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Brave New World is supposed be an exciting book about a negative utopia and the corrupt powers of authority. So where’s the big car chase? What's...

This video discusses the major ideas of the satirical American war novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. The horror of war meets…absurdity and humor?...

What is Dracula really about? Just Count Dracula? Or is there more to it than vampires? This video addresses some major ideas in Bram Stoker’s cl...

Look, we get that you really like that one selfie with the makeup filter, but don't get this carried away about it, okay? Also, put your tongue bac...

One of the bestselling books of all time? Yes, please.

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

What are the perks of being a wallflower? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

Lisbeth Salander is a tough nut to crack. Hero? Villain? Somewhere in the middle? We're not sure, but we're hesitant to accuse her of anything...es...

Ayn (rhymes with "mine," ironically enough) Rand penned this cult classic over 50 years ago, but it still resonates with today's audiences. Our que...

In The Color Purple, Celie is abused by her father and husband. She leaves her father by marrying Mr. ________, and then leaves Mr. ______, too. Bu...

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

Talk about an absent parent.

Their eyes may have been watching God, but we think we know who won that staring contest.

This video summarizes the plot of Brave New World from the point of view of John (you know, the “savage”). It covers the escapism, social casts...

Ode on a Californian Shmoop.

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

But soft! What Shmoop through yonder window breaks?

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

If you're looking for this one at the library, we suggest looking between The Color Red and The Color Blue.

We'd all like to think our families would accept us if we turned into giant bugs, but for Gregor Samsa, that was not quite the case.

A great marriage begins with a blooming pear tree and ends with a hurricane, rabies, and a murder trial…or something like that.

So what are the perks of being a wallflower? Seriously—we're asking.

Readers may be already be familiar with Dracula, but what about the mathematician and author, Bram Stoker? And yes, he graduated with a degree in math. We’re not confusing him with The Count from Sesame Street. We won’t make that mistake a seventh time.

Vlad the Impaler was an appropriately named guy, until he went on tropical vacations. Then, he went by Vlad the Imtanner. For some facts that are actually true, check out this video.

Looks, wealth, and a super cool castle to live in… Well...maybe not live in, if you happened to be Dracula. But for the most part, this guy had it made. Check out the video to learn more about the hippest undead cat on the block.

Dracula, Dorian Gray, and Bertha Mason are the cool kids on the block when it comes to Gothic literature. We’re in full favor of them starting a pop group, but we have a feeling Bertha would pull a Beyoncé and leave Gothic Kids on the Block high and dry.

Dracula knows how to charm a lady. Maybe it’s his charisma, maybe it’s his looks, maybe it’s his...hypnotism? Yeah, it’s probably the hypnotism. That seems like an unfair advantage.

Mina must be a wonderful scrapbooker if she was able to put Dracula together using nothing more than letters, journals entries, and newspaper articles. We’d let her join our mom’s scrapbooking club, but something tells us scrapbooks full of undead horror wouldn’t fit in too well with “baby’s first Christmas” and “Lucy bakes her first pie!”

Jonathan and Mina Harker are the ultimate storytelling couple, and you know what they say: the couple that tells stories together, stays together. ...Do they not say that? Watch the video and find out.

Lucy could easily be on the Bachelorette. Y’know...if the Bachelorette started accepting bloodthirsty undead women. Click on the video to find out what characteristics make Lucy so attractive. Ten bucks says it’s the blood crusted on her chin.

Jonathan Harker’s trip from London to Transylvania probably would’ve been much better had his wifi connection been working. What’s a guy to do without the comforts of Candy Crush Saga? ...Wait, was that not in the book? Huh. Better check out this video to find out more about the Modern Age.

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.