|
Shakespeare's History Plays
In the First Folio (1623), the plays of William Shakespeare were in three categories: (i) comedies, (ii) histories, and (iii) tragedies. Besides the history plays of his Renaissance playwright contemporaries, the histories of Shakespeare define the theatrical genre of history plays. The historical plays also are biographies of the English kings of the previous four centuries, and include the plays '' King John'', ''Edward III'', and ''Henry VIII'', and a continual sequence of eight plays known as the ''Henriad'', for the protagonist Prince Hal, the future King Henry V of England. The Chronology of Shakespeare's plays indicates that the first tetralogy was written in the early 1590s, and discusses the politics of the Wars of the Roses; the four plays are '' Henry VI, parts I'', '' II'', and '' III'', and '' The Tragedy of Richard the Third''. The second tetralogy was completed in 1599, and comprises the history plays '' Richard II'', '' Henry IV, parts I'' and '' II'', and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
First Folio, Shakespeare - 0322
First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared and Sub-millimetre Telescope, of the Herschel Space Observatory * For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, an international youth organization * Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, a global forum Arts and entertainment Albums * 1st (album), ''1st'' (album), by Streets, 1983 * 1ST (SixTones album), ''1ST'' (SixTones album), 2021 * First (David Gates album), ''First'' (David Gates album), 1973 * ''First'', by Denise Ho, 2001 * First (O'Bryan album), ''First'' (O'Bryan album), 2007 * First (Raymond Lam album), ''First'' (Raymond Lam album), 2011 Extended plays * ''1st'', The Rasmus discography, by The Rasmus, 1995 * First (Baroness EP), ''First'' (Baroness EP), 2004 * First (Ferlyn G EP), ''First'' (Ferlyn G EP), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry VI, Part 2
''Henry VI, Part 2'' (1591) is a Shakespearean history play about King Henry VI of England's inability to quell the bickering of his noblemen, the death of his trusted advisor Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and the political rise of Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York; it culminates with the First Battle of St Albans (1455), the initial battle of the Wars of the Roses, which were civil wars between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. In the early historical narrative of '' Henry VI, Part 1'' (1591) Shakespeare dealt with the low morale consequent to the loss of England's French territories (1429–1453) during the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) and the political machinations that precipitated the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). In the concluding history of ''Henry VI, Part 3'' (1591), the English playwright William Shakespeare deals with the fraternal horrors of civil war amongst Englishmen. In English literature, '' The Tragedy of Richard III'' (1594) is included ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macbeth
''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambitions and power. It was first published in the Folio of 1623, possibly from a prompt book, and is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy. Scholars believe ''Macbeth'', of all the plays that Shakespeare wrote during the reign of King James I, contains the most allusions to James, patron of Shakespeare's acting company. In the play, a brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to violence by his wife, Macbeth murders the king and takes the Scottish throne for himself. Then, racked with guilt and paranoia, he commits further violent murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, soon becoming a tyrannical ruler. The bloo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
King Lear
''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between his daughters Goneril and Regan (King Lear), Regan, who pay homage to gain favour, feigning love. The King's third daughter, Cordelia (King Lear), Cordelia, is offered a third of his kingdom also, but refuses to be insincere in her praise and affection. She instead offers the respect of a daughter and is disowned by Lear who seeks flattery. Regan and Goneril subsequently break promises to host Lear and his entourage, so he opts to become homeless and destitute, and goes insane. The French King married to Cordelia then invades Britain to restore order and Lear's rule. In a subplot, Edmund, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, betrays his brother and father. Tragically, Lear, Cordelia and several other main ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coriolanus
''Coriolanus'' ( or ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus. Shakespeare worked on it during the same years he wrote ''Antony and Cleopatra'', making them his last two tragedies. Coriolanus is the name given to a Roman general after his military feats against the Volscians at Corioli. Following his success, others encourage Coriolanus to pursue the consulship, but his disdain for the plebeians and mutual hostility with the tribunes lead to his banishment from Rome. In exile, he presents himself to the Volscians, then leads them against Rome. After he relents and agrees to a peace with Rome, he is killed by his previous Volscian allies. Synopsis The play opens in Rome shortly after the expulsion of the Tarquin kings. There are riots in progress after stores of grain have been withheld from ordinary citizens. The rioters are particular ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antony And Cleopatra
''Antony and Cleopatra'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed around 1607, by the King's Men at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre. Its first appearance in print was in the First Folio published in 1623, under the title ''The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra''. The plot is based on Thomas North's 1579 English translation of Plutarch's '' Lives'' (in Ancient Greek) and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the War of Actium. The main antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony's fellow triumvirs of the Second Triumvirate and the first emperor of the Roman Empire. The tragedy is mainly set in the Roman Republic and Ptolemaic Egypt and is characterized by swift shifts in geographical location and linguistic register as it alternates between sensual, imaginative Alexandria and a more pragmatic, austere Rome. Many consider Shakespeare's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julius Caesar (play)
''The Tragedy of Julius Caesar ''(First Folio title: ''The Tragedie of Ivlivs Cæsar''), often shortened to ''Julius Caesar'', is a history play and Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. In the play, Brutus the Younger, Brutus joins a conspiracy led by Gaius Cassius Longinus, Cassius to assassinate Julius Caesar, to prevent him from becoming a tyrant. Caesar's right-hand man Mark Antony, Antony stirs up hostility against the conspirators and Roman Empire, Rome becomes embroiled in a dramatic civil war. Synopsis The play opens with two tribunes Flavius and Gaius Epidius Marullus, Marullus (appointed leaders/officials of Rome) discovering the plebeians, commoners of Rome celebrating Julius Caesar's Roman triumph, triumphant return from Battle of Munda, defeating the sons of his military rival, Pompey. The tribunes, insulting the crowd for their change in loyalty from Pompey to Caesar, attempt to end the festivities and break up the commone ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shakespearean Problem Play
In Shakespeare studies, the problem plays are plays written by William Shakespeare which are characterized by their complex and ambiguous tone, which shifts violently between more straightforward comic material and dark, psychological drama. Shakespeare's problem plays eschew the traditional trappings of both comedy and tragedy, and are sometimes cited as early predecessors to the tragicomedy. The term was coined by critic F. S. Boas in ''Shakespeare and His Predecessors'' (1896). Boas' use of the phrase was derived from a type of drama that was popular at the time of his writing, most commonly associated with the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. In these problem plays, the situation faced by the protagonist is put forward by the author as a representative instance of a contemporary social problem. The term can refer to the subject matter of the play, or to a classification "problem" with the plays themselves. As Boas used it, the term "problem play" was originally used to re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shakespeare's Late Romances
The late romances, often simply called the romances, are a grouping of William Shakespeare's last plays, comprising ''Pericles, Prince of Tyre''; ''Cymbeline''; ''The Winter's Tale''; and ''The Tempest''. '' The Two Noble Kinsmen'', of which Shakespeare was co-author, is sometimes also included in the grouping. The term "romances" was first used for these late works in Edward Dowden's ''Shakspere'' (1877). Later writers have generally been content to adopt Dowden's term. Shakespeare's plays cannot be precisely dated, but it is generally agreed that these comedies followed a series of tragedies including ''Othello'', ''King Lear'' and ''Macbeth''. Shakespeare wrote tragedies because their productions were financially successful, but he returned to comedy towards the end of his career, mixing it with tragic and mystical elements. Shakespeare's late romances were also influenced by the development of tragicomedy and the extreme elaboration of the courtly masque as staged by Ben Jonso ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry V (play)
''The Life of Henry the Fifth'', often shortened to ''Henry V'', is a Shakespearean history, history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written near 1599. It tells the story of Henry V of England, King Henry V of England, focusing on events immediately before and after the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War. In the First Quarto text, it was titled ''The Cronicle History of Henry the fift'', and ''The Life of Henry the Fifth'' in the First Folio text. The play is the final part of Henriad, a tetralogy, preceded by ''Richard II (play), Richard II'', ''Henry IV, Part 1'', and ''Henry IV, Part 2''. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the ''Henry IV'' plays as a wild, undisciplined young man. In ''Henry V'', the young prince has matured. He embarks on an expedition to France and, his army greatly outnumbered, defeats the French at Agincourt. Characters * Chorus ;The English ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry IV, Part 2
''Henry IV, Part 2'' is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1596 and 1599. It is the third part of a tetralogy, preceded by '' Richard II'' and ''Henry IV, Part 1'' and succeeded by '' Henry V''. The play is often seen as an extension of aspects of ''Henry IV, Part 1'', rather than a straightforward continuation of the historical narrative, placing more emphasis on the highly popular character of Falstaff and introducing other comic figures as part of his entourage, including Ancient Pistol, Doll Tearsheet, and Justice Robert Shallow. Several scenes specifically parallel episodes in ' Characters ''Of the King's party'' * King Henry IV * Prince Hal – later King Henry V * Prince John of Lancaster – Henry's son * Duke of Gloucester – Henry's son * Duke of Clarence – Henry's son * Earl of Warwick * Earl of Surrey * Earl of Westmorland * Harcourt * Sir John Blunt ''Rebels'' * Archbishop of York * Lord Bardolph * Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry IV, Part 1
''Henry IV, Part 1'' (often written as ''1 Henry IV'') is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written no later than 1597. The play dramatises part of the reign of King Henry IV of England, beginning with the Battle of Homildon Hill, battle at Homildon Hill late in 1402, and ending with King Henry's victory in the Battle of Shrewsbury in mid-1403. In parallel to the political conflict between King Henry and a rebellious faction of nobles, the play depicts the escapades of King Henry's son, Prince Hal (the future King Henry V of England, Henry V), and his eventual return to court and favour. ''Henry IV, Part 1'' is the first of Shakespeare's two plays that deal with the reign of Henry IV (the other being ''Henry IV, Part 2''), and the second play in the Henriad, a modern designation for the tetralogy of plays that deal with the successive reigns of Richard II of England, Richard II, Henry IV of England, Henry IV, and Henry V of England, Henry V. From its f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
