Shakespeare’s Plays
Kennedy Allen, Emma Lang, & Lia Van Santen
How many and what kinds of
plays did shakespeare write?
- Shakespeare wrote 37 plays
- wrote comedy, tragedy, history,
melodrama, adventure, love stories, and
fairy tales
Synopses of Shakespeare’s
Most Popular Plays
Romeo and Juliet: Romeo and Juliet
come from different places, but start a
forbidden love because of disagreement
and disapproval from their fathers.
Synopses Cont: Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar: Julius Caesar is a political leader in
Rome and wants to become dictator. Caesar is told
he must "beware the Ides of March" . The prophecy
comes true and Caesar is killed because of Marcus
Brutus and Cassius. Julius Caesar’s friend, Mark
Antony, provides the famous funeral. Brutus and
Cassius meet their inevitable defeat which leads the
country into a civil war.
Synopses Cont. 2: Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is depressed because he was
sent home to Denmark from school in
Germany to attend his father's funeral. But to
his surprise his mother has already remarried.
The Queen has wed Hamlet's Uncle Claudius,
the dead king's brother.
What was a common moral/ theme of his plays?
★ love is strong
★ love always comes back around
➢ All’s Well that Ends Well
➢ The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra
➢ As You Like It
➢ The Comedy of Errors
➢ The Tragedy of Coriolanus
➢ Cymbeline
➢ Romeo and Juliet
Why did Shakespeare write plays?
- Shakespeare was not just a writer, but an actor as well
- may have felt the need to be important
- he wanted to entertain audiences and share true stories
What made Shakespeare’s plays memorable to this
day.
● Help to understand what it is to be human, and to
cope with problems being so
● His plays were mainly performed for Queen
Elisabeth
● The characters are recognizable
- Audiences could feel like they were actually
watching it happen in real life.
Continued…
● Shakespeare wrote his plays using experiences
people have/ had/ or yet to go through
Love
Mourning
Reunion
Difficulty
Death
Guilt
Separation
Choices
● Some are based on true stories
● He used his famous new words
● The stadium he performed in gave life to the plays
Did Shakespeare really write his plays?
❖ authors published anonymously
❖ supported by documentary:
➢ Venus and Adonis (1593)
➢ The Rape of Lucrece (1594)
❖ name appears:
➢ in plays from 1598
➢ to Sonnets from 1609
❖ He was a customary - did not write his name
on first pieces
Who was against him?
❖ Delia Bacon - “authorship debate”
Delia Bacon
❖ find evidence that committee wrote the plays
➢ Francis Bacon
➢ Edmund Spenser
➢ Sir Walter Raleigh
❖ wanted to open Shakespeare’s grave to find evidence
❖ formed American and English Bacon Societies
Evidence supporting Shakespeare did NOT
write his plays
❖ fellow authors did not want to take credit Sir Walter Raleigh
❖ Shakespeare came from humble (modest) origins
➢ small education
Candidates for who wrote the plays:
❖ over 80
➢ Queen Elizabeth
➢ Bacon
➢ Christopher Marlowe
➢ Earl of Oxford
Francis Bacon
Group Works Cited
"Shakespeare Play Summaries/Synopses." Shakespeare Play Summaries/Synopses. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
"Shakespeare FAQ." Shakespeare FAQ at Absolute Shakespeare. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
PBS. PBS. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"Shakespeare FAQs - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust." Shakespeare FAQs - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
Monroe, Matthew. "Index of Shakespeare Plays." N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2015.
"Shakespeare FAQs - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust." Shakespeare FAQs - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
"Shakespeare FAQs - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust." Shakespeare FAQs - Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
R.A.F.T.
10 important things to add:
- Types of plays
- Examples
- Roles- Who played who
- Successes
- wrote all genres
- Started foundation of modern English language
- Devoted company and actors
- Was educated well
- Wrote in prose and verse
- Unique themes and morals
4th September 1587
David Smith
27 Rose Lane
Stratford-upon-Avon, England CV37
Dear Mr. Smith,
We'd like you to invest in our new writer's work, here, at the globe theater. His name is William Shakespeare, and he is a very unique new writer. Shakespeare has
written over 20 plays already. He writes all different genres, including comedy, tragedy, historical, melodrama, adventure, and love stories. But above this there are
many other reasons as to his uniqueness and importance compared to other authors, he is even educated. Besides that we host 14 plays a week, 2 a day. For every
play we have a sold out stadium, leaving no room for walk ins. The audience also enjoys his plays to a point where they come back for more. Shakespeare’s plays
have a unique and strong moral (usually about love),which made his plays entertaining and enjoyable for all audiences. Some of these important plays include Romeo
and Juliet, All’s Well that Ends Well, and the tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra. He is also known for being the best writer in the world. Due to his new words,
sold out shows, characters, themes/morals, and the environment he gives to the audience, the audience has named him best play writer. If you invested in William
Shakespeare’s plays you will profit more than a generous amount.
Sincerely, The Globe Theater Producer