SHAKESPEARECOMEDIES

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (1579)

MAIN CHARACTERS• Antonio: a merchant of Venice in melancholic mood.

• Portia: a rich heiress and, later, the wife of Bassanio.

• Bassanio: Antonio's friend; suitor to Portia; later the husband of Portia.

• Shylock: a rich Jew, moneylender, father of Jessica.

• Jessica: daughter of Shylock, later the wife of Lorenzo.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (1579)

PLOTBassanio asks the merchant Antonio for a loan of 3,000 ducats so he can make Portia, daughter of the rich Belmont and heir to his fortune, fall in love with him. Antonio has to ask Shylock for the money and despite all the obstacles Bassanio ends with Portia and Nerissa, her asistant, with Graciano and Antonio gets half of Shylock's fortune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdbzRtxVtns

TWELFTH NIGHT (1601)MAIN CHARACTERS• Viola: a young woman of

aristocratic birth, and the play’s protagonist.

• Orsino: a powerful nobleman in the country of Illyria.

• Olivia: a wealthy, beautiful, and noble Illyrian lady, Olivia is courted by Orsino.

• Sebastian: Viola’s lost twin brother.

• Malvolio: the head servant in the household of Lady Olivia.

• Feste: the clown of Olivia’s household.

TWELFTH NIGHT (1601)PLOTOrsino, the Duke of lllyria, is in love with his neighbour, the Countess Olivia. She has sworn to avoid men’s company for seven years while she mourns the death of her brother, so rejects him. Nearby a group of sailors arrive on shore with a young woman, Viola, who has survived a shipwreck in a storm at sea. Viola mourns the loss of her twin brother but decides to dress as a boy to get work as a page to Duke Orsino.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8DGoF0CQlU

AS YOU LIKE IT (1599)MAIN CHARACTERS• Rosalind: is the heroine and

protagonist of the play. She is the beautiful daughter of the exiled Duke Senior.

• Orlando: is the younger son of the deceased Sir Rowland de Boys and brother of Oliver.

• Oliver de Boys: is the oldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys.

• Celia: Duke Frederick's daughter and Rosalind's cousin.

• Touchstone: is the court jester of Duke Frederick, the usurper's court.

• Jaques: is one of Duke Senior's noblemen a discontented, melancholic lord.

AS YOU LIKE IT (1599)PLOTOliver and Orlando are two brothers, Oliver, the oldest son, ill-treats the minor. At the same time, a duke has been an exile for his brother Federico. The new duke, Federico, lives in the palace with his daughter Celia and his niece Rosalinda. Orlando wins a combat in Federico's palace and falls in love with Rosalinda. Federico exiles Rosalinda and she goes with Celia and with a court jester called Touchstone to the same forest were Orland lives.Finally the two brothers make peace. Oliver and Celia get married so do Orlando and Rosalinda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JLw0kXO2N4

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1598)

MAIN CHARACTERS• Don Pedro: Prince of Aragon.• Don John: "the Bastard Prince,"

brother of Don Pedro.• Leonato: governor of Messina• Hero: daughter of Leonato• Dogberry: the constable in charge

of Messina's night watch.• A Sexton: the judge of the trial of

Borachio• Claudio: of Florence; a count,

companion of Don Pedro

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1598)

PLOTClaudio and Hero fall in love and plan to get married, but the villainous Don John slanders Hero with false evidence. The wedding is ruined and Hero faints. Her family soon suspect slander and decide to pretend that Hero died from shock. Don John’s evil plan is soon revealed and Claudio mourns Hero’s death. Eventually, Hero is revealed to be alive and the marriage goes ahead as planned. In the play’s closing moments, it is reported that Don John has been captured for his crime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYj-2vFLbtc