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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,...
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.
How's Julius Caesar doing after that whole "assassination" thing? Well, he's taking it one day at a time.
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, a...
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...
Welcome to the dark side of Shakespeare. You didn't think he was all sonnets, roses, and romantic Romeos, did you?
Is Prospero just Big Willy Shakes in disguise? Shmoop amongst yourselves.
This video summarizes the Shakespearean play Macbeth. Two major forces are at play in the story: witches’ prophecies and Macbeth’s demanding wi...
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.
A word to the wise: secret marriages don't work out well in Shakespeare plays. Just ask Othello and Desdemona.
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...
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...
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...
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...
Boy and girl meet, fall in love, and commit suicide in a tomb. You know, your average love story.
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?
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.
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.
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 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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!
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.