Midsummer Night’s Dream – A comedy
This comedy is based on medieval tales (e.g. Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale”). Set in a wood near Athens, the play tells three love stories, transformed in a magical way by means of enchantments. Apart from the lovers, other characters include the artisans and the fairies. The principal theme is love and marriage, and more specifically, the three phases of love:
- renewal after a breach – Oberon and Titania
- an adult love – Theseus and Hippolita
- youthful love – quartet of lovers
Foes and obstacles of love give the play a romantic atmosphere and contribute to the comic aspect, too. The lyrical aspect of the play is attained by means of poetry and music. Different verse is used to define the characters of different groups and the changes of verse within a group have a dramatic effect (e.g. lovers using prose instead of verse).
Hamlet – A tragedy
It is based on an earlier play, written probably by Thomas Kyd. The play tells the tale of the Danish Royal family, marked by the murder of Hamlet’s father by his own brother, who then marries Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet feigns madness to avenge his father’s death. Despite the foreign setting, the play has predominantly English features: Elizabethan language, clothes, and Ophelia’s description of Hamlet as a courtier, scholar, and soldier as well as English songs of the period.
The central theme of the play is revenge in general. There is Hamlet’s revenge and Laertes’ determination to avenge his father’s death at Hamlet’s hands. The minor themes are the disastrous effect of regicide upon the State, corruption (e.g. Claudius’ murder or his brother, Queen’s remarriage and the incestuous quality of the relationship) and death.
As far as the form of the play is concerned, there is a parallelism of opposite concepts through the play, expressed by means of contrasts: action alternates with scenes of inactivity, while Hamlet’s reflective revenge contrasts with Laertes’ spontaneous behaviour.
Henry IV – A history play
This history play consists of two parts which are quite distinct and normally performed separately. It is based on an old chronicle play which Shakespeare converted into a masterpiece of social history. The plot covers the historical facts relating to the life and death of the English king Henry IV, including battles against invading Scots, uprisings of local usurpers and the King’s troubles with his son, Prince Hal. Prince Hal dominates the stage as one of the main themes is education of the prince. Falstaff, a comic character, acts as a second father of the murdered king.
This comedy is based on medieval tales (e.g. Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale”). Set in a wood near Athens, the play tells three love stories, transformed in a magical way by means of enchantments. Apart from the lovers, other characters include the artisans and the fairies. The principal theme is love and marriage, and more specifically, the three phases of love:
- renewal after a breach – Oberon and Titania
- an adult love – Theseus and Hippolita
- youthful love – quartet of lovers
Foes and obstacles of love give the play a romantic atmosphere and contribute to the comic aspect, too. The lyrical aspect of the play is attained by means of poetry and music. Different verse is used to define the characters of different groups and the changes of verse within a group have a dramatic effect (e.g. lovers using prose instead of verse).
Hamlet – A tragedy
It is based on an earlier play, written probably by Thomas Kyd. The play tells the tale of the Danish Royal family, marked by the murder of Hamlet’s father by his own brother, who then marries Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet feigns madness to avenge his father’s death. Despite the foreign setting, the play has predominantly English features: Elizabethan language, clothes, and Ophelia’s description of Hamlet as a courtier, scholar, and soldier as well as English songs of the period.
The central theme of the play is revenge in general. There is Hamlet’s revenge and Laertes’ determination to avenge his father’s death at Hamlet’s hands. The minor themes are the disastrous effect of regicide upon the State, corruption (e.g. Claudius’ murder or his brother, Queen’s remarriage and the incestuous quality of the relationship) and death.
As far as the form of the play is concerned, there is a parallelism of opposite concepts through the play, expressed by means of contrasts: action alternates with scenes of inactivity, while Hamlet’s reflective revenge contrasts with Laertes’ spontaneous behaviour.
Henry IV – A history play
This history play consists of two parts which are quite distinct and normally performed separately. It is based on an old chronicle play which Shakespeare converted into a masterpiece of social history. The plot covers the historical facts relating to the life and death of the English king Henry IV, including battles against invading Scots, uprisings of local usurpers and the King’s troubles with his son, Prince Hal. Prince Hal dominates the stage as one of the main themes is education of the prince. Falstaff, a comic character, acts as a second father of the murdered king.
As far as the form is concerned there are three levels of action: high, political and immoral (demonstrated by the rebel Hotspur). Each level has its appropriate language. Additionally, juxtaposition of different moral and social level in both parts gives the play its rich and brilliant character.