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A Midsummer Night's Dream
32900 Views

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,...

As You Like It
10350 Views

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...

Features of a Shakespearean Tragedy
3218 Views

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...

Hamlet
104307 Views

In the world of Shakespeare, pretty much everyone either dies or gets married. Hamlet and co. got the short end of that stick.

Julius Caesar
50432 Views

How's Julius Caesar doing after that whole "assassination" thing? Well, he's taking it one day at a time.

The Winter's Tale
8705 Views

The Winter's Tale is like the Disney movie of Shakespeare plays—if you ignore all the murders, mauling, and love-children, anyway.

Twelfth Night
42477 Views

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, a...

Shakespeare's Stage
4613 Views

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...

Shakespeare and Revenge
595 Views

Welcome to the dark side of Shakespeare. You didn't think he was all sonnets, roses, and romantic Romeos, did you?

Shakespeare and Prospero
11701 Views

Is Prospero just Big Willy Shakes in disguise? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

King Lear
22570 Views

Good thing this guy never wrote a parenting book.

Macbeth
133694 Views

This video summarizes the Shakespearean play Macbeth. Two major forces are at play in the story: witches’ prophecies and Macbeth’s demanding wi...

Macbeth Summary
89862 Views

Prepare for total tragedy.

Oedipus the King
37936 Views

Whenever you start regretting the choices you've made in your life, just review Oedipus' story, and you'll start feeling a heck of a lot better.

Othello
94910 Views

Why did Iago want to destroy Othello? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

Othello Summary
69613 Views

A word to the wise: secret marriages don't work out well in Shakespeare plays. Just ask Othello and Desdemona.

A Raisin in the Sun
18502 Views

This video summarizes the play A Raisin in the Sun. It discusses the Youngers, members of an African-American family trying to better themselves wh...

Chicago
2172 Views

You really must love a town if you're going to write a whole poem about it. Carl Sandburg wrote an entire poem on his hometown, Chicago, just becau...

Death of a Salesman
26699 Views

What is the American Dream? Is it popularity? Or is it being content with what you have? In Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, the American...

Words, Words, Words
2400 Views

Your favorite hip hop artist's bumpin' slang may be off the chain, but no one has left a mark on the English language quite like Shakespeare did. T...

Our Town
3438 Views

Our Town is your town, Shmoopers.

Romeo and Juliet
81558 Views

But soft! What Shmoop through yonder window breaks?

Romeo and Juliet Summary
65752 Views

Boy and girl meet, fall in love, and commit suicide in a tomb. You know, your average love story.

The Crucible
79908 Views

The Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century. The Red Scare in the 1950s. Little to no evidence that witches/communists were anywhere close to taking over the world. Arthur Miller, who lived through the McCarthy era and wrote The Crucible about the witch trials, saw that both were driven by the intense fear of change and the unknown. Can you think of anything similar that's happened in the 21st century?

The Merchant of Venice
879 Views

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 travel guide.

The Importance of Being Earnest
35629 Views

Oscar Wilde was a beast when it came to wordplay. Oh, maybe that's why Shmoop loves him so much—we're pretty wilde, too.

A Raisin in the Sun Summary
45669 Views

We know that snacking on some dry raisins in the beating hot sun doesn't sound like the most appetizing thing in the world. But stick with us and you'll see just how juicy and appetizing this story really is.

The Crucible Summary
69533 Views

The broken-hearted Abigail takes her revenge. You might never want to break-up with someone again after this video, so make sure the next person is the right one!

Shakespeare on Love
17381 Views

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 our sister-in-law. Probably, anyway.

The Importance of Being Earnest Summary
123041 Views

They say that honesty is the best policy, but Jack lies about his identity and still gets the girl. Does that mean we should all lie to get what we want? Not so much.

Oedipus the King Summary
130101 Views

Did you hear the one about the guy who killed his dad and married his mom? Yeah, that’s not a joke, it’s Oedipus’ life. This video summarizes the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King as Oedipus investigates who murdered the old king (spoiler alert: he did). The moral of the story? Don’t investigate something you don’t want to know the answer to and believe the blind fortune teller Teiresias—he’s probably right.

A Midsummer Night's Dream Summary
67434 Views

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 the case of the lovestruck queen in this story, not even a person at all. Was it a cat? A dog, perhaps? Guess you'll have to watch the video to find out.

Julius Caesar Summary
57005 Views

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 national anthems, please.

Hamlet Summary
126805 Views

Hamlet is Shakespeare’s 1603 soap opera of unfortunate circumstances. Hamlet’s ghost dad tells him that he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, who is now Hamlet’s step dad. That’s family for you. Hamlet then vows to kill Claudius. Time to bring on the drama. Hamlet can’t just kill his uncle/step-dad. Nope. First he has to pretend to be insane, set up a dummy play, kill his girlfriend's dad, drive said girlfriend crazy, have a duel, be poisoned, then take his revenge. Yup, lots to do, and only five acts to do it.

The Merchant of Venice Summary
49663 Views

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!

Death of a Salesman Summary
79515 Views

A salesman dies—sorry to ruin it for you. But in addition to giving away key plot points in the title, Arthur Miller also liked to make some pretty weighty points about the American Dream. What is it, and who gets a shot at it? Only your hairdresser knows for sure.