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 throughLove 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”❖ 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

Delia Bacon

Evidence supporting Shakespeare did NOT write his plays

❖ fellow authors did not want to take credit❖ Shakespeare came from humble (modest) origins

➢ small education

Sir Walter Raleigh

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