio, a merchant of Venice, borrows money from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to help his friend Bassanio woo the rich Portia from Belmont. Shylock says he will charge no interest on the money but will take a pound of Antonio’s flesh if the money is not repaid in time. Antonio’s ships are lost at sea. He cannot repay the loan and must die paying the forfeit – the pound of flesh – instead. Portia thinks of a plan to save Antonio. She dresses as a lawyer and secretly follows Bassanio to Venice. Portia arrives disguised as a judge and asks Shylock to show mercy. He refuses, and she confirms that he wants his rights to be respected. Portia points out, however, that he must not shed blood when he takes the pound of flesh, as this is not in the contract. Portia plays her final card. Shylock, she says, is guilty of plotting to kill a Venetian, and his lands and money are therefore forfeited. Shylock is defeated and humiliated.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius, the man Egeus, her father, has chosen for her, because she is in love with Lysander. The two lovers decide to go to the woods outside Athens where the law cannot be enforced. They let Helena know, as she loves Demetrius, hoping that he will love her in return. But Demetrius goes after the lovers, and she follows him. In the woods, there is a band of fairies ruled by Oberon and Titania. As they have an argument, Oberon orders his servant, Puck, to put some magic juice into Titania’s eyes so that she falls in love with the first person or thing she sees on waking. While Puck is fetching the juice, Oberon overhears Helena’s pleading and decides to help her. When Puck returns, Oberon orders him to use the juice in Demetrius’s eyes. Puck makes a mistake. He puts the juice into Lysander’s eyes, and when he wakes, he sees Helena and falls in love with her. In another part of the wood, an Athenian workman called Bottom is rehearsing a play with other workmen. Puck gives him a donkey’s head and makes him be the first person Titania sees. Finally, order is restored, and all the mortals believe that it was all a midsummer night’s dream, and the ‘correct’ couples get married.
Hamlet
Hamlet: The King of Denmark is dead, and his brother, Claudius, has succeeded him and married the widowed Queen, Gertrude. Hamlet, the dead King’s son, mourns for his father and hates his uncle for marrying his mother so hastily. But then the ghost of his father appears to Hamlet and tells him to avenge his murder by Claudius. Sure now of his uncle’s guilt, Hamlet goes to see his mother and kills Polonius, the king’s advisor and Ophelia’s father, believing him to be Claudius. Claudius sends Hamlet to England to get him out of the way. Hamlet finds out about there is a plot to kill him and escapes, returning to Denmark in time to see the funeral of Ophelia, who has drowned on hearing the news of her father’s death at her former lover’s hands. Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, wants to avenge his father’s and his sister’s death and challenges Hamlet to a duel. As he has conspired with Claudius, Laertes’ sword is poisoned, and there is a poisoned drink for Hamlet. But the Queen accidentally drinks the poisoned wine, and Hamlet stabs Laertes with his own sword, after suffering a mortal wound himself.
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar: Cassius envies Julius Caesar’s success and popularity and persuades Brutus, a friend of Caesar’s, that he must be killed for the good of Rome. Brutus in turn persuades the conspirators to spare Mark Anthony, as he poses no danger. Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, tries to stop Caesar going to the Senate on the day planned for his assassination as she has had a premonition, but he goes and is killed, Brutus striking the last blow. Mark Anthony cleverly persuades the conspirators to let him speak at Caesar’s funeral and, in his speech, reminds the crowd of all Caesar’s good qualities and actions. Cassius and Brutus have to flee the city when a civil war starts. Mark Anthony finally triumphs, Cassius and Brutus commit suicide, and Caesar’s murder is avenged.