ShmoopTube
Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.
Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos
Shakespeare Videos
Play All
This video summarizes the Shakespearean play Macbeth. Two major forces are at play in the story: witches’ prophecies and Macbeth’s demanding wi...
Aren't midsummer night dreams the worst? You wake up all sweaty and gross, and for a minute there, you can't even remember where you are. And also,...
Love potions are tricky business (not that we've ever tried using one, of course). They can make you fall in love with the wrong person…or, in th...
We're not sure if good ol' Shakespeare would endorse The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, but that's not going to stop us from hosting themed viewing...
What are the features that make a Shakespearean tragedy? Where do they show up in plays like Othello, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet? This video help...
In the world of Shakespeare, pretty much everyone either dies or gets married. Hamlet and co. got the short end of that stick.
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s 1603 soap opera of unfortunate circumstances. Hamlet’s ghost dad tells him that he was murdered by his brother, Claudiu...
Based on this story, you might think King Henry should have ditched the throne to become a motivational speaker. He'd probably have to lose the cro...
We totally understand loving your country, but don't murder your best friend over it. That's a bit over the top. Stick to flying flags and singing...
A word to the wise: secret marriages don't work out well in Shakespeare plays. Just ask Othello and Desdemona.
Boy and girl meet, fall in love, and commit suicide in a tomb. You know, your average love story.
Is Prospero just Big Willy Shakes in disguise? Shmoop amongst yourselves.
Welcome to the dark side of Shakespeare. You didn't think he was all sonnets, roses, and romantic Romeos, did you?
We may all be fools when it comes to love, but thankfully none of us will accidentally switch places with our twin brother and fall in love with ou...
Imagine yourself going to see a show. The cushy red seats. The talented orchestra. The body odor and animal abuse. Not what you pictured? Be thankf...
Take a stroll with us through the shady back alleys of Venice. If you were looking for a relaxing ride through the gondola canals...well, wrong tra...
Sure, there's some weird Oedipal Complex stuff going on in Hamlet, but look on the bright side, Ham: you end the play with your eyeballs intact.
...Sure, you die, but...your eyes are okay. Small victories?
Why does Hamlet take so long to serve revenge on his uncle Claudius? This is so obvious...because revenge is a dish best served cold. Duh.
What's the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue? Come to think of it, why don't we soliloquize more often? We're going to start doing that at parties. Maybe then, we'll finally stop being invited to parties.
What does Claudius' monologue reveal about his own character? Easy: that he likes to monologue. Self-centered much, buddy?
What's up with Hamlet and Ophelia? Would their relationship status be "it's complicated," or "holy cow, guys, this is pretty messed up, maybe our friends should step in and stop this from happening..."?
We tend to think of Shakespeare as the timeless author who did nothing but craft beautiful, hilarious plays for our enjoyment. However, the fact is that he was a human being affected by the attitudes and beliefs of his time, just like the rest of us. Sorry to burst your Shakespearean bubble of bliss!
The Winter's Tale is like the Disney movie of Shakespeare plays—if you ignore all the murders, mauling, and love-children, anyway.
We bet you didn't realize Shakespeare was such a rebel. Seriously. If he were around today, he'd be riding a motorcycle, TIVOing Sons of Anarchy, and getting a tattoo that reads "Down with the Man." That's actually a shame, because we really thought Shakespeare was the man.
Shakespeare and drag? We knew he could think outside of the box, but who could have guessed he had such a unique sense of humor? Casts the ending to Romeo and Juliet in a whole new light, if you think about it (but maybe you shouldn't)
Time to check out the side plots in The Tempest, because what play is complete without a couple of buffoons drinking their way across an island?
How does the theme of confinement play a role in The Tempest? How does imagination tie into this feeling of confinement? Can we just imagine the answer to these questions, or...? No? We have to answer them? Okay, fine, hit play and let's answer these bad boys.
What makes Ariel and Caliban supernatural entities in Shakespeare's The Tempest? Find out the role Prospero plays in each's characterization.
Is The Tempest Shakespeare's final play? How does it differ from his other plays? What kind of literature does The Tempest most resemble? Why are we asking so many questions? Should you be concerned? Was that a rhetorical question? Will we ever stop asking questions? Should we switch to decaf?
What happens during The Tempest's inciting event? We're glad you asked. No, really. Otherwise, we read the whole play for nothing.
Which characters are on the island when The Tempest starts, and which characters end up joining the party, post-shipwreck? Spoiler alert: the answer is not and will never be The Harlem Globetrotters.