On the occasion of the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, we offer you his ten most famous works. William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet, but above all he is considered the most important writer in the English language and the most eminent playwright of Western culture. Shakespeare’s poetry and dramaturgy constitutes a fundamental part of Western literature and is continuously studied and represented in every part of the globe. On the occasion of the 453th anniversary of the birth of the writer William Shakespeare here are the most important works of him. The 10 best love stories in the works of William Shakespeare
Today, April 23, on the occasion of the birth and death anniversary of William Shakespeare, here is the ranking of the 10 best couples in the works of the bard Hamlet Hamlet is one of the best known and most cited Shakespearean tragedies. It was probably written between 1600 and the summer of 1602. We are in Elsinore in Denmark. The ghost of the late king, killed by his brother Claudio who then usurped the throne and married his wife, appears to his son Hamlet and asks to be avenged. Hamlet is seized with a thousand doubts and thinks that it is easier to discover the truth by making himself believe mad. Othello Othelloand a Shakespeare tragedy written around 1603. The first documented performance took place on November 1, 1604 at London’s Whitehall Palace. The protagonist, lord of Cyprus and head of the Venetian fleet, married to the young Desdemona, is instigated by Jago, his standard bearer, jealous for his appointment as captain of Cassius, to believe that there is an affair between his wife and the captain. Proof of this is a handkerchief that Iago, stolen from Desdemona, has placed in Cassio’s house, and which Otello sees in the hand of his rival during a conversation concocted by Iago to show his master his wife’s unfaithfulness. Consumed by jealousy, Othello kills Desdemona. Jago’s plan is however unmasked and Othello can do nothing but commit suicide after kissing his wife for the last time.A Midsummer Night’s Dream
It is a play by William Shakespeare written around 1595. The play presents three stories intertwined and connected by the celebration of the marriage between Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons. To celebrate the wedding, some Athenian artisans led by the weaver Bottom decide to represent ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’. They go to the woods for rehearsals. Here also Lysander and Hermia arrive, who love her and flee from Athens because her father would like to give her Demetrius as her husband. Demetrius follows them, but is chased by Elena who loves him. Oberon, king of the fairies, and Puck the servant goblin, have fun behind the four young men and Titania, wife of Oberon, intertwining sudden passions with each other by dint of spells. The web of misunderstood quarrels and confusions dissolves when Oberon dispels the spells.Romeo and Juliet
It is a tragedyby William Shakespeare composed between 1594 and 1596, among the most famous and represented, as well as one of the most popular love stories. The story of the two protagonists has taken on a symbolic value over time, becoming the archetype of perfect love but opposed by society. The sixteen-year-old scion of the Montecchi, Romeo, is in love with Rosalina (a character who never appears) who, out of a vow of purity and chastity, does not want to correspond to Romeo’s attentions. Mercutio (Romeo’s friend and Prince’s relative) and Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) try in vain to distract Romeo from his melancholy, so they decide to go to the Capulet house in disguise, to have fun and try to forget. Romeo, who hopes to see Rosalina at the ball, meets Juliet instead. Thus begins the impossible love story between the two,The merchant of Venice
It is a theatrical workby William Shakespeare, probably written between 1596 and 1597. In order to court Porzia worthily, the noble Bassanio must ask for a loan from the Venice merchant Antonio. Antonio in turn has to borrow the money from the Jewish moneylender Shylock who, as a pledge for the restitution, offers the possibility of taking a pound of flesh on Antonio’s body, if the money is not returned to him on the appointed day. Bassanio marries Portia, but Antonio’s ships have been wrecked and Shylock demands the pound of flesh. Porzia, disguised as a lawyer, pleads the case of Antonio before the doge who pardons Shylock, confiscates his assets and divides them between Antonio and the Venetian state. Antonio renounces his part as long as Shylock becomes a Christian. Meanwhile, some of Antonio’s ships appear safely in port.Much Ado About Nothing
It is a theatrical comedy written between the summer of 1598 and the spring of 1599, set in Messina. Long considered a romantic comedy for its love themes and for the structure rich in farcical and playful elements, the work is fully part of the category of tragicomedies, in which the comic element merges with the tragic and properly dramatic one, represented here by the false death of one of the protagonists, the beautiful Hero, and by the plot hatched by Don Juan to try to divert the story from the happy ending to which it nevertheless turns. The Merry Wives of Windsor
It’s a comedyin five acts. The date of writing is uncertain, and can be placed between 1599 and 1601, although traditionally it is placed before 1597. The first references on the publication date back to 1602. Sir John Falstaff, short of money, decides to woo two rich married women, Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page, sending them two identical love letters. The purpose of the man is to get to the money owned by the two ladies. Mr. Ford is jealous and afraid of being betrayed by his wife. Mrs Page has a daughter, Anna, who wants to get married and this is the reason for the conflict with her husband: her husband to choose. Her parents don’t give Anna the chance to choose their husband because Mr. Page wants her to marry Stanghetta while Mrs. Page instead wants Dr. Cajus.Macbeth
It is among the best known playsby Shakespeare, as well as the shortest tragedy. Frequently represented and adapted over the centuries, it has become the archetype of the lust for power and its dangers. Macbeth and Banquo, generals of Duncan, king of Scotland, meet three witches who greet Macbeth as the future lord of Cawdor and then king, Banquo as the ancestor of kings. Lady Macbeth pushes her husband to kill Duncan when he arrives in their castle, while the king’s sons manage to escape. Appointed king, Macbeth eliminates Banquo, from whose shadow he will be persecuted. He then questions the witches who prophesy that he will never be conquered by ‘born of a woman’ and that he will reign until the Birnam Forest moves. Malcolm and Macduff move against Macbeth who kills Macduff’s wife and children. Lady Macbeth goes mad and kills herself,King Lear
It is a tragedy in five acts, in verse and prose, written in 1605-1606 by William Shakespeare. Lear, king of Britain has three daughters between whom he would like to divide the kingdom. Lear strips himself of being King to become a man again among men. Like a child he demands love and, in exchange for power, his daughters translate it into words. Cordelia knows that true love has no words and she replies: “nothing, my lord”. This confusing love with words, as the other daughters show themselves for who they are, will make Lear collapse. Made mad or blind for not having understood and seen, Lear, accompanied by sons who have become fathers, will come to understand and see. Antony and Cleopatra
It is a tragedyWilliam Shakespeare’s story in five acts. It first appeared on the scene in 1607 or 1608, and was printed in the First folio in 1623. The tragedy follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Marc Antony from the Parthian war to Cleopatra’s suicide. The antagonist is represented by Caesar Octavian, triumvir together with Marco Antonio and future first emperor of Rome. Antonio lives in Alexandria, a slave to Cleopatra’s beauty. Forced to return to Rome for political reasons, he puts an end to the discord with Caesar Octavian by marrying his sister, but the peace does not last long, because Cleopatra’s jealousy, and the memory of her sensuality, recall him to Egypt.
