Shakespearean Tragedies

Aaron

"Aaron the Moor" is Tamora's secret lover and the diabolical mastermind behind the plot to destroy the Andronicus family. He's also, in our humble opinion, the play's most fascinating character. Has a baby with Tamora Gives her sons the idea to rape Lavinia

Edmund

1.1 Edmund is hanging around the royal court with his father. Gloucester is embarrassed that he has an illegitimate son, so he makes awkward jokes about having sex with Edmund's improbably fertile mother while he introduces his son to his friend, Kent. 1.3 Edmund confesses to the audience that he's going to con his way into getting a lot of wealth and power. First, he fools his father into thinking his brother Edgar wants to kill him. Then he convinces his brother that he should hide out and not talk to their father. 2.1 Edmund convinces his brother to run away from home. Then he stages a fight with his brother and cuts himself so that it looks like he was trying to stop his brother from getting away. When Gloucester comes in, he's impressed by Edmund's devotion. He tells Edmund that he will inherit all the family's money and land instead of Edgar. 2.2 Edmund breaks up a fight between Kent, Lear's servant, and Oswald, Goneril's servant. 3.3 Gloucester tells Edmund that he is going to go outside to help Lear, who has been purposefully locked out of the castle. He asks Edmund to distract Cornwall, who is in charge of this half of the kingdom and who has made it clear that no one is supposed to help the King. Gloucester also tells Edmund that he has received a letter about an army coming to Britain to do battle with Cornwall. Edmund promptly decides to betray his father and tell Cornwall both of these things, because he's a villain and that's what he does. 3.5 Cornwall praises Edmund for telling him about his father's plans. As a reward, Cornwall tells Edmund that his father will be punished and that he, Edmund, will become the new Earl of Gloucester. 3.7 Cornwall tells Edmund to take Goneril back to her castle. It is clear that Cornwall does this because even he thinks it would be weird for him to capture and torture Gloucester while his son was present. 4.2 Edmund seduces Goneril, and by the time she arrives home, she's totally in love with him. She kisses Edmund good-bye and swears to send him a message soon. 5.1 The next time we see him, Edmund is seducing Regan, Goneril's sister, and swearing that he's never had anything to do with Goneril. Later, he brags to the audience about how much they both love him, discusses which one he should choose, and wonders if Goneril will kill her husband to be with him. What Edmund does know is if he manages to capture Lear and Cordelia, he'll make sure they don't survive to take over the kingdom. Edmund has decided that Britain is going to be his kingdom - and he won't allow any competition. 5.2 Edmund succeeds in capturing both Lear and Cordelia, and orders one of his soldiers to execute them. When Albany comes in and asks where Lear and Cordelia are, Edmund distracts him while he is praised by everyone else for leading them all to victory. When Regan and Goneril start fighting over him, Albany suddenly announces that Edmund is a traitor; he says he knows that Goneril and Edmund have been plotting his death. A guy in disguise shows up and challenges Edmund to a duel. The two men fight, and Edmund gets a sword in the stomach. The guy in disguise turns out to be Edgar, Edmund's brother. Edgar tells him their father is dead. Speaking of people dropping like flies, it turns out that Regan has also just died, poisoned by Goneril. Oh, and Goneril stabbed herself. Edmund is pleased that two women died out of love for him. As he is about to die it himself, Edmund confesses that he ordered Lear and Cordelia put to death. His confession saves Lear (for about five minutes), but comes too late to spare Cordelia's life. Edmund's demise passes almost unnoticed in the grief over Cordelia's death.

Earl of Gloucester

1.1 Gloucester and Kent, two powerful members of Lear's court, are discussing Lear's plans for dividing the kingdom. Gloucester introduces Kent to his illegitimate son, Edmund, and jokes awkwardly about banging Edmund's mother. 1.2 Edmund tricks Gloucester into thinking Edgar, his other son, is conspiring to kill him. 2.1 Gloucester comes in chasing Edgar, who Gloucester believes is guilty of plotting against him. Edgar escapes, but Gloucester announces that he is a criminal and puts a price on his head. He decides to give Edmund - his apparently good son - everything that once belonged to Edgar. Cornwall and Regan, who are now ruling the half of the kingdom Gloucester lives in, show up at his castle late at night. Gloucester has no choice but to welcome them in. 2.2 Gloucester protests when Cornwall wants to punish Lear's messenger, but Cornwall ignores him. Gloucester apologizes to the messenger, but he can't do anything since Cornwall is in charge. Later, Gloucester tries to calm down Lear, who wants to angrily confront Regan and Goneril for punishing his messenger. But Gloucester can't prevent the showdown between Lear and his daughters - nor can he stop Cornwall from ordering that Lear be locked out of the castle, even though it's a stormy night and he might get "hit in the face by lightning." 3.3 Gloucester tells Edmund that he's going to find Lear. He also confides in his son that he's received a politically dangerous letter about Cordelia's French armies coming to attack Cornwall. 3.4 Gloucester is shocked to find Lear outside in the rain - and hanging out with a smelly homeless man. He doesn't realize that this half-naked beggar is own his son, Edgar. Gloucester even complains to Kent about how much he's upset at Edgar's betrayal - with Edgar unseen right in front of him. Gloucester leads Lear, Kent, Lear's fool, and "Poor Tom" to shelter. 3.6 Gloucester brings Lear out of the rain and tells Lear and his followers to run away to Dover, since Lear's two older daughters are now plotting to kill him. 3.7 Meanwhile, Edmund has ratted out his father to Cornwall and Regan, and when Gloucester tries to come back home, he is arrested. He protests that they are his guests and therefore shouldn't be torturing him, because that's bad etiquette. Despite his protests, the duo has Gloucester tied up and pluck out his eyes. When Gloucester calls on his son, Edmund, to help him, Regan kindly informs Gloucester that it was Edmund who betrayed him in the first place. 4.1 One of Gloucester's old servants gives him some basic first aid and guides him out of the palace. Because Gloucester is now a traitor, it's a liability to be seen with him. So Gloucester tells the servant to go back to the castle and instead asks Poor Tom, who has no reputation to lose, to guide him to the cliffs of Dover. Gloucester, in despair, has decided to commit suicide. 4.6 Gloucester attempts to commit suicide, but doesn't realize he's actually just jumping onto some flat ground. So Gloucester lands with a little thump, alive, and Edgar, pretending to be another man, tells him he totally did fall of a cliff. After that miraculous rescue, Gloucester promises to stop thinking about suicide. Lear comes in and Gloucester recognizes his voice. Lear is clearly insane and Gloucester now feels twice as bad because the guy he always looked up to has fallen to a sad state. Once Lear leaves, Oswald, Goneril's messenger, enters and tries to kill Gloucester because there's now a price on his head. Edgar, still disguised, kills Oswald instead. All in all, Gloucester thinks it would be better to be mad like Lear and not have to deal with how bad their lives have become. 5.2 Edgar sticks Gloucester in a corner while he goes off to fight in the big battle where Goneril/Albany/Regan/Edmund square off against Lear/Cordelia/the French troops. Edgar and Lear's side loses. When Edgar goes back to tell his father this news, Gloucester starts leaning towards the suicide again as the best solution. 5.3 Edgar reveals that Gloucester died of a mixture of shock and joy (offstage) when Edgar finally revealed his true identity.

Horatio

1.1 Horatio, who came to Elsinore for the old King's funeral, stays up late to debunk this story about the ghost of Hamlet's father appearing on the battlements. To his shock, the ghost is real. 1.2 Horatio greets Hamlet and tells Hamlet about the ghost of the dead King. 1.4-1.5 Horatio goes with Hamlet to see the ghost; with the others present, he is sworn to secrecy about the ghost's appearance. 3.2 Horatio watches The Mousetrap to see Claudius' reaction. It's hard to miss. He celebrates Hamlet's successful plan, but tries to bring his friend back to earth. 4.5 Horatio advises Gertrude that she should talk to Ophelia, even though she doesn't want to. He claims Ophelia's condition is causing unrest among the populace. 4.6 Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet saying he's not in England, but headed home. 5.1 Hamlet and Horatio reunite in the palace graveyard. Then they talk about death. 5.2 Horatio warns Hamlet not to take part in the "friendly" duel Claudius and Laertes have arranged. 5.2 Horatio offers to commit suicide and die with Hamlet, but Hamlet says he should stay alive to explain the whole sordid story instead. Horatio lives to tell the story.

Cassio

1.1 Iago announces that Othello has recently chosen Cassio for his second-in-command. 1.2 Cassio shows up with a message to Othello from the Duke: get over here. 2.1 Cassio is there to greet Desdemona, Othello, and Iago when they arrive at Cyprus. He is very friendly to them both and kisses Emilia hello, which does not please Iago. 2.3 After Iago gets him drunk, Cassio fights with Roderigo, and then with Montano, who's just trying to calm him down. Othello comes out, furious at the disorder, and fires Cassio. Iago suggests that Cassio turn to Desdemona to convince Othello to re-hire him. 3.1 Iago goes to Emilia and asks to be taken to Desdemona. She agrees. 3.3 Desdemona agrees to help Cassio get his job back. He's grateful, but slinks away when he sees Othello coming back. 3.4 Cassio comes in to see if Desdemona has succeeded in getting him his job back, but Desdemona and Othello have just had a fight, so it's not a good time. Later, Cassio gives Bianca (a prostitute he's involved with) a handkerchief he found in his room. Apparently he liked the pattern on it so much that he wanted Bianca to copy it. It happens to belong to Desdemona, stolen by Emilia on behalf of the scheming Iago. Trouble is a-brewing. 4.1 Cassio comes in and sees Othello in the middle of a fit. Iago assures him it's a normal thing and asks to talk to him later. Cassio comes back and jokes with Iago about Bianca and how needy and ridiculous she is. (Othello, overhearing, thinks they're discussing Desdemona.) Then Bianca comes in and throws the handkerchief back in Cassio's face; she's sure it's from some other woman, and who does he think he is!? Unfortunately, Othello is watching. 5.1 Cassio's minding his own business when Roderigo tries to attack him. Cassio beats him off, but Iago secretly wounds him from behind. Cassio falls and shouts for help. 5.2 Cassio, not dead, comes in after Othello has killed Desdemona to confirm that she never had an affair with him and that this was all Iago's terrible plot against them. While Othello has to go back to Venice to get punished for killing his wife, Cassio gets to take his (military) position in Cyprus.

Desdemona

1.1 Iago reveals that Desdemona has secretly married Othello. 1.2 Desdemona tells her father and the Duke that she married Othello out of love. Then she asks permission to travel with him when he goes to war in Cyprus. 2.1 Desdemona gets to Cyprus first and worries about Othello until he gets there. 2.3 The happy couple is interrupted when Othello has to settle a fight. Desdemona joins, upset, and asks her husband what's going on. 3.3 Cassio asks Desdemona to help him get his job back after Othello fired him for fighting drunkenly the night before. Desdemona agrees to sweet talk Othello until he gives in and says he'll take Cassio back. Later, Desdemona comes in and finds Othello upset. She tries to comfort him, but accidentally drops the special handkerchief that Othello gave her. 3.4 Othello demands to see the handkerchief. Desdemona doesn't have it, but she lies and says it isn't lost. She tries to have him promise to give Cassio his job back. Othello and Desdemona have their first big fight, and she's still shell-shocked when Cassio and Iago come in. But she gradually convinces herself that she's wrong to blame Othello for the fight - she can't expect him to be sweet all the time, and fighting is normal. 4.1 Othello slaps Desdemona in public. 4.2 Othello confronts Desdemona and tries to make her confess she's a bad name. She denies it, but he doesn't believe her. Desdemona begs Iago to help her figure out what's wrong with her husband. 4.3 Getting ready for bed, Desdemona broods over Othello's strange behavior. She starts singing a depressing song about a woman whose lover deserts her. Then she asks Emilia if there really are women who cheat on their husbands. Desdemona can't believe anyone would do that. 5.2 Desdemona wakes up to find Othello hanging out over her with a creepy look on his face. It doesn't take long for her to realize that he's going to kill her. She tries to convince him that she's innocent, and then begs him to delay her death for even a few minutes. He refuses and smothers her. But she's not quite dead - yet. When Emilia enters, Desdemona utters with her final breaths that she is innocent, but still refuses to pin the blame for her death on Othello.

Othello

1.1 Iago reveals that Othello has secretly married Desdemona. 1.2 Othello faces a showdown with Brabantio, Desdemona's angry father. The tiff is cut short when the Duke orders that Othello get himself over to the Duke's chambers, sooner rather than later. 1.3 Othello explains how Desdemona and he fell in love. Desdemona has his back. The Duke says the marriage seems legit, and sends Othello off to fight an enemy fleet. 2.1 The enemy fleet destroyed, Othello arrives at Cyprus and joyfully greets his wife. It's time for the honeymoon. 2.3 Othello and Desdemona finally get some alone time, but then they're interrupted when Cassio gets into a drunken brawl. Othello, furious, fires him. 3.2 Othello and Iago tour the city. 3.3 Othello comes back to find Cassio slinking away from a conversation with Desdemona. He and his wife play-fight in that annoying newlywed way. But Iago slowly starts messing with Othello's mind and convinces Othello that Desdemona's cheating on him with Cassio. Othello demands proof of Iago's claim, but already believes him, proof or not. He swears to punish his wife and Cassio with death. 3.4 Othello, suspicious, asks Desdemona where the special handkerchief he gave her is. Because Iago has had it stolen, Desdemona can't produce it. She doesn't want to admit this, though, so she and Othello get in a huge fight. 4.1 Iago torments Othello with more graphic images of Desdemona's cheating, so much so that Othello has a brief epileptic fit. Then Iago sets up a conversation with Cassio so that Othello thinks he's hearing them talk about Desdemona when, really, Cassio's talking about a prostitute. After this, when Desdemona comes in with a visitor announcing that Othello is called back to Venice, Othello gets so angry that he hits his wife in front of everyone. 4.2 Othello tries to get Emilia to confess that Desdemona is having an affair. Emilia says it just isn't true. Then Othello confronts Desdemona and calls her a bad name. Desdemona denies it, but Othello doesn't believe her. 5.1 Othello oversees what he thinks is Cassio's murder, and is satisfied. 5.2 Othello strangles Desdemona. Emilia comes in and raises the alarm. When Othello tells her why he thinks Desdemona cheated on him, Emilia realizes that this must be a plot by her husband. She tells Othello the truth, and he responds by trying to stab Iago and failing in the process. Iago refuses to tell Othello why he destroyed his life. Othello, heartbroken, stabs himself and dies next to Desdemona.

Iago

1.1 Iago tells Roderigo about Othello's marriage. Together they rat out Othello and Desdemona to Desdemona's father. 1.2 Iago warns Othello that Desdemona's father is coming. 1.3 After the Duke approves the marriage, Roderigo wants to give up and drown himself. Iago convinces him that he can still get Desdemona in the end. Iago decides to convince Othello that Desdemona's cheating on him. 2.1 Iago arrives at Cyprus with Desdemona and his own wife, Emilia. To amuse Desdemona, Iago says lots of nasty, clever things about women. Later, Iago convinces Roderigo that Cassio and Desdemona are getting it on, and decides that he will use Cassio to make Othello jealous. He convinces Roderigo to fight with Cassio in order to get Cassio in trouble. 2.3 Iago gets Cassio drunk, watches him get into a brawl, and then tells Othello all about it. After Cassio is fired, Iago suggests to him that he ask Desdemona to intervene with Othello in his favor. Cassio thinks this is a great idea. Iago gloats about how well his plan is working. 3.1 Iago makes sure his wife will bring Cassio in to talk with Desdemona. 3.2 Iago and Othello tour the city. 3.3 Iago begins with small comments and gradually reels Othello in until he tells him point blank that Desdemona is cheating on him. Othello demands proof and Iago promises to give him some. Then Iago swears that he will help Othello revenge himself on Desdemona. 3.4 Iago comes in with Cassio and finds Desdemona upset at Othello's weird behavior. He promises her he will find out what's wrong. 4.1 Iago stages a conversation with Cassio such that Othello, overhearing, thinks they're talking about Desdemona. In fact, they're talking about a prostitute (Bianca) who is in love with Cassio. 4.2 Iago convinces Roderigo that he should kill Cassio. 5.1 Iago watches Roderigo try to kill Cassio. Then Iago stabs Cassio from behind. When more of Othello's soldiers appear, Iago stabs Roderigo too, as if trying to help Cassio. Then Iago tries to pin all the blame on Bianca, Cassio's prostitute lover. 5.2 After Othello strangles Desdemona, Emilia starts to realize what Iago has done. He tells her to shut up, but she tells Othello and everyone present that Iago is to blame for the whole situation. Othello tries to stab him, but instead Iago stabs Emilia and runs out. He's captured and brought back in, but he refuses to explain why he did all these terrible things. He swears he will never speak again.

King Lear

1.1 Lear has decided that he wants to retire and pass along the tiring work of running the kingdom to his daughters and their husbands. He tells his three daughters that he is going to divide the kingdom according to which of them loves him the most. When he puts them on the spot, his first two daughters play along and flatter him. But Lear's favorite daughter, Cordelia, refuses to participate in the love test. Furious, Lear disowns and banishes her. 1.4 Lear had planned to live with Cordelia when he retired. Since that's no longer possible, he's now splitting his time between his other daughters, Goneril and Regan. His stay at Goneril's house isn't going so well. Lear is enjoying hunting and hanging out with his entourage of knights and listening to his Fool's standup comedy routine. Then Goneril confronts him with complaints about the bad behavior of his entourage. Lear is furious that his daughter would dare to question him. He curses Goneril, calls her an ungrateful child, and then storms off to stay at Regan's house instead. 1.5 Waiting for the horses that will take him to Regan's, Lear realizes that he misjudged his daughters. He admits to himself that he treated Cordelia unfairly. Then he broods bitterly about Goneril's disrespect. Before he leaves, he prays that his daughter's ingratitude will not drive him mad. 2.2 Regan is not at home, so Lear goes to Gloucester's house, where Regan is staying. When he gets there, he finds his messenger in the stocks outside the castle. Naturally, this only adds to his anger. Lear complains to Regan about Goneril's terrible treatment of him. However, Regan seems to be on Goneril's side - a fact confirmed by Goneril showing up. The two daughters unite against their father and tell him that if he wants to stay with either of them, he has to get rid of the massive entourage. Lear curses them and leaves Gloucester's house in a rage. 3.2 Defying the thunder and rain, Lear wanders around the countryside ranting at the heavens and cursing the ingratitude of his children. Kent and his Fool finally convince him to come in out of the rain, in order to avoid getting struck by lightning in the face, which was a common fear and curse. 3.4 Lear's suffering in the storm makes him realize that he should have done more for the poor and homeless people of his kingdom. Lear meets Poor Tom, a crazy beggar, and starts acting crazier himself. He tries to take off his clothes so he can be like Poor Tom. 3.6 Lear is becoming progressively more mentally ill. He starts hallucinating that his daughters are in the room, and demands that Poor Tom, the Fool, and Kent help him act out a criminal trial for the women. He wants to hold them responsible for their cruelty to him. After Lear has finally fallen asleep, Kent has to get him up and take him away to Dover, since Regan and Goneril are plotting against his life. 4.3 Kent reveals that Lear has refused to see Cordelia, even though they're both now in Dover. Kent says Lear is ashamed of the way he treated her before. 4.6 Gloucester and Edgar are onstage when Lear wanders around wearing a wreath of weeds on his head instead of a crown. Lear starts ranting about his daughters and how power and justice are each a huge fraud. "When we are born we cry / that we are come to this great stage of fools," Lear says. He finally recognizes Gloucester. When Cordelia's soldiers come to retrieve Lear, he acts as if he will go with them, but then dashes away. 4.7 Lear wakes up and doesn't know where he is. First he thinks he's in the afterlife, but then he realizes that the woman next to him is his daughter, Cordelia. Lear begs her forgiveness. 5.3 Cordelia's soldiers lose the battle against Regan and Goneril's army, and, as a result, Lear and Cordelia are captured by Edmund. Lear tells Cordelia he doesn't mind going to prison - it's better for them to be in prison together than to take part in the endless and pointless struggle for political power. 5.3 One of Edmund's soldiers hangs Cordelia. Lear comes onstage with her dead body in his arms; the grief of her loss is too much for him. He dies still looking at Cordelia's lips in the hopes that she will breathe again.

Roderigo

1.1 Roderigo freaks out when he realizes that Desdemona is marrying Othello instead of him. He blames Iago for not realizing this earlier. Iago tells him it's not over yet; they wake up Desdemona's father and tell him he'd better find his runaway daughter. 1.2 When the Duke approves of Othello and Desdemona's marriage, Roderigo says he'd better give up and drown himself. Iago convinces him to get more money, under the pretense that he can seduce Desdemona much more easily once she's Othello's desperate housewife. 2.1 Iago convinces Roderigo that Desdemona is already getting it on with Cassio, and that he has to beat Cassio up since he's the competition. 2.3 Roderigo gets in a fight with drunken Cassio, but only manages to get beat up himself. He talks about giving up and going back to Venice, but Iago persuades him to keep trying. 4.2 Roderigo finally shows some spine. He accuses Iago of not being up front with him, and he's suspicious that Desdemona has not received all the jewels he sent her. He threatens to make Iago pay if he doesn't produce results ASAP. Iago, however, just praises Roderigo for his boldness and tells him he needs to kill Cassio if he wants to take his place in Desdemona's bed. Once again, Roderigo is persuaded. 5.1 Roderigo tries to kill Cassio and fails, so Iago stabs and kills Roderigo. This way, he won't be able to betray their scheming. Iago is a "I don't want any loose ends" kind of guy.

Duke of Cornwall

1.1 Together with Regan, Cornwall gets a third of Lear's kingdom when he retires, upped to a half when Cordelia is taken out of the picture. 2.1 Cornwall and Regan arrive at Gloucester's house. 2.2 Cornwall puts Kent, Lear's messenger, in the stocks for fighting, as well as for disrespecting him after the fight. After his wife and Goneril confront Lear, Cornwall backs Goneril up and orders Gloucester to lock Lear out of his house. 3.5 Edmund rats out his father to Cornwall, and Cornwall promises to pay Edmund back by giving him his father's position and land. 3.7 Even though Gloucester is his host, Cornwall has him tied up and interrogated. After Cornwall plucks out one of Gloucester's eyes, one of Cornwall's servants attacks him. The servant wounds Cornwall, but Cornwall takes Gloucester's other eye before dying offstage from the injury.

Goneril

1.1 When Lear asks his daughter how much she loves him, Goneril flatters him to get her chunk of the kingdom. After Lear acts all crazy and banishes Cordelia and Kent, Goneril and Regan talk quietly about how they're going to deal with their father, who is getting both senile and out of control. 1.3 Goneril confronts her father about the wild behavior of his knights. Furious, Lear storms out of her house and says he will stay with Regan. 2.2 Goneril shows up at Gloucester's house, where Lear and Regan are arguing. Together, Regan and Goneril confront their father and tell him that he needs to ditch the entourage, or at least cut it down in number. Lear curses them and leaves the castle. They lock the door behind him. 3.7 Goneril suggests that Cornwall and Regan punish Gloucester by plucking out his eyes. With this good suggestion, she leaves for home, accompanied by Edmund. 4.2 Goneril and Edmund hook up on the way back to Goneril's house. When she gets home, she fights with her husband. 5.1 As they get ready to face Cordelia's troops in battle, Goneril and Regan squabble over Edmund. 5.3 Post battle, the fight between the sisters really gets going. Goneril poisons Regan so Edmund is all hers. Then Albany accuses her of plotting to kill him so she can marry Edmund. When Edgar mortally wounds Edmund in a duel, Goneril runs offstage and commits suicide.

Cleopatra

1.1.13: Cleopatra starts the play by asking Antony to tell her how much he loves her. 1.1.19: Cleopatra tells Antony to hear the messenger from Rome, teasing that it's likely a note from his dominating wife, Fulvia, or his dominating partner, Caesar. She plays on his lack of political power, but also his powerlessness under her love. 1.1.40: Cleopatra asks why Antony married Fulvia, if he didn't love her, and reveals one of the central problems with Antony's love for her: if he can't be faithful to his wife (any wife, for that matter) then why should she believe he'll love her faithfully? 1.2.81: Cleopatra announces that Antony has had "a Roman thought" and forgot about having fun with her. She shows how fickle she is: at first, she's looking for him, and then, upon realizing that he's come, she leaves. She has a fickle temperament and likes to play hard-to-get. Her tactic is clearly working on Antony. 1.3.9: Cleopatra scolds Charmian for suggesting she should actually treat the man she loves well. Cleopatra insists that treating a man well is the best way to lose him, as witnessed by poor Fulvia and women all over the world. 1.3.20: Cleopatra flips out at Antony when he suggests he should probably go home to his actual wife and the country he left that's falling apart. She cries that he's betraying her. She wails some more, but finally reacts seriously when she hears that Fulvia has died. On seeing that Antony is totally unfazed by the whole dead-wife situation, she's in tears again, accusing Antony of being without feeling. She suggests that he should shed tears for Fulvia and pretend they're for Cleopatra, because apparently he's that much of a scoundrel. 1.3.87: Cleopatra goes on and on until she runs out of words. 1.3.93: After all her wailing, she puts on a "well, do whatever you want" attitude and tells him to go in spite of her deep sadness. She wishes him luck. 1.5.10: Cleopatra idly questions her eunuch about whether he is attracted to women. 1.5.19: Then Cleopatra swoons for a while. She wonders what Antony is doing, praises the horse he rides, and laments that once she rode great men like Caesar and Pompey to power. 1.5.53: Upon receiving a pearl from Antony, Cleopatra asks for news of how he looked. She praises him for his moderation, being neither sad nor merry. 1.5.63: Cleopatra decides to write to Antony. She asks Charmian whether she ever loved Caesar as much as she loves Antony. Charmian responds "actually... yeah." Furious, Cleopatra replies by promising to punch her in her mouth. Then Cleopatra argues she was young in those days, and stupid, but that this love is the real deal. 2.5.18: Cleopatra is messing around at the palace, playing pool and reminiscing about fishing. She thinks of Antony as a fish to catch. She tells a story about how she once dressed Antony up in her clothes. She wore his sword. 2.5.26: She's interrupted by a messenger with news from Antony. She looks at his face and can see something's wrong. She says if the messenger brings word of Antony's death, she'll die, but if Antony is well and free, she'll shower the messenger with gold. She continues to interrupt the messenger, and is satisfied hearing Antony is well, but says she doesn't like that she can tell that more is coming. 2.5.62: Upon hearing that Antony has married Octavia, she threatens to cut out the messenger's eyes, beats him soundly, and generally act like a tyrant. He doesn't get the hint to leave until she pulls out a knife, at which point he takes off. 2.5.82: Cleopatra admits that she shouldn't have treated the messenger badly and calls him back. Then, upon his return, she promptly cusses him out again. Finally, she asks Charmian to tell the messenger to bring her word of whether Octavia is more attractive than she is. She admits Antony is awful and wonderful all at once, and goes to bed in a fit. 3.3.34: Cleopatra spends the first 34 lines of the scene grilling the messenger about every possible feature of Octavia—her hair, the way she walks, her forehead, her age, and more—until she's finally satisfied that Octavia isn't as attractive as she is. She then declares that Antony has obviously seen some majesty (in Cleopatra) and he should know better than to go running around with girls that are not good-looking. Anyway, Cleopatra seems sure Antony will be back, so she'll write to him. 3.7.1: Cleopatra and Enobarbus argue back and forth about why Cleopatra shouldn't be part of the war with Antony. When she hears that the word on the street in Rome is that her maids and a eunuch are running this war, she says all of Rome can go to hell (in so many words). As she has some part to play in the war, she'll be like the men and show up for the battle. End of discussion. 3.7.49: Cleopatra promises 60 ships to Antony. 3.11.28: Cleopatra flails around after entering the room in a tizzy. She's just run away from the naval battle, and Antony has followed her. She knows she's lost the battle for them and will probably be busted by Antony. Antony confronts her, asking if she knew that she was the master of his heart, and that he'd follow her. She contends she didn't know he would follow, and asks him to forgive her for her "fearful sails." She begs pardon again and generally seems to be a wreck. 3.13.1: She asks Enobarbus what she should do, and whether this was her fault. She doesn't like his answer that Antony's cowardice is to blame. 3.13.60: A messenger from Caesar enters and suggests that she doesn't love Antony, but fears him. The messenger claims this is why Caesar won't blame her for her role in trying to kill him. 3.13.60: Cleopatra says Caesar is "a god, and knows what is most right." Then she contends she didn't yield her honor, but that she was conquered by Antony. Worse, once she gets going, she tells the messenger to tell Caesar that she'll kiss his conquering hand, and kneel at his feet so she can hear his judgment of her. As the messenger goes to kiss her hand, she muses that this is the same hand that Octavius Caesar's adopted father, Julius Caesar, kissed so often, seeming to reminisce and delight in her own power. 3.13.152: Antony flies into a rage upon seeing Cleopatra flirt with the messenger. She pipes up occasionally, but the kicker is when she asks if he's done yet. She has some audacity, and plays him until he asks her whether she's cold-hearted toward him. Seeing her coolness has piqued his interest, she launches into a cry that if she has cooled toward him, then her heart can make a hail storm in her chest and choke her, and her children die, and her womb and all of Egypt get eaten by flies. So, no, she hasn't cooled toward him. 3.13.177: Hearing that, Antony forgives her and goes back to warmongering. She praises him for his good spirits. Also, it's her birthday! First, Cleopatra thought it would be a sad birthday, but instead it's happy, because Antony said they'll all drink so much that the wine will bleed through the scars of the wounded. 4.2.12: Cleopatra asks Enobarbus in an aside what Caesar could possibly mean by seeming so sad with his men as they prepare for battle. 4.4.2: Antony goes off to fight the battle, and Cleopatra suggests he comes back to bed instead. Then she insists that she help him get dressed in his armor, even though she doesn't know where anything goes. After he bids her farewell, she praises his bravery and showmanship. She wishes this could be his deciding fight with Caesar, though she knows it won't be. 4.8.17: Cleopatra praises Antony as a lord of lords, and is grateful that he's returned to her safely. She promises to give Scarus some armor of gold that once belonged to a king, in return for his good service. 4.12.31: Cleopatra enters (after Antony loses the second battle because his men defect) and asks him why he's so "enraged against his love," meaning, of course, against her. When he tells her he wishes for Caesar to march her through the streets and Octavia to pluck out her eyes, she takes the hint and runs away. 4.13.7: Cleopatra runs back to her palace and cries to her women to help her, as Antony is enraged. She takes Charmian's advice to pretend she's dead. She instructs Mardian to tell Antony that she's killed herself, and that Antony's name was her final word. She instructs that the final word should sound especially pitiful, for dramatic effect. Also, she wants a full report on how he takes her death. 4.15.1: Cleopatra vows she'll never leave the monument, and that she'll never have comforts again. 4.15.16: Cleopatra cries out on finding Antony mortally wounded. She agrees with him that he should've died by no hand but his own, though she's sad that he's dying. 4.15.22: Antony asks Cleopatra to come to him, but she's too scared to come down out of the monument, lest Caesar should catch her. She hints that she'll kill herself, too, and that Octavia ("your wife" she calls her, for special emphasis) will have no pleasure by looking down on her, Cleopatra, a conquered queen. She asks her women to help draw Antony to her (where she sits comfortably) instead of going to him (where he lays dying). 4.15.33: Cleopatra notes how heavy Antony has become, where he was strong before. She wishes that her kisses could give life, as she'd then kiss him until she was worn out. She tries this anyway. 4.15.42: Antony, who is dying, is trying to get a word in edgewise, and she keeps cutting him off. She promises to rail against Fortune. 4.15.47: Antony finally tells her to go to Caesar to seek her safety and honor. She tells him she can't have both honor and safety from Caesar. She then claims, against Antony's wishes, that she'll never trust anyone involved with Caesar. She can only trust her resolution and her hands (yet another suicide reference). 4.15.59: As Antony dies, Cleopatra asks whether he doesn't care for her, because he's leaving her in the world without him. She laments the state of the world, as it's now pathetic and miserable since Antony is gone. 4.15.72: She says now that Antony's dead, she's commanded by passion, which makes her more like a milkmaid or servant girl than a powerful queen. She would curse the gods for taking the jewel of the world, but Cleopatra resolves herself to death instead. It is no sin, she claims, to rush to death instead of waiting for it to come to her. She tells her girls to be brave, and bids that Antony be buried in the Roman style, calling it "noble." She ends by saying their only friend is their resolution "and briefest end." It seems she now has the coolness of a man of action, though her action is inspired by her passion. 5.2.1: Cleopatra curses Caesar. She claims he's a fool of Fortune, and that suicide will be great because it will release her from the shackles of all the earthly things that keep everyone else alive. 5.2.17: Cleopatra receives Caesar's messenger, Proculeius. She tells him she'd like her kingdom back, as it's actually hers. This act will make her kneel to him with thanks. 5.2.28: Hearing he'll be merciful, she says she commends him for his greatness, and is hourly learning "a doctrine of obedience," presumably one that cools her temper. 5.2.38: Cleopatra, realizing Caesar's guards are hanging about, tries to take her own life with a dagger. Proculeius stops her before she accomplishes anything. She begs death to come to her, but to no avail. Finally she promises that she'd kill herself by starving, or not drinking, or whatever she needs to do to rob Caesar the pleasure of parading her through the streets as an emblem of Roman victory. She'd rather die a miserable death in Egypt than live as a puppet of Rome. 5.2.76: Cleopatra talks with Dolabella, who now guards her. She tells him of dreams she has of Antony (and speaks in the same ethereal terms that Antony did before he resolved to kill himself). She describes Antony as Atlas, a wonderful god that holds up the world. She chides Dolabella for not believing in her dream, and charges that nature lacks the stuff to compete with the wonder of the imagination. She then holds Antony up as nature's entry into a competition with fancy, as his wonders outdo even imagination. 5.2.109: Cleopatra asks Dolabella what Caesar means to do with her. She asks him outright if she'll be put in Caesar's victory parade, which Dolabella confirms. 5.2.120: Caesar enters, and Cleopatra kneels to greet him. She admits to him that she isn't blameless, but that she is guilty of the "frailties" that have been known to plague women. She gives herself over to him as a sign of his conquest. 5.2.137: She then has a long exchange with Caesar and her treasurer. She hands Caesar a scroll that's supposed to contain a list of all her earthly goods, so he can add them to his conquest. She asks her treasurer to confirm that all of her possessions are on the list. The treasurer refuses to do her biding and Cleopatra flies into a rage. She promises she's only kept back those little things that ladies like. Again she rails against her treasurer, Seleucus. 5.2.175: Cleopatra claims that the greatest are blamed for the actions of others. 5.2.190: Cleopatra points out Caesar is trying to get the best of her with words, but her resolve is strong, and she bids the women to go forth with the plan they've already made. She thanks Dolabella for letting her know Caesar's real plan. 5.2.207: Cleopatra cries out to her women and condemns the parade Caesar will have. She describes, in detail, the masses that will surround them and their awful smells and sounds. 5.2.226: Cleopatra bids her women to get her best clothes and crown, readying them to do what needs to be done. 5.2.235: Cleopatra greets the rural man that brings her a basket of figs. She notes it's a poor instrument that does a noble deed, bringing her liberty. She claims that she has no woman in her now, as she is certain of what she must do. The moon (ever-changing, and thus similar to Cleopatra's temperament) is no longer her guide. 5.2.249: Cleopatra asks the fig-bearing peasant if he remembers anyone that's died by the snake. Yes, lots, is the reply. She bids the man farewell. 5.2.280: Cleopatra prepares some more for her death. She says she hears Antony call, as though he praises her for what she's about to do. She calls out that she goes to her husband, and what she does now she hopes will prove that she has courage befitting a Queen of Egypt. She has Iras kiss her lips, and Iras dies, whereupon she notes death comes as easily as a lover's pinch. 5.2.300: She worries that if Iras gets to Antony first in death, then Iras will get the kiss Cleopatra is willing to die for. She applies an asp to her breast in a jealous hurry, and demands that it untie her knot of life. Finally, she wishes the snake could speak, so it could declare that, with this suicide, Cleopatra beat Caesar at his own game. 5.2.308: As Charmian cries out, Cleopatra says she should calm down; the asp is like a baby at her breast. Finally, she dies, applying another asp to her arm. She half finishes a sentence, asking "What should I stay—" and dies before she can complete the thought.

Antony (A and C)

1.1.14: Antony responds to Cleopatra's desire to hear how much he loves her. He claims any love that can adequately be described is inadequate love—so we know that although his reputation has been as a fighter, his role in this play is as a lover. He's likely to bring the same energy to love as to war. 1.1.33: Antony ignores a messenger from Rome, proclaiming his place is with Cleopatra. Together they have no peer in the world. 1.1.43: Antony says this is not the time for arguing; not a minute of their lives should be without pleasure. He notes that Cleopatra is tempestuous with him, but proposes to go carousing in the streets together to please her. (Cleopatra, as a fun game, used to dress up like a peasant and wander the streets, sometimes begging, sometimes partying. Antony joins in this affair.) 1.2.104: A messenger brings the bad news that wars are being waged in Antony's name against Caesar. The messenger hesitates to say these things are Antony's fault, but Antony encourages him to say what truth he wants to. The only way to address one's faults is to hear them from others, if you don't see them yourself. 1.2.116: Antony resolves that he must leave Egypt, where he's shackled, or lose himself to being a lovesick and doting disaster. 1.2.122: Hearing the news of Fulvia's death, Antony laments that he had wished for it so often, and now wishes it undone. (He's sort of a good guy after all!) He resolves again that he must leave Egypt, as he can only imagine what mischief has been happening in Rome during his absence. 1.2.145, 151: Antony speaks with Enobarbus, who says it will metaphorically kill Cleopatra if Antony leaves her. Antony claims the woman is cunning beyond men's wits, and he wishes he'd never met her. 1.2.176: Antony admits it isn't Fulvia's death alone that calls him back to Rome. The younger Pompey has challenged Caesar, and Romans, ever fickle, begin to favor him. Duty calls Antony to set things right. 1.3.41: Antony declares to Cleopatra that he's "got to go!" Finally, he explains the reason: duty calls him abroad. But she should never fear, he explains, because his heart will be with her. He briefly details the Pompey situation, and tells her, for further assurance, that Fulvia is dead. 1.3.66: Antony resolves to leave Cleopatra, even as she makes a fuss. In turns, she drives him to anger, frustration, and begging until he finally decides to go, saying that though they're separate in space, they're with each other still. 2.3.44: Antony confers with Caesar and Lepidus, and defends his honor against Caesar's claims that Antony was at the root of his brother's and wife's treachery. Antony claims Caesar wants to quarrel, and should find better stuff than this to quarrel about. They continue for a while, and Antony has to keep apologizing to Caesar for small things. He couldn't control his wife, he was too drunk to talk to the messenger, and his negligence kept him from lending Caesar arms when he asked for them. Antony keeps accommodating Caesar as the younger man keeps whining, though it's clear that Antony's getting to the end of his patience. 2.2.123: Antony listens to Agrippa's suggestion that he might marry Octavia to bond him and Caesar. Antony agrees and the men shake on it, with Antony promising they're brothers now. They get back to planning what to do about Pompey, and Antony laments that they didn't meet about this sooner (which is clearly his fault). He reminds Caesar again of "the business we have talk'd of," referencing the marriage to Octavia, which he'd like to get done before they go to battle. 2.3.1: Antony confers with his new wife, Octavia, telling her the unfortunate news that his work will often keep him away from Rome. Still, he pledges to her that no matter what she's heard about his playboy past, she should trust that he'll be faithful. 2.3.16: Antony asks a soothsayer whether his or Caesar's fortunes will rise higher. The man promises that Caesar's will, and urges Antony to get out from under Caesar's shadow and back to Egypt as soon as possible. Antony isn't hearing it, and dismisses the man. Once alone, he admits that Caesar always has better luck than he does, whether playing dice, cockfighting, or waging war. Antony resolves that he'll go back to Egypt, abandoning his political marriage to Octavia for Cleopatra in Egypt. 2.3.23: Antony has frank negotiations with Pompey about their relative strengths. He doesn't beg or wheedle, he just tells Pompey to think about the offer. He graciously concedes he should've been more grateful to Pompey for being so nice to his mom, and thanks Pompey for bringing him away from the East. Antony admits he wouldn't have left so early if it had been up to him, but he feels he's gained by the move. As they prepare to celebrate the truce, Pompey gets in a few digs at Antony about Cleopatra's previous affair with Julius Caesar. Fortunately, Antony keeps his cool, and Enobarbus diffuses the whole situation. 2.7.17: Antony explains some of the particulars of Egyptian agricultural life, especially how the Nile can be measured to predict whether there will be famine or plenty. As they drink, he has a good-natured chat with Lepidus, who is sauced, about Egypt's snakes and crocodiles, and continues to tease the man for his drunkenness, while drinking himself. 2.7.97: He declares that their revels are getting closer to being like an Alexandrian feast, and happily toasts to Caesar. He urges everyone to enjoy these good times and join hands, as the wine helps them forget any old ills between them. 3.2.34: Caesar reminds Antony to cherish Octavia, and Antony replies he would be offended at the suggestion that he'd do any less than cherish her. He again promises Caesar has nothing to fear, and he watches Octavia tearfully part with her brother while he praises her graciousness and sorrow. 3.4.1: Antony rails against Caesar to Octavia—not only has Caesar broken their pact by waging war against Pompey, but he's also trash-talked Antony publicly. 3.4.20: Antony makes a complex argument: he argues that waging war with Caesar preserves his honor, which he must have in order to be himself, and best love Octavia. He'll allow her to go to her brother back in Rome, and have anything else she wants. In the meantime, he'll be preparing to destroy Caesar. 3.4.33: Octavia laments more about the war between her brother and husband; she's not sure which man to support. Antony suggests she consider who started the fight in the first place and disfavor that man (Caesar, in his opinion). Antony says that Caesar shouldn't be able to keep her love as much as the man who is merely defending himself honorably (Antony). 3.7.20: Antony marvels at how quickly Caesar moves, while Cleopatra taunts him for his own negligence. He will fight Caesar by sea, though he's weaker there, because Caesar has dared him to do it. 3.11.1: Antony has fled the naval battle, following Cleopatra's ship as it ran. He laments that he's set an example of cowardice for his own men, and instructs them to take one of his ships, laden with gold, and leave his service. He says simply that he has lost command, and bids everyone to leave him. Instead, he remembers the battle where Cassius and Brutus fell, and how Caesar paled in comparison to him then. 3.11.48: Antony grieves that he has lost all honor. He asks Cleopatra how she could lead him to such destruction, as she must have known he'd follow her out of battle. He claims his heart was tied to her rudders, and she had full supremacy over his spirit. 3.11.62: Antony further laments that he must now humbly send his pleas to Caesar, though he once ruled half of the world. He again calls to Cleopatra that she must have known she'd conquered him, which made his sword weak. Hearing that she's sorry, he relents, and says he'll forgive her for a kiss. He's sent the children's tutor to be his ambassador to Caesar, and plans to have some wine. He celebrates by scorning Fortune, who's been treating him so poorly. 3.13.16: Antony has received word that Caesar denies his requests, and will grant Cleopatra's requests only if she betrays Antony. Antony claims Caesar's youth is all that makes him so lucky—Caesar's victory has nothing to do with his honor. Antony resolves to fight Caesar alone, man to man, and goes off to write a letter to this effect. 3.13.95: Antony returns to find Cleopatra making eyes with Thidias, Caesar's messenger. Antony flies into an absolute rage, and orders Thidias whipped until he begs for mercy. He turns his fury to Cleopatra. He renounces her for distracting him from being with the honest Octavia and having legitimate heirs to Rome, and further claims he has been a fool without clear judgment because of her. He calls her the leftover scraps of other men, and accuses her of knowing no moderation. Then he bemoans his status as a cuckold, or, as we say in modern parlance, whipped. 3.13.134: Antony moves on to berating Thidias again. He tells Thidias to bring a message back to Caesar about how he (Thidias) was treated. Caesar is making Antony angry, especially now that his fortunes have seemed to change. If Caesar doesn't like how Thidias was treated, or anything that Antony says, Antony invites him to whip Hipparchus, one of Antony's men that Caesar has captured. 3.13.156: Antony seems to have calmed a little once Thidias has left, and he asks Cleopatra if she'd make eyes with the man that laces up Caesar's clothes, if it flattered Caesar. She makes a brief apology, and he forgives her merely by saying "I am satisfied." He mentions he's getting his navy back together, his army is still intact, and he will again fight Caesar in Alexandria. 3.13.177: Antony's courage has come back to him again—with a vengeance. He promises to fight maliciously and wildly, and he pledges to send anything that opposes him into darkness. In honor of this resolution, the two lovers plan on having another party night, so crazy that men will bleed wine from their wounds. Antony promises the next time he fights, he'll put so many men in their graves that it will be a competition with Death himself. He's out for blood. 4.2.1: At Cleopatra's palace, Antony's just gotten word that Caesar won't fight him man-to-man. He vows to fight tomorrow at sea with everything he's got. He then directs everyone to have a wonderful meal, and begins to talk to them in such a way that it seems he's wishing them farewell. He thanks them for their honest loyalty, and hints that this might be their last night of service to him. 4.2.36: On hearing that he's making all his men nervous, Antony promises he meant to comfort them with his speech, and also to get them to drink up. He declares that tomorrow he hopes and expects to lead them to victorious life, rather than a violent death. 4.4.1: Antony wakes and readies for battle in great spirits. He has Eros help him with his armor, and as Cleopatra tries to help, he stops her, saying she need only be the armor around his heart. He only wishes Cleopatra could see him in action. He kisses Cleopatra goodbye, and leads the men off to battle. 4.5.12: Antony briefly laments to his soldier that he didn't listen the first time and fight on land. He then finds out that Enobarbus has deserted him. He's a bit shocked at first, but charges Eros to send the treasure that Enobarbus left behind after him, and to add a note with hellos and goodbyes, as well as a wish that Enobarbus never again find the need to change a master. Antony privately laments that his own fortunes have corrupted even the honest men around him, leading them to betrayal. 4.8.1: Antony celebrates with his men after they've won the day's battle. He's promised to reward them for their high spirits, and even more for their valor. Ready to celebrate their victory, he promises that tomorrow they'll kill anyone that escaped today. He praises each man for fighting for the cause as if it were his own, and bids them celebrate by taking back the streets. Seeing Cleopatra, he offers her to leap on his neck and ride his panting heart. He also presents Scarus, a wounded and brave soldier, to Cleopatra. 4.8.18: Antony says that though he's getting a little old, his brain nourishes his nerves and he can still play at this game of war with the youth. Antony again praises Scarus's bravery. 4.8.30: Finally, he resolves that they should all have a raucous march through Alexandria and drink and celebrate together. 4.12.9: Antony curses Cleopatra for betraying him—he has watched his fleet yield to the enemy and greet Caesar's army as friends. He doesn't hate them, only Cleopatra, and resolves to dispatch with the woman who bewitched him (and, it seems, betrayed him). Alone, he mourns that Fortune has left him forever. Even worse is that he is still under the spell of Cleopatra's charm. When she arrives unexpectedly, he curses her and hopes that Caesar will display her in his victory parade for all the hordes to see. As she leaves, he vows to kill her for what he believes is her betrayal of him to Caesar, the "young Roman boy." 4.14.1: Antony pontificates about the shifting of the sky, and how the night looks as it falls. He claims to Eros that he is as insubstantial as a shifting cloud; he made the wars for Egypt's queen, thinking he had her heart, because he had given her his. He grieves that he lost so many lives of others by giving his heart to her, as she betrayed him and stacked the deck in Caesar's favor. He hints at suicide, and cries out again that Cleopatra has robbed him of his sword. 4.14.35: Mardian enters and tells Antony that Cleopatra is dead. He replies calmly, telling Eros that the day's task is done, so they can go to bed. He sends Mardian on his way, and alone with Eros, grieves openly. He then dismisses Eros to no longer be a soldier, though he might also refer to himself having lost his will to be a solider due to his broken heart. Alone, he pledges to take his own life. With Cleopatra gone, so has his will to live. Antony speaks beautifully to the presumably dead Cleopatra; if she'll only wait a little longer, he'll be with her in death. 4.14.55: Antony announces to Eros that Cleopatra has shown him the way. Though his sword once conquered kingdoms, he should have the courage of this woman, to be his own conqueror as she was hers. He bids Eros to kill him, as the soldier once promised him he'd do Antony's every bidding. Unless Eros would rather see Antony shamed before Caesar and carried along in that man's triumphant march, he should end Antony's life. 4.14.95: Antony grieves because Eros, instead of killing Antony, has turned the sword upon himself. Antony resolves to be a bridegroom to death. He falls on his own sword only to find he hasn't immediately killed himself. Diomedes enters, and Antony asks him to finish the job. Antony then hears that Cleopatra hasn't actually killed herself. He asks his men not to weep, but to take him to Cleopatra, so he can die with her. 4.15.14: Antony pleads with a panicking Cleopatra to be easy—he announces it was not Caesar, but Antony who has triumphed over Antony. He asks Cleopatra for a last kiss, and she interrupts him constantly in her panic. He asks that she go to Caesar to seek her honor and her safety—trusting only Proculeius, who is one of Caesar's more honorable men. 4.15.41: As he dies, he asks his friends not to grieve over his death, but to remember his past fortunes, and think of him as he was when he was a prince in the world. He wishes to be thought of as a Roman, and by a Roman valiantly vanquished, dead by his own hand, and no other.

Alcibiades

1.1: Alcibiades knows how to make an entrance: on horseback with twenty other soldiers in tow. Timon welcomes him, and the two exchange pleasantries before Alcibiades leaves to settle in at Timon's house. 1.2: Alcibiades seems grateful to be fed and housed at Timon's place. When Timon says to him that soldiers are seldom rich, Alcibiades agrees. 3.5: The next time we see Alcibiades, he's arguing before the Senate for his friend. He pleads with the Senators to have some compassion, but it doesn't work. He's banished for debating with the Senators too much. 4.3: Alcibiades runs into Timon in the woods and pities him. He and Timon talk about life and friendship, and Alcibiades offers the little he has to help Timon. The pair hatch a plan to take over Athens—Timon by ruining the citizens with disease, and Alcibiades by preparing an army. 5.1: We don't see Alcibiades in this scene, but we hear from the Senators that he's ready to attack Athens, and his army is strong. They're afraid. Very afraid. 5.4: Alcibiades enters Athens, trumpets blaring. He makes a speech about what is to come for the city (justice) and tells them to give up his and Timon's enemies to him so that there won't have to be a fight. When he learns of Timon's death, Alcibiades reads his epitaph and promises he will be remembered. Alcibiades closes out the play with some words about peace.

Apemantus

1.1: Apemantus enters while the merchants are selling their goods to Timon. When Timon asks him what he makes of the new painting and jewels, Apemantus mocks them both. Then he labels the Poet and some lords flatterers before turning his attention to the upcoming feast. Apemantus claims he will only attend to watch men make fools of themselves. This guy doesn't let up. 1.2: Apemantus is—surprise—grumpy at Timon's feast and makes snickering comments about pretty much everyone in sight. He refuses to participate in the flattery of the other lords. To make a point about how much he's not a moocher, he prays loudly over his food. 2.2: As the collectors wait for money at Timon's house, Apemantus comes in with the fool and makes fun of all of them. He calls them "asses" and finds it shocking that they don't know what they themselves are. 4.3: Timon goes out to the woods to find Timon, and when he gets there, he's happy with what he sees. Apemantus likes Timon as a bitter, cynical, mean guy, and he thinks the two of them are finally alike—but Timon doesn't agree. The two have a heated argument, and eventually, Apemantus leaves.

Benvolio

1.1: Benvolio tries to stop a fight in the streets, but ends up taking part in it. Afterwards, he talks to Romeo's parents, and promises to find out why Romeo has been acting depressed. He meets up with Romeo, who tells him the problem is that he's in love with a girl who isn't interested in him. 1.2: In hopes of helping Romeo get over Rosaline, (the recipient of Romeo's unrequited love), Benvolio convinces Romeo to crash the Capulet party. They'll compare Rosaline to the other women there and will see that she's not all that. 1.4: He chills with Romeo and Mercutio 1.5: Benvolio has fun at the Capulet party, then tries to drag Romeo away once it's clear that the party's breaking up. Romeo, smitten with Juliet, refuses to leave. 2.1: Benvolio and Mercutio try to figure out where Romeo disappeared to. They soon give up and head home. 2.4: The next day Benvolio and Mercutio still don't know where Romeo is. They know that Tybalt has challenged their friend to a duel. Benvolio says he is sure Romeo will uphold his honor and fight Tybalt. When the Nurse shows up, Benvolio joins Romeo and Mercutio in the general mockery of this poor woman. 3.1: As usual, Benvolio tries to avoid fighting with the Capulets, but gets drawn in anyway. When Tybalt strolls in, Benvolio tries to get everybody to calm down. He tells Mercutio and Tybalt either to chill or to continue their argument in private. As usual, nobody listens. Benvolio witnesses Tybalt and Mercutio's duel, and he is with Mercutio when he dies. Then he watches Romeo and Tybalt fight. When Tybalt dies, Benvolio tells Romeo he has to run away or the Prince will put him to death. When the Prince arrives at the scene of the slaughter, Benvolio explains what has happened.

Lady Capulet

1.1: Lord Capulet calls for a sword so he can take part in the fight that's going down on the street between the Montagues and Capulets. Lady Capulet holds him back. "A crutch, a crutch - why call you for a sword?" she tells him, reminding him he's too old to fight. 1.2: Lady Capulet may be on stage so Lord Capulet can gesture to her on his line, "Too soon marred are those so early made," which clearly references her (1.2.13). In retrospect, Lord Capulet seems to think that marrying her when she was so young was a bad idea. 1.3: Lady Capulet wants to tell her daughter the exciting news: Juliet has received her first proposal of marriage! Unfortunately, the Nurse is chattering on. Finally, Lady Capulet gets the Nurse to shut up so she can tell Juliet all about handsome, eligible Paris. 1.5: Lady Capulet has no lines at the party, but she is there as the hostess. 3.1: Lady Capulet enters with the rest of Verona's citizens to find Tybalt dead. Her grief at his death is the loudest and most furious. She argues that Benvolio's account of the fight must be biased, since Benvolio is related to the Montagues. Then she demands that Romeo die as punishment for killing Tybalt. 3.4: When Lord Capulet decides that Juliet will marry Paris immediately, Lady Capulet promises to tell her daughter the news early the next morning. 3.5: Coming in on Juliet just after Romeo has left, Lady Capulet finds her daughter weeping yet again. She assumes Juliet is still grieving for Tybalt, and tells her that too much mourning is foolish. Then she promises her daughter that they will have vengeance on Tybalt's killer, Romeo. This does not help the weeping. Lady Capulet suggests they could find someone to poison Romeo in Mantua. Juliet's replies to all of these suggestions are loaded with double-meanings that reveal her love for Romeo, but Lady Capulet misses the subtext. In hopes of cheering her daughter up, Lady Capulet shares the joyful news: Juliet will marry Paris later that week! This, too, does not help the weeping. Juliet furiously swears that she would rather marry Romeo, her cousin's killer, than Paris. Surprised at this behavior, Lady Capulet tells Juliet, "Wait 'till your father hears this!" Lord Capulet becomes so enraged at Juliet's refusal that Lady Capulet eventually tries to calm him down. After Lord Capulet tells Juliet she can either marry Paris or be thrown out of the house, Juliet begs her mother to help her delay the wedding. Lady Capulet refuses coldly. 4.2: When Juliet comes back seemingly repentant from her visit to Friar Laurence, Lord Capulet decides he wants her to marry Paris the very next day. Lady Capulet argues that they won't have time to prepare, but her husband overrules her. 4.3: Lady Capulet comes in to ask her daughter if she needs any help preparing for her wedding day. Juliet says she's all set and asks to be left alone. 4.4: Lord and Lady Capulet tease each other happily as they prepare for their daughter's wedding. 4.5: The Nurse tries to wake Juliet and discovers that she is "dead." Lady Capulet calls for help to revive her daughter, but it's too late. She, the Nurse, her husband, and Paris grieve around Juliet's "corpse." 5.3: Lady Capulet hears the rumors in the streets about strange happenings at the Capulet family tomb, and arrives to find her daughter, newly dead, lying beside a Montague. The Friar's tomb-side confession reveals that Juliet's parents had no idea what was going on with their daughter. The discovery of Juliet's star-crossed-love with the son of his enemy convinces Lady Capulet's husband to end the feud with the Montagues.

Lord Capulet

1.1: Lord Capulet runs out into the street and tries to join in the brawl between the servants of the Capulets and Montagues. His wife holds him back. At the end of the scene, the Prince reprimands Lord Capulet and orders him to come talk about ending the violence in the streets. 1.2: When Paris asks for Juliet's hand in marriage, Lord Capulet tells him that Juliet is too young to get married. ("Too soon marred are those so early made," he says, clearly referencing his own wife, whom he married when she was younger than Juliet. In retrospect, Lord Capulet seems to think that marrying her when she was so young was a bad idea.) He also says he will not agree to let anyone marry Juliet unless his daughter consents to the match. He suggests that Paris start to get to know Juliet at the party the Capulets are holding that night. 1.5: Lord Capulet is in host mode at the party. But when Tybalt wants to fight Romeo for daring to crash the party, Lord Capulet reveals a violent side. He furiously orders Tybalt to ignore Romeo and not to ruin the party. 3.1: Here he has no lines, but Lord Capulet is probably with his wife when they discover that Tybalt has been killed by Romeo. Shakespeare leaves all the verbal grieving to the women. 3.4: Paris, with classic bad timing, arrives to discuss wedding plans while the family is in mourning for Tybalt's death. Lord Capulet, worried by his daughter's frantic grief over her cousin's death, decides that marriage might help her recover. He decides that Juliet and Paris should be married later that week. 3.5: Lord Capulet expects that Juliet will be grateful that he has found her a handsome and eligible husband. Instead, she refuses to marry Paris and can give no clear explanation why. Lord Capulet is furious at his daughter's rejection of his plan. He tells her that she can either obey him and marry his friend Paris, or that she can leave his house and live in the streets. 4.2: Lord Capulet is going on with his preparations for the wedding, whether or not Juliet likes it. Happily for him, she comes back from a visit to Friar Laurence and apologizes for her behavior. Lord Capulet rejoices at her agreement to marry Paris and decides to move the wedding to the very next day. He doesn't care if he has to stay up all night - he wants to make it happen immediately. 4.4: Lord Capulet is bustling around happily making all the last minute arrangements for the wedding. He orders the Nurse to wake up Juliet. Paris is about to arrive at the house. 4.5: The Nurse discovers Juliet dead. Lord Capulet mourns over the loss of his only child. "Death is my son-in-law," he laments. 5.3: Lord Capulet thought his daughter was already dead, and then he discovers her bleeding on the floor of the family tomb. In grief at their children's death, both Lord Capulet and Lord Montague vow to end the fighting between their families and to raise a golden statue in memory of each other's child

Malcolm

1.1: Malcolm points out the good, bleeding Captain to his father, because if it weren't for the Captain, Malcolm would've been a captive of the Irish forces. He is full of praise for this good and bleeding man. 1.4: Malcolm informs his father that the Thane of Cawdor died nobly, confessing his treason and repenting it deeply. His compliment to Cawdor is backhanded, as he claims "nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it." 2.3: Malcolm hears of his father's death that night, and asks who has done it. Macbeth dominates the scene with his woe over their father's death, and Malcolm privately speaks to his little brother, Donalbain, about why Macbeth is giving the speeches that should be theirs. Donalbain is suspicious, and the two are too shocked yet to be grief stricken or vengeful. Malcolm says they won't tarry any longer where the murderer might still be, as foul things are clearly afoot. He goes off to England and Donalbain goes to Ireland. They can tell this definitely isn't over, but safer to deal with from a distance. 4.3: Malcolm and Macduff are in England urging the assistance of Siward and King Edward to take arms against Macbeth, who is revealed by this time as a tyrant. Malcolm is still unsteady of Macduff's intentions, and concocts an elaborate story about how he wouldn't be a better ruler than Macbeth, because he is so lusty that he would do lots of evil things to satisfy his lust. He insists how terrible he would be, and as Macduff finally despairs, Malcolm admits that he made up all these lies to test Macduff's purpose. Satisfied, he commits to fighting alongside Siward with the English forces to take back Scotland. He then chats with a doctor about King Edward's ability to cure scrofula with his touch. After, Malcolm greets Ross, who has come from Scotland, and assures him they are all eager to fight Macbeth's tyranny. Malcolm, upon hearing of the murder of Macduff's family, encourages Macduff to use that rage in revenge against Macbeth. All are only more firm in their resolve. 5.4: Malcolm hatches the plan to cover all the soldiers with boughs to hide their numbers. He announces that they should have hope, as even the men that fight alongside Macbeth do not believe in his cause. 5.6: Malcolm leads the charge for the soldiers to throw off their trees and begin the fight. Siward and his son will lead the battle, and Macduff and Malcolm will take care of the rest. 5.8: Malcolm misses the friends that have not yet returned from the fray of battle, and hearing that his cousin young Siward is dead, promises he will graciously mourn him his whole worth, taking up where his uncle leaves off. After Macduff returns with Macbeth's head, Malcolm is hailed as King. He declares a new age will be ushered in, where the valiant warriors will be rewarded for their service, and those who helped Macbeth will be called to account. He names all the Scottish thanes as earls, an English title that is new to their country. He promises all other matters that will settle the country to normalcy will come soon, and invites everyone to his coronation at Scone.

Timon

1.1: Timon purchases a poem, a painting, and a jewel from merchants, even though we're pretty sure he doesn't need them. He also pays the dowry of a local woman and the debt of his friend, Ventidius. We get the point: he's super generous. 1.2: Timon hosts a feast, during which he makes a few mini-speeches about the importance of friendship. He interacts with the philosopher Apemantus and is shocked by his grumpy outlook on everything. He gives away a jewel and some horses to his friends. 2.1: When Caphis the servant shows up at Timon's house asking for money, Timon wants to repay him and is confused when his steward says he cannot. He tells Flavius to send servants around to all of his friends to ask for money. He's sure they'll come through. 3.4: Timon can't believe it when the servants come back empty-handed. He instructs Flavius to invite all his friends to another banquet, even though he doesn't have the money for it. We sense a plan at work, but Timon doesn't say what it is. 3.6: At the dinner, Timon calls his friends out on their hypocritical ways. He throws warm water and stones at them until they leave. That's one way to make a point. 4.1: Timon stands at the city walls, yelling about his poor fate. He decides to leave Athens—and everything it represents—behind and take up in the woods. 4.3: After finding gold in the dirt in the woods, Timon receives a number of visitors—Alcibiades, Apemantus, and Flavius among them. He has become an utter misanthrope and hates everyone. He spews angry words at his visitors but eventually hatches a plan with Alcibiades to destroy Athens. He also gives money to Flavius and tells him to never trust anyone ever again. 5.1: Timon is visited by the Poet and Painter, who want some of his gold. He berates them for being moochers and declares that he just wants to be alone in his cave. Then two Senators arrive, asking for help with Alcibiades. Timon doesn't care about Athens, and he tells them so. He decides to stay in his cave and write his epitaph. 5.3: We hear that Timon is dead when a soldier finds his grave. 5.4: Timon's epitaph is read aloud by Alcibiades. In it, he curses anyone who comes near his grave and tells everyone he hates all living men.

Duke of Albany

1.2 Albany, together with Goneril, gets a third of the kingdom from Lear, which is upped to a half when Lear disowns Cordelia. 1.4 Albany comes in to find his wife and her father in a huge family fight. Lear curses Goneril and storms out. Albany tells Goneril he thinks she's gotten them into a bad situation. 4.2 Albany grows more and more disgusted with his wife's treatment of her father. He and Goneril yell insults at each other. 5.1 Albany, together with Goneril, Regan, and Edmund decide to wage war against Lear, Cordelia, and Cordelia's French troops. Albany makes it clear that he wants to fight to get rid of the French soldiers, but that he thinks Lear should be respected. Just before the battle, Albany is handed a message by a peasant (actually, it is Edgar in disguise) proving that his wife is conspiring to kill him. 5.3 Post-battle, Albany tries to find out where the captured Lear is, but Edmund distracts him. Then Albany confronts his wife and Edmund about their plan to kill him. At the end of the play, Albany is the last person alive with the right to rule the kingdom. He had tried to offer the throne back to Lear, but with Lear dead, he suggests that he, Kent, and Edgar split the throne.

Edgar

1.2 Clueless, trusting Edgar never considers doubting what his half-brother Edmund tells him. So when Edmund says that their father is upset with Edgar and that he should lie low for a while, Edgar believes him. 2.1 Edgar has been hiding in his half-brother's room. Now, Edmund tells Edgar that he should leave town for a while because his father is really angry, and Edgar is also being accused of plotting against the Duke of Cornwall, who is about to visit the castle. Edgar, totally perplexed, runs off. 2.2 After Gloucester's men chase him out of the castle, Edgar escapes capture by hiding in a tree. He realizes that he is a fugitive, even though he has no idea what he did wrong. To save himself from the men who are trying to track him down, Edgar decides to disguise himself as Poor Tom, a crazy, half-naked beggar. 3.4 Edgar is trying to find shelter from a storm when he runs into Lear, his Fool, and Kent (also in disguise as a servant). Edgar acts completely batty to avoid being recognized. His act succeeds. Then Edgar's father Gloucester comes in - but even he doesn't recognize Edgar. Instead, Gloucester dismisses the homeless crazy man and tries to drive him away. But Lear demands that Poor Tom come with him. 3.6 Lear is acting increasingly insane. To see a once great man reduced to a babbling crazy is so sad that Edgar almost breaks his disguise by crying. When Gloucester comes back to take Lear and the others away, Edgar stays behind. He realizes his situation, although pretty terrible, is not as bad as Lear's. 4.1 Edgar has almost adjusted to his life as a shivering homeless man. At least, he thinks, he knows that life can't get any worse. Then he sees his father stumbling towards him - and realizes that someone has ripped out Gloucester's eyes. Edgar agrees to lead his father to Dover, a nearby town, but Gloucester still thinks he's just Poor Tom the homeless guy. Even though his father reveals he now knows his son to be innocent, Edgar still doesn't confess his true identity. 4.6 Gloucester wants to commit suicide by jumping off the famous cliffs of Dover. But Edgar has a plan - he'll fool his blind father into thinking he's jumping off a cliff, but actually he'll just be falling onto flat ground. For yet another unknown reason, his plan works. When Edgar goes up to his father, who is lying confused on the ground, Edgar changes his voice and switches identities. He convinces Gloucester that he really did fall off a cliff, and that the gods must have somehow saved him for a special purpose. Then Lear comes in, and Edgar has to watch the painful interaction between two great leaders who have been reduced to a blind man and a madman. Lear runs off, and Oswald, Goneril's smarmy servant, comes in and attempts to kill Gloucester to get a reward. Edgar puts on still another accent so that Oswald won't recognize him. Then, to protect his father, Edgar kills Oswald. Then he discovers that Oswald is carrying a letter that reveals that Edmund is plotting to kill Goneril's husband. Edgar decides he has to do something about this. 5.1 Edgar shows up in disguise at the enemy camp and gives Albany, Goneril's husband, the incriminating letter about Goneril and Edmund. Edgar also promises to fight Edmund. 5.2 Edgar leaves his father behind and goes off to fight in the battle against Regan and Goneril. Edgar's side loses the battle, so he comes back to lead Gloucester to safety. 5.3 Edgar shows up to fight Edmund. He accuses Edmund of betraying his father and brother as well as Albany, Goneril's husband. Edmund denies everything and they get right into the sword fighting action. Edgar stabs his brother and wins the duel. As Edmund is slowly dying, Edgar reveals his true identity and narrates his whole story. He tells Edmund that their father died of shock when he (Edgar) finally revealed himself to him. Along with everybody else, Edgar sees Lear come in carrying Cordelia's body. After Lear dies, Albany, the default king, offers to share the throne with Edgar and Kent. Edgar does not refuse the offer, and in some versions of the play he speaks the final lines: "The weight of this sad time we must obey / speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. /The oldest hath borne most; we that are young / Shall never see so much, nor live so long" (5.3.321-325). Of course, in other versions, he merely stands around.

Cordelia

1.2 Cordelia is the baby of the Lear family, and she's definitely her father's favorite. When King Lear starts, she is about to choose between marrying either the Duke of Burgundy or the King of France. Then her father announces that he's going to divide his kingdom among his three daughters on the basis of which one of them loves him the most. Her sisters make gushing, insincere speeches about their love, but Cordelia refuses to say anything at all - except for some scathing criticism of her insincere sisters. Furious, Lear disowns her, which means Burgundy no longer wants to marry her. Luckily, the King of France likes girls with principles, so he says he will take her off to France as his bride. 4.4 Cordelia shows up in Britain with a bunch of soldiers she borrowed from her husband, the King of France. Cordelia has heard all about the terrible ways Lear has been treated by her sisters, and she's determined to kick them out of power and put Lear back on the throne, where he belongs. She discusses these plans with her soldiers and prays that Lear, who has gone crazy after all that he's been through, will recover. Lear has run off somewhere, so she sends 100 soldiers after him. 4.7 Cordelia is finally reunited with her father, who begs her forgiveness. 5.2 After losing the battle, Edmund captures Cordelia and Lear. Cordelia demands to be taken before her sisters, but Lear says he would rather just go to prison instead, as it's a nice vantage point from which to make fun of everyone. 5.3 Cordelia is hanged offstage by Edmund's captain. Lear, howling in grief, carries her dead body onstage.

Gertrude

1.2 Gertrude and Claudius enter as the (half-new) royal couple. 1.2 Gertrude tells Hamlet to stay in Denmark and to cheer up. 2.2 When Claudius screws up Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's names, Gertrude corrects him. 2.2 Listening to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's non-report, Gertrude tells Ophelia she hopes that the "mad with love" theory is correct - wouldn't that be nice? 3.2 The Queen watches Hamlet's play, which obviously insults her for her remarriage. Yet she keeps her cool. 3.4 Gertrude plans for Polonius to overhear her confronting Hamlet about his rude play. Instead, Hamlet gets so angry she worries he will kill her. Hamlet kills Polonius, and goes right back to calling his mother a sex-crazed immoral beast. Then he starts talking to people who aren't there (according to Gertrude and her non-ghost-seeing point of view). 4.1 When Hamlet leaves and Claudius comes in, Gertrude tells him her son is totally crazy. 4.5 The Queen at first refuses to see the insane Ophelia, but is convinced otherwise by Horatio. She tries to calm Laertes down when he storms the palace, ready for revenge. 4.7 Gertrude enters with news of Ophelia's death. It's probably a suicide, but Gertrude tries to tell Laertes in a gentle way so he won't freak out. 5.1 Gertrude strews flowers on Ophelia's grave: "Sweets to the sweet - farewell." 5.2 Gertrude drinks a goblet of poisoned wine meant for Hamlet, despite her husband's warning.

Laertes

1.2 Laertes gets permission from the new King to return to France. 1.3 Before he goes, Laertes tells Ophelia to guard her "chaste treasure." He also listens to a lot of advice from Dad and then takes off for France. 4.5 Hearing the news of his father's murder, Laertes storms back to Denmark, raises a bunch of supporters, and storms the royal palace. Claudius and Gertrude get him to calm down. 5.1 His sister gets a hushed-up, not-very-nice burial because she commit suicide and suicides weren't supposed to be given Christian burial at all. Laertes tries to demand more ceremony for his sister. When Hamlet shows up, the two of them jump in Ophelia's grave and fight about who loved her more. 5.2 Laertes dies from a wound inflicted with a poisoned sword. Since he poisoned the sword himself, he got what was coming to him. He begs for Hamlet's forgiveness, and receives it.

Regan

1.2 Regan sucks up to Lear to get a third of his kingdom. After Lear banishes Cordelia and Kent, Regan and Goneril talk worriedly about how to deal with their aging father. 2.1 Regan gets letters from both her father and Goneril about a fight at Goneril's house. To avoid having to take Lear into her own house, she shows up at Gloucester's castle and asks to stay the night. 2.2 Regan and her husband put Lear's messenger, Kent/Caius, in the stocks for fighting Oswald. When Lear shows up, Regan sweet talks him to avoid a confrontation until Goneril shows up. Then the two sisters have a full fledged fight with Lear about who's really in charge. Lear, furious, leaves the castle, and Regan suggests that they lock the doors behind him to teach him a lesson. 3.7 Regan and Cornwall accuse Gloucester of trying to save Lear and of generally operating on the side of good. They tie him up and interrogate him, and then Regan watches as Cornwall pulls out Gloucester's eyes. When a servant rebels at this horrific behavior and tries to stop them, Regan stabs him in the back, but not before the servant mortally wounds her husband. 4.5 With her husband barely dead, Regan decides she wants to marry Edmund. She tries to persuade Oswald, Goneril's servant, to tell her what's going on between her sister and the new Earl, but Oswald refuses. Regan suggests that he kill Gloucester, as there's now a price on his head. 5.1 In the middle of a pre-battle hookup with Edmund, Regan demands to know if he and Goneril have done the deed behind Albany's back. Edmund tells her she's crazy. 3.1 Post-battle, Regan tries to fight with Goneril over Edmund, but finds herself too sick to really do anything. We find out later that Goneril has poisoned her, and Regan dies offstage.

Clauidus

1.2 We meet Claudius during an official ceremony where he explains the slightly awkward situation that brought him to the throne. He then goes on to deal capably with the day-to-day business of the court. 1.2 Claudius tries to convince Hamlet to stop mourning for his father. 2.2 Diplomats announce that war with Norway is averted. Polonius trots out his "mad love" theory of Hamlet. 2.3 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern prove unhelpful, but overhearing Hamlet and Ophelia makes Claudius nervous. It doesn't sound like love is the thing making Hamlet angry - it's more like marriage is. "Those that are married (all but one) shall live," Hamlet says. Not a good sign for Claudius, or, in fact, newlyweds everywhere. 3.2 Claudius watches Hamlet's play, sees a reenactment of the way he killed his brother, freaks out, and runs from the room. 3.3 Claudius prays for forgiveness for killing his brother, but realizes he's not willing to give up the crown or the wife he got from his foul deed. In this way, he unknowingly escapes being killed by Hamlet. 4.1 Claudius finds his wife totally upset after her confrontation with her son. Polonius is also dead, which makes him not so happy. Claudius decides that Hamlet must be sent away to England now. This way they can start damage control. 4.3 Claudius gets Hamlet to tell him where Polonius' body is. Once the Prince is gone, the King reveals he has ordered for Hamlet to be killed once he gets to England. 4.5 Despite the castle being totally invaded by followers of angry Laertes, Claudius manages to calm everybody down and keep the crown on his head. 4.7 Claudius finds out that Hamlet is still alive. He plots with Laertes about how they're going to kill Hamlet, supposedly so Laertes can have his revenge. Gertrude enters with news of Ophelia's death, which gets Laertes all worked up again. This frustrates Claudius to no end. 5.1 Claudius attends Ophelia's funeral, where Hamlet shows up and makes trouble. 5.2 After Claudius fails to stop his wife from drinking a goblet of wine he knows is poisoned, he gets a taste of his own medicine - literally. Hamlet runs him through with a sword and then makes him drink the rest of the poisoned wine.

Polonius

1.2 We meet Polonius. 1.3 Polonius tells his son, "To thine own self be true," and commands his daughter not to be promiscuous. 2.1 Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet is acting weird; Polonius concludes Hamlet is crazy because he's been denied love, or just drunk. 2.2 Polonius tells Gertrude and Claudius about his "mad with love" theory and proposes a plan. He tries to assess the Prince's madness and is called a "fishmonger" in the process, among several other insulting names. He then watches the players perform the Hecuba speech and remarks that it is "too long." 2.3 Polonius drags his daughter before the King and Queen, sticks a prayer book in her hand, and tells her she's the bait for Hamlet. He then does what he always does, and hides behind a curtain. Hamlet's interaction with Ophelia does not support the mad love theory, yet Polonius still thinks he's right. 3.2 Polonius watches the play and says little. Hamlet mocks him... yet again. 3.3 He makes a plan with Claudius to overhear the interaction between Gertrude and Hamlet. 3.4 Polonius hides behind an arras to hear what Hamlet has to say. He tries to emerge from the curtain when Gertrude calls for help, but ends up getting stabbed by Hamlet instead. Polonius' last line: "O, I am slain!"

Kent/Caius

1.2 When Kent defends Cordelia against Lear's punishment, Lear banishes him from the kingdom. 1.4 Kent comes back in disguise as "Caius," a peasant, and asks if he can be Lear's servant. Lear agrees. 1.5 Lear asks Kent to deliver a message to Regan. 2.2 Kent starts a fight with Oswald, Goneril's disrespectful messenger. Cornwall comes in and Kent refuses to suck up to him, even though Cornwall is the guy running the show. As punishment, Cornwall puts Kent in the stocks. Take that. Kent settles down in the cold to endure his punishment, and is released as soon as Lear shows up. 3.1 Kent has a secret meeting with a nameless gentleman. He instructs the man to carry a message to Cordelia about the way Lear is being treated. 3.2 Kent finds Lear and the Fool wandering around in the storm and brings them to a cave. 3.4 Gloucester brings Kent, Lear, his fool, and Poor Tom to a better shelter. Kent tries to calm Lear down, but the King is busy with his mad ranting. Gloucester then tells him they had better get out of there, because Lear's life is in danger. 4.3 Kent and a messenger talk about how Cordelia has brought French troops to Britain to fight for Lear. 4.7 Kent finally finds Cordelia, and is around to witness the reunion between her and the King. 5.3 Kent comes looking for King Lear, who has been captured. Later, when Lear is grieving over Cordelia, Kent tries to explain to him about his disguise and how he followed him faithfully the whole time. Lear doesn't listen. After Lear dies, Albany offers Kent the chance to rule the kingdom. Kent refuses, hinting that he's going to follow Lear into death.

Julius Ceasar

1.2: After whooping up on Pompey's sons, Caesar parades through the streets of Rome and parties it up at the Feast of Lupercal, where he gets the rock star treatment. When a soothsayer warns Caesar to "beware the Ides of March," Caesar blows him off. 1.2.: Caesar chats it up with Antony about how Cassius is a dangerous little ankle biter. 2.2: Fast forward a month. After hearing about Calphurnia's bad dream (she envisioned a bunch of Romans bathing in Caesar's blood), Caesar decides he'll stay home instead of going to the Senate. But then Decius shows up and says Calphurnia's dream just means Caesar is going to be an awesome ruler. Caesar decides to go to the Capitol, where he thinks he'll be crowned king. 3.1: On his way to the Capitol, Caesar runs into Artemidorus, who is carrying a letter warning Caesar about Cassius' plot to assassinate him. Caesar refuses to read the letter and tells Artemidorus to scram. 3.1: When Metellus Cimber kneels before Caesar, petitioning for his banished brother, Caesar acts like a jerk and threatens to kick him away like a dog. 3.1: Caesar gets stabbed 33 times by his frenemies and blood spurts out of his wounds, making him look like a bloody fountain. Before falling down, he looks at his so-called pal and asks, "Et tu, Brute?"

Antony (of JC)

1.2: At the Feast of the Lupercal Antony runs around in a goatskin g-string and whips Caesar's wife, Calphurnia, to ensure her fertility. (Seriously.) He then sucks up to Julius Caesar and listens attentively while big JC talks trash about Cassius (who always looks like he's up to no good). 3.2: After Julius Caesar is stabbed 33 times, Antony shows up and makes a big public speech about how awesome Caesar was. The crowd eats this up and seems ready to avenge Caesar's death. 3.2: Antony is pleased when he hears that Octavius has arrived in Rome and that Cassius and Brutus have run away like a couple of sissies. 4.1: Antony checks his hit list, which is made up the names of a bunch of people he intends to kill with the help of Octavius and Lepidus. Antony convinces Lepidus to have his own brother killed, then sends him off on an errand to raise some cash for a big war against Cassius and Brutus, who have raised an army. 5.1: Antony and his army prepare for a big smack-down at Philippi. Before heading into battle, Antony meets with the leaders of the other team and talks some trash. 5.5: After Brutus dies, Antony makes a big, flowery speech over his dead body, proclaiming that Brutus was the "noblest Roman" of them all. Psst. Shakespeare continues Antony's life story in Antony and Cleopatra, where our boy has an oh-so steamy love affair with the Queen of the Nile.

Brutus

1.2: At the feast of the Lupercal, Brutus acts like a party pooper and says he can't help it - he's just not as much fun as some people...like Antony. Plus, he's been upset about something lately and is "at war" with himself. 1.2: Before heading home, Brutus chats it up with Cassius, who tries to convince Brutus that Caesar is bad for Rome and needs to be offed. Brutus should totally join the conspirators against Caesar. Brutus plays coy and says he'll think about it. 2.1: Brutus reasons with himself in his garden late at night. He concludes that he must help take down Caesar, who could become a tyrant if he's given too much power. 2.1: Brutus reads a bunch of letters supposedly written by some concerned Roman citizen (they're really written by Cassius) about Caesar's growing power. 2.1: Brutus then welcomes all the conspirators, and as Cassius suggests they swear an oath, Brutus gives a rousing speech about how killing Caesar is the right thing to do. 2.1: Brutus meets a concerned Portia and tries to convince her that he's just not feeling well. She pleads with him to let her know what's bothering him. He promises she's his true wife (meaning that he loves her), and after listening to her beautiful speech about being a noble daughter and a noble wife, he cries out to the gods that he hopes to be worthy of her. He's interrupted by a knock and sends her to bed, promising he'll share his burden with her eventually. 3.1: Brutus participates in stabbing Caesar until the guy looks like a bleeding fountain. 3.1: Brutus agrees to let Antony speak at Caesar's funeral, on the condition that Antony not blame the traitors but speak only good of Caesar. 3.2: Brutus delivers a speech about Caesar. Prophetically, he promises he has done no more to Caesar than the Romans will do to him (Brutus). He closes with the fact that he "slew his best lover" (not in a romantic sense) for Rome, and that he will use the same dagger he killed Caesar with on himself when his countrymen want his death. (It's like he's psychic!) He then excuses himself from hearing Antony's speech, which is probably not a good idea. 4.2: Planning the battle against Antony, Brutus confides in Cassius' servant Pindarus. He says Cassius' actions since the murder have been shady and make him wish they have never started down this path. Still, he'll wait until Cassius arrives to clear it all up. Brutus also tells Lucilius that he fears Cassius' friendship is cooling, which can't be a good sign. 4.3: Brutus and Cassius argue about Cassius' acceptance of bribes, and Brutus condemns him for being greedy. Worse, he thinks this undermines their assassination of Caesar. If they begin to support robbers, he says, they can't claim they killed Caesar out of justice. 4.3: The fight escalates, and when it comes to a head, Brutus warns Cassius that he'll be sorry. Brutus has no fear because he's strong in his honesty. (Again, he thinks he's protected by his own integrity, which is admirable but not so smart.) Then they go back to fighting again: Cassius denied Brutus gold for his troops, and Brutus wouldn't pinch it from the poor peasants. This continues until Cassius, in a fit, offers himself up for Brutus to stab, since Brutus thinks he's such an awful guy. 4.3: There are apologies all around, and the men leave the tent as friends willing to put up with each other's tempers. Before they exit, though, Brutus cryptically says Cassius is "yoked with a lamb that carries anger as the flint bears fire," meaning something else is up that's the real foundation of Brutus' bad mood. 4.3: Brutus admits what the lamb is: Portia's recent death, which has added to his sorrow. He explains that she died of grief over his absence. He doesn't want to talk about her anymore and demands that no one else does. Then he takes a drink to soothe his feelings. 4.3: Brutus now confers with Messala, who has arrived with some news from Rome. The two discuss what Antony and Octavius are up to in Rome, then Brutus asks Messala what news there is of Portia. Once he gets Messala to admit Portia is dead, he simply says farewell to her. She had to die sometime, and he can endure the thought of her death now that it has passed. 4.3: Brutus quickly gets back to business. The men debate whether they should meet the enemy at Philippi or wait for the enemy to come to them. Brutus makes a case for the former: they're at their most powerful now and can only become weaker, he argues. If they act now, fortune might carry them, but if they wait, they're doomed. 4.3: Brutus, content that everyone (including Lucius, the musician) has gone to bed, cracks open his book. Just then he sees the ghost of Caesar, which makes his "blood cold." He asks what it has come for, and hearing it say they'll meet at Philippi, he becomes brave Brutus again. He bids the ghost a terse good-bye, saying fine, they'll meet at Philippi then. Brutus wakes everyone else up to ask if they saw anything. Hearing that they didn't, he sends messengers to tell Cassius they should deploy their armies early. 5.1: Brutus is now at the battlefield with Cassius. They challenge Antony and Octavius before the battle begins. Brutus asks if they'll have words before blows, which seems mocking, because he would like to get straight to the point and not mess around. Octavius and Antony taunt him, but Brutus keeps his cool before he goes back to his men. 5.1: In veiled terms, Brutus and Cassius confer over what they'll do if this is their last meeting. While Brutus thinks suicide is cowardly, he admits, upon Cassius' reminder, that he will never go to Rome in bonds of defeat. He then pronounces that the work they began on the Ides of March will come to an end today. Brutus says goodbye to Cassius, just in case this is it, and he doesn't let on whether he thinks they have a chance. Brutus is neither proud nor cowardly. He follows Cassius into battle, the very picture of stoicism. They don't know what the day will bring, but they know that it will end, and when it does they'll have the answer. 5.3: Brutus has advanced his troops on Octavius' weak spot. Now he goes to see the body of Cassius, whom Messala told him has died. Seeing Titinius dead too, Brutus cries out to Caesar's spirit, saying it is mighty still, as it makes men kill themselves. 5.3: As Brutus looks over the bodies of Cassius and Titinius, he declares there shall never be more Romans like them; he calls them the last of all the Romans. Brutus says his friends won't see him shed all the tears he owes Cassius, but he'll find time eventually to mourn. Back to business, Brutus sends the bodies away from the camp to be buried so they don't disturb the men. He calls all his remaining men back to the field to try their luck again. 5.5: Brutus stops to rest with the remainder of his men. He pulls each of them aside separately and asks them to kill him. To the last man, Volumnius, he admits he saw the ghost of Caesar at Sardis and again on the battlefields. He says he knows his time has come. He would rather jump into the pit of death than wait for his enemies to push him in, and he hopes Volumnius, out of love, will help him take his own life. 5.5: Brutus says good-bye to his men and promises to follow them as they flee from the enemy. Then he declares that he finds more glory in this losing day than Antony or Octavius shall have through their vile conquest. Brutus accepts death peacefully, saying his bones have worked their whole life for this hour's rest. Strato holds Brutus' sword while Brutus runs on it, proclaiming: "Caesar, now be still, I kill'd not thee with half so good a will."

Prince of Verona

1.2: Furious at yet another Montague-Capulet brawl disturbing the peace, the Prince orders that from now on, anyone who fights in public will be put to death. 3.1: Despite his warning, the Prince discovers that the Montagues and Capulets have been fighting again. This time, two young men are dead - and one of them is the Prince's cousin, Mercutio. "My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding," he says (3.1.199). The Prince rules that, since Tybalt started the fight and killed Mercutio, there are extenuating circumstances for Romeo's killing Tybalt. So the Prince condemns Romeo to banishment rather than death. 5.2: The Prince comes into the Capulet tomb and finds Romeo and Juliet lying dead in each other's arms. He pronounces that the tragic deaths of the two lovers are a punishment for the hatred that the Montague and Capulet families have allowed to flourish. In the matter of Romeo and Juliet's death, the Prince rules, "Some shall be pardoned and some punished" (5.3.319). He suggests that the Friar will be pardoned; the fate of the Nurse and other participants is unclear. At the same time, the Prince says, the pitiful deaths of Romeo and Juliet are themselves a heavy burden that everyone must bear. In that sense, he says, "All are punished" (5.3.305).

Paris

1.2: Paris asks Lord Capulet if he can marry the thirteen-year-old Juliet. 1.5: Though he has no lines, Paris dances with Juliet at the Capulet's party. Somehow, though, Romeo gets to kiss Juliet and he doesn't. (Paris doesn't realize this, of course.) 3.4: Even though the Capulets are mourning for Tybalt's death, Paris shows up hoping for news that Juliet wants to marry him. Lord Capulet is worried that his daughter's grief over her cousin's death is out of control, so he asks Paris if he would be willing to marry Juliet right away, that very week. Paris agrees. 4.1: Paris goes to Friar Laurence to arrange the details of the wedding. Friar Laurence is not too thrilled about the idea of Paris marrying Juliet. Then Juliet shows up, and Paris greets her enthusiastically. She seems to still be very upset over her cousin's death, and she answers his questions strangely. Friar Laurence suggests Paris should leave so Juliet can have confession. So Paris gives her a chaste kiss and tells her he'll see her at the altar. 4.5: Paris arrives at the Capulet's house fresh-faced and excited. It's the morning of his wedding, and finally, he gets to marry Juliet, the girl of his dreams. Instead, he finds everyone grieving at her bedside. Juliet is dead. 5.2: Paris, shocked that Juliet had the nerve to die the night before they are supposed to be married, grieves quietly by Juliet's tomb. Outlaw Romeo shows up, and Paris assumes he's there to cause trouble for the Capulets. He and Romeo fight, and Romeo kills him. Afterwards Romeo feels bad, since Paris was basically a nice guy.

Duncan

1.2: We meet Duncan as he demands that a bloody Captain give him news of how the battle is going. He is full of praises for all that have fought, especially Macbeth and Banquo. He announces that Macbeth has earned the title that the Thane of Cawdor gave up by his treachery. 1.4: Duncan asks if Cawdor has been executed, and notes that it's impossible to figure out whom to trust, as a kind face often hides an evil mind. Duncan then meets Macbeth and Banquo, and is full of gushing praises and thanks for everyone, especially Macbeth and Banquo. He names his son the next in line to the kingship, not knowing this will only spur Macbeth to murder him. 1.6: Duncan arrives with his sons and noblemen to Macbeth's castle at Inverness, and is full of praises for what a lovely place the castle is. At meeting Lady Macbeth, Duncan says he loves her, citing this love as the only reason he would trouble her by being her guest tonight. He professes to love Macbeth, too. This is the last we see of Duncan before his death.

Flavius

1.2: What's that, Flavius? Timon doesn't have enough money to keep giving away gifts, and you're worried about his future? Sounds pretty important to us. 2.2: Flavius opens the scene by telling us that Timon has too many bills he can't pay. When more servants stroll in asking for Timon to pay up, Flavius tells Timon he has important news for him. Even though he breaks the news off stage, Flavius and Timon are pretty antsy by the time they get back. Flavius reveals that he's already sent servants to ask Timon's friends for help, and they've refused. Timon doesn't believe it and sends servants to his friends, anyway. 3.4: Flavius disguises himself and tries to escape from the torment of the creditors' servants begging him for money. Too bad a cloak doesn't do the trick. Then he and Timon discuss what to do next, now that his friends have refused him. Timon insists on having a banquet, but Flavius tells him there isn't even enough money to buy the meat. 4.2: Flavius tells the other servants that there is no money left, and the house is ruined. He is really down over what's happened to poor Timon, so he decides to go off into the woods in search of him. 4.3: When Flavius finds Timon in the woods, he's surprised by how different his master is. He tries to get his master to trust him and let him hang out, but Timon insists that he leave. 5.1: Flavius enters with the Senators but tells them it's no use trying to plead with Timon for help. He shows them to Timon's cave and morosely reports that Timon will remain misanthropic and grouchy forever.

Oswald

1.3 Goneril tells Oswald to be rude to Lear in order to start a confrontation. 1.4 Oswald is pointedly cold and disrespectful to Lear. Kent trips him in revenge and insults him. 2.2 Kent tries to start a fight with Oswald. Oswald acts cowardly and blames everything on Kent. 4.2 Oswald informs Goneril that her husband is beginning to turn against her. He also finds out that she and Edmund are having an affair. 4.5 Regan tries to get Oswald to let her read a letter from Goneril to Edmund, but Oswald refuses. Regan suggests he kill Gloucester, as there is a reward for doing so. 4.6 Oswald finds Gloucester and tries to kill him, but Edgar intervenes and kills Oswald in his father's defense. Oswald gives up the letter before he dies.

Ophelia

1.3 Polonius and Laertes tell Ophelia that Hamlet just wants to sleep with her, and that she should break up with him. He's out of her league. 1.3 Ophelia agrees when her father orders her to stop seeing Hamlet. 2.1 Ophelia tells Polonius about Hamlet showing up all crazy-like in her room. 2.3 In a situation set up by her father, Ophelia talks to Hamlet for the first time in weeks. He is cold, tells her he didn't love her, and then says, "Get thee to a nunnery." Ophelia thinks he's gone totally bonkers and is justifiably upset by his behavior. 3.2 Hamlet sits next to Ophelia during the production of his play and continually makes dirty and insulting jokes directed at her. She tries to keep her cool. 4.5 Ophelia wanders onstage acting insane, singing dirty songs and yelling incoherent comments at Gertrude and Claudius. When her brother comes in, she responds by throwing around some more flowers. 4.7 Gertrude announces that Ophelia has drowned. Looks like a suicide.

Banquo

1.3: Banquo is the first to notice the three weird sisters on the ride back from battle with Macbeth. He wonders at their natures, sensing something is foul by the fact that they seem to inhabit the earth, yet they don't look as things of the earth. When the witches hail Macbeth with his accursed good news, Banquo comments what they say seems nice, and he wonders why Macbeth looks so afraid. Rather than be afraid himself, he asks the women to look into his future, to say whether it is good or bad. They tell him that he'll bear a line of kings, though he won't be one, and he will at once be greater and lesser than Macbeth, and happier and less happy than Macbeth. The witches disappear, and Banquo wonders whether he and Macbeth have eaten "the insane root" since they have seen such fantastical things as these women. When Ross enters announcing that Macbeth is now Thane of Cawdor (just as the witches prophesied), Banquo asks if the Devil can speak true. While Macbeth is already hatching his nasty plan, Banquo is cautious. He notes that the deepest consequences can come from trifling with evil, which would tell you nice things in order to bring you over to the dark side. Banquo notices Macbeth is distracted, and agrees to speak with him on it later. 1.4: Banquo is greeted by Duncan as Macbeth is, and though he is given no specific honor, he is told that he is close to the King's own heart. Banquo humbly insists that any seed of greatness that the King plants in Banquo is the King's to reap. 1.6: Banquo goes to Inverness (Macbeth's home) with the King and company. Here, he gives a pretty speech about the home of the martin, judging that if that wonderful bird should make its cradle there, the air must be soft and good. (Banquo, it might be said, is not so astute about how to protect one's family and one's self.) 2.1: Banquo and his son Fleance are up late at Macbeth's house. Banquo can't sleep because he is plagued by "cursed thoughts" that he says nature brings to him in sleep. He meets Macbeth walking in the hall, and tells him he dreamt of the weird sisters, which Macbeth brushes off. Cryptically, Macbeth tells Banquo if he will support his cause, it would be an honor to Banquo. Banquo replies that his allegiance is clear (implicitly an allegiance to good and to Duncan) and the two again agree to talk more later. 2.3: Banquo wakes with all the others upon hearing of the King's murder, and is horrified. While Macbeth is busy making long talk, it is Macduff and Banquo who attend to his wife, who has grown faint on hearing about Macbeth's murder of the guards. 3.1: Banquo already suspects Macbeth of some wrongdoing, as the prophecy has come true but in a most awful way. Instead of ruminating on this, Banquo asks whether his part of the prophecy, that he would sire kings, might come true, too. There is no moral tongue wagging here, as Banquo is interrupted by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, who invite him to dinner after inquiring where he will be at a certain hour of the day. He, innocent of any bad intentions on their part, tells them he will be on a horseback ride with his son Fleance, but will be glad to attend dinner with them later. 3.3: Banquo returns to Forres and is about to attend the big dinner when he is accosted by the murderers Macbeth sent. He says it looks like rain, and the murderers have at him. At his dying breath, he denounces what he knows to be Macbeth's treachery, and bids his fleeing son to avenge his honor. Note: Banquo's ghost is written into the following banquet scene, and is shown in some productions, while others keep it in the mind's eye of a guilty Macbeth. The ghost does not speak, but gets his haunting on quite effectively anyway.

The Nurse

1.3: The Nurse makes it clear that she, not Lady Capulet, is the one who has really raised Juliet, as well as the one who knows her best. Lady Capulet is trying to tell Juliet about a marriage proposal, but the Nurse hijacks the conversation with her memories of Juliet's childhood antics. Sounds like an under-the-table power struggle. 1.5: The Nurse watches over Juliet at the party. She breaks up the Romeo-Juliet kissing scene when she comes to tell Juliet her mother is looking for her. The Nurse starts her role as Romeo and Juliet's go-between when she informs Romeo of Juliet's identity and later learns Romeo's name. She's a regular ol' matchmaker. 2.2: The Nurse adds both comedy and tension to the balcony scene by calling to Juliet from offstage and forcing her to go back inside repeatedly. 2.4: Juliet sends the Nurse to meet with Romeo and find out the plans for their wedding. When the Nurse tries to find Romeo, she is met by Mercutio, who both flirts with her and mocks her. The Nurse is simultaneously insulted and titillated by Mercutio's innuendoes. When she finally gets Romeo alone, the Nurse talks a mile a minute and barely allows Romeo a word in edgewise. Miraculously, he somehow gets his message across. 2.5: The Nurse loves teasing Juliet, so when she returns with a message from Romeo, she refuses to tell Juliet what Romeo has said. Instead she complains about her aching back and how tired she is. When Juliet can't stand it anymore, the Nurse tells her that Romeo is waiting to marry her in Friar Laurence's cell. 3.2: The Nurse has gone out to get a rope ladder to allow Romeo to sneak into Juliet's room that night. She brings back the ladder - but she has also just seen Tybalt's dead body and heard that it was Romeo who killed him. The Nurse tells Juliet the terrible news and bitterly denounces Romeo. Juliet yells at the Nurse for criticizing her husband. When she sees how desperate Juliet feels at the news of Romeo's banishment, the Nurse promises to find Romeo so Juliet can say good-bye to him. 3.3: As the Nurse suspects, Romeo is hiding in Friar Laurence's cell. Romeo is a total mess, and the Nurse tells him to get his act together for Juliet's sake. Then she lets Romeo know that Juliet still loves him, even though he has killed her cousin. 3.5: After Romeo and Juliet have spent their wedding night together in secret, the Nurse comes in to warn them that Juliet's mother is coming and that Romeo had better peace out. Lady Capulet announces that Juliet will be marrying Paris later that week. When Juliet hysterically refuses to marry Paris, her father is furious at her disobedience. The Nurse tries to intervene and tells Lord Capulet that he is being too harsh on his daughter. In response, Lord Capulet attacks the Nurse verbally - and maybe physically. He tells Juliet that she can either marry Paris or be thrown out onto the streets. After her parents leave, Juliet asks the Nurse for advice on what to do. The Nurse tells her she should forget Romeo and marry Paris. 4.2: Juliet comes back from her visit to Friar Laurence, and the Nurse thinks she looks more cheerful. Juliet says she will marry Paris and asks the Nurse to help her figure out what clothes she should wear on her wedding day. 4.3: Juliet asks the Nurse to leave her alone, telling Lady Capulet that the Nurse should help with the wedding preparations. 4.4: The Nurse bustles around excitedly with Lord and Lady Capulet as they prepare for the wedding. 4.5: The Nurse tries to wake Juliet for her wedding with Paris. At first, she teases Juliet about sleeping now since Paris will keep her up all night during their honeymoon. Then she realizes Juliet is no longer breathing. Along with the rest of Juliet's family, the Nurse mourns over the body of her beloved girl. 5.3: The Friar confesses to the Prince that the Nurse was involved in Romeo and Juliet's secret marriage. It's unclear if the Nurse will be pardoned or punished for her role in the tragedy.

The Fool

1.4 The Fool mocks Lear for giving up all his land to his daughters. 1.5 The Fool tells jokes to distract Lear from his horrible confrontation with Goneril. 2.2 The Fool shows up with Lear at Gloucester's house. When Lear rushes out of the house after his showdown with Goneril and Regan, the Fool follows him. 3.2 Out in the storm with Lear, who is shouting at the heavens about his ungrateful daughters, the Fool tries to convince the crazy man to go inside. 3.4 The Fool enters the cave and discovers Poor Tom inside. As Lear goes increasingly crazy, the Fool tries to calm him down. 3.6 The Fool participates in Lear's mock trial of his daughters. His final line in the play, mysteriously, is, "And I'll go to bed at noon" (3.6.82). Your guess is as good as ours.

Mercutio

1.4: On their way to crashing the Capulet party, Mercutio mocks his best friend Romeo for being infatuated with Rosaline. Then he starts riffing on Queen Mab, a strange fairy who visits people in their dreams. Romeo and Benvolio finally drag him off to the party. 1.5: Mercutio attends the Capulet bash, but has no lines. 2.1: Mercutio and Benvolio can't find Romeo after the party. Mercutio tries to conjure Romeo by saying dirty things about Rosaline, the girl Romeo was infatuated with. The attempt fails, so Mercutio heads home. 2.4: Mercutio and Benvolio still haven't figured out where Romeo disappeared to the night before. They discuss Tybalt, who has sent a letter to Romeo's house challenging him to a duel. Mercutio mocks Tybalt and calls him the "prince of cats." When Romeo finally shows up, Mercutio is glad to see he's moved on from Rosaline. Juliet's nurse marches in and demands to speak with Romeo. Mercutio teases her with inappropriate jokes and pretends to flirt with her. 3.1: Mercutio is chilling with Benvolio when Tybalt shows up looking for Romeo. Mercutio and Tybalt trade insults. Romeo appears, but he refuses to fight with Tybalt, even when Tybalt provokes him. Furious at his best friend's cowardice, Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a duel. He and Tybalt fight. When Romeo tries to stop them from dueling, Tybalt wounds Mercutio. Although he jokes about his wound, Mercutio is seriously hurt. 3.1: Mercutio dies cursing the Montagues and Capulets for dragging him into their quarrel. "A plague o'both your houses - they have made worm's meat of me," he says.

Lady Macbeth

1.5: Lady Macbeth reads the letter Macbeth has sent her announcing the prophecy of the weird sisters and the greatness they promised to her husband. Lady Macbeth worries that Macbeth would like to have that greatness, but isn't strong enough to do what needs to be done to get it. Upon hearing that the King will stay with them that night, Lady Macbeth appeals to dark spirits "that tend on mortal thoughts" and asks to be the mouthpiece of their deeds. She hopes to be able to speak strongly enough to steel Macbeth to their cause. She hails Macbeth as the future king, and tells him to be strong. She'll take care of the details if he just puts a good face on it. 1.6: Lady Macbeth greets Duncan, his sons and the noblemen, assuring them that she is pleased to take the worries of hosting them the night. She agrees to take them to Macbeth, and catches him resolving himself to not do the deed. She speaks of his manhood as being augmented by their unnatural action of murdering Duncan, and insists that if he just bounds up his courage, she has enough of a plan put together that they can pull off the murder and framing the guards. She convinces him to go through with the deed. 2.2: Lady Macbeth has drugged the guards and claims she is made strong by what weakens the others. She sees Macbeth, who is out of sorts after having done the deed. She is full of reassuring words, and urges him not to think so deeply of what's done, but look to the good that can be gained by it. She urges Macbeth to go wash his hands while she puts Duncan's blood on the sleeping guards. She then takes Macbeth to bed so they don't look suspicious later. 2.3: When alarms are sounded about Duncan's death, Lady Macbeth wakes, seemingly innocent. She mostly plays quiet, but becomes faint when she hears that Macbeth has murdered the guards, which was so not a part of the plan. She is carried from the room. 3.2: Lady Macbeth had earlier been with Macbeth when he was asking for Banquo's whereabouts before the big dinner party. She goes to Macbeth. He seems occupied by his own thoughts, and probes him enough to learn that he's planning something sinister. He claims Banquo's murder is all that stands between them and peace of mind. Lady Macbeth protests, as she is not so comfortable with the idea of murdering Banquo. Macbeth reassures her by saying she doesn't need to know what she doesn't need to know, but that she'll applaud him later for the courage of this act. 3.4: Lady Macbeth plays hostess at the Macbeths' first big dinner party as King and Queen. Her main task over the course of the night becomes stopping Macbeth from looking like a madman while he effectively acts like a madman from seeing Banquo's ghost. She tries to distract their guests, urging them to eat and ignore the King, as he is given to fits of momentary madness, but then she chides him privately for being unmanly. She tells him to chill out and then sends everyone home, as it is clear they are all disturbed by Macbeth's strange behavior. Then Macbeth seems rational again. He is ready to hatch a plan to kill the traitorous Macduff, and promises to visit the weird sisters once more. In private, she does not question his manliness again, nor does she try to reason with him, but tells him he lacks "the season of all natures, sleep." The two go to bed. 5.1: Next time we see Lady Macbeth, she is still sleeping, but seems weary. A doctor and gentlewoman watch her sleepwalking fit, an activity which appears to have been happening a lot lately. She comes out and reenacts bits and pieces of her own plan to murder Duncan with Macbeth, but her sleepy recounting is peppered with her own insecurities, or perhaps guilt. She cannot seem to wash the blood (or its stench) off her hands, and she cries for the wife of the Thane of Fife, perhaps knowing that Macduff, the Thane of Fife, has had his wife recently murdered by Macbeth. She hurries back to bed when she hears a knocking in her dreams, probably remembering the knocking that happened after she and Macbeth saw to Duncan's murder. Note: One of the Queen's most important impacts occurs offstage. As announced in 5.5, she dies. Malcolm suggests in 5.7 that with "self and violent hands," it's from suicide, but we'll leave it up to interpretation. One thing's for certain: we do not see her again. She is not even mourned properly by Macbeth, who at this point is driven to further violence by the same desperation that seems to have killed her.

Macduff

1.6: Macduff first enters the play when the King and noblemen arrive at Inverness to stay with Macbeth. He has no lines in the scene, which is noteworthy only because the scene is filled with the fawning of his fellows. While they go on and on about how wonderful Macbeth's castle is, Macduff is silent. 2.3: Macduff arrives with Lennox to wake the King, and is the one to discover that Duncan has been murdered. He calls it for the horror that it is, no flip-flopping or abstraction like Banquo, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are prone to. He notes that the King is the Lord's anointed temple, indicating he believes that Kings receive their power directly from God. When Lady Macbeth enters with questions, he gently defers telling her the truth, suggesting that her woman's nature is too gentle to bear it. Irony at its best. Macduff cries out to Banquo about what has happened and is clearly stricken with honest grief. As Macbeth makes his speeches about Duncan, Macduff is the one to note his casual line about murdering the guards. He asks why Macbeth would do so; Macbeth prattles on. Macduff is the first to notice that Lady Macbeth is faint at Macbeth's news, and asks someone to tend to her. 2.4: Macduff speaks with Ross and conveys the news that the murderers are dead, slain by Macbeth, and notes that Malcolm and Donalbain have put suspicion on themselves by fleeing. He also informs Ross that Macbeth is thus named the new King. Interestingly, he will go home to Fife and his family instead of going to see the coronation. 4.3: Macduff is in England with Malcolm. We learned earlier that Macbeth had sent for Macduff's aid when he learned that Malcolm meant to gather rebellious forces. Macduff sent a clear "no" back to Macbeth, making his allegiance to Malcolm and his suspicion of Macbeth certain. Malcolm suggests they weep over the state of Scotland, and Macduff comforts him like a father. Macduff says it would be more fitting to take up arms to protect their homeland than to weep over her. Then comes Malcolm's speech where he tests Macduff's honesty to the cause of Scotland. After Malcolm paints a terrible picture of the letch he is, Macduff doesn't pretend to be OK with it. He says Malcolm is not only unfit to govern, but unfit to live if what he says is true. Malcolm admits he was lying, and Macduff replies simply that "such welcome and unwelcome things at once" are hard to reconcile. Ross meets Macduff and Malcolm, and Macduff immediately asks after his family. When Ross admits he has bad news (about ten minutes after saying they are well), Macduff demands to hear it fast. Ross says Macduff's wifeand children are murdered, and Macduff, shocked, asks him to repeat theterrible news. He blames himself for their deaths, as it seems they took the ill consequence of his leaving. Malcolm encourages him to use these feelings to storm up revenge. Macduff then gives no pretty speeches, but pledges to fight Macbeth himself. 5.4: Macduff enters Birnam Wood with other noblemen and the army. The others plan and discuss what's going on at Macbeth's house, but Macduff is mostly silent. He only cautions that they should focus on the battle and await its true outcome before thinking they have won. 5.7: Macduff runs around the battle seeking Macbeth. He says his family's ghosts will haunt him if Macbeth is killed by any other. He will not fight any of Macbeth's footmen or their flag bearers, but wishes to kill Macbeth only. He exits with "Let me find him, Fortune! And more I beg not." 5.8: Macbeth and Macduff meet on the battlefield. Macbeth asks Macduff to turn back, as he is already charged with too much of Macduff's blood. Macduff counters that he has no words, that his sword should be his voice. He then laughs at Macbeth's protective prophecy, as he seems fated to kill Macbeth, since he was not of woman-born, but rather torn from his mother's womb. He does brighten up when detailing to Macbeth how they'll impale his head on a pole for being such an un-fun tyrant. Macduff says no more, and slays Macbeth. 5.8: Macduff arrives with Macbeth's head and pronounces Malcolm the rightful king. He imagines that the good crowd surrounding Malcolm shares his good thoughts. Macduff sums up his feelings with a short and sweet, "Hail, King of Scotland!" to Malcolm. You can imagine this is more than the paltry fawning of lesser men, as Macduff cries it out while brandishing the gory head of the former King of Scotland.

Setting of Macbeth

11th century Scotland

Emilia

2.1 Emilia comes to Cyprus with Desdemona and her husband, Iago, who constantly mocks her. 3.1 Cassio asks Emilia if she can bring him to talk to Desdemona. Emilia agrees. 3.3 Emilia steals Desdemona's handkerchief and gives it to her husband. He isn't particularly grateful. 3.4 Desdemona searches for the lost handkerchief; Emilia says nothing. When Desdemona and Othello fight, Emilia suggests that he's acting jealous. 4.2 Othello interrogates Emilia about whether Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Emilia insists Desdemona is innocent. After Othello has another fight with his wife, during which he calls her a bad name, Emilia tries to comfort Desdemona. She says Othello is acting just as crazy as Iago did when Iago thought that she and Othello were having an affair. Iago tells her to shut up. 4.3 Emilia helps Desdemona prepare for bed. Desdemona asks her if she thinks women really do cheat on their husbands. Emilia says she would cheat on her husband if the payoff were big enough. Then she rants about the double standard between men's behavior and women's behavior. 5.1 Emilia comes upon the chaos surrounding Cassio and his being wounded in a mysterious attack. Iago sends her to tell the news to Othello. 5.2 Emilia comes into Desdemona's bedroom to find Othello there and Desdemona lying near death. Desdemona says she has been falsely murdered, then dies. Othello admits to doing it and says Desdemona deserved it. Emilia, not caring if Othello kills her, screams and raises the alarm. As Othello keeps talking about the handkerchief, Emilia realizes that Iago must be at fault for Othello's misinformation. She accuses her husband in front of Othello and other witnesses. Othello realizes the truth, and Iago stabs Emilia in revenge. She dies next to Desdemona, pleased with herself for having spoken the truth.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

2.2 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive in Elsinore and suck up to King Claudius. He mixes up their names. 2.2 After sucking up to Claudius, they meet up with Hamlet. He guesses what they're up to right away, and they admit they were sent for by the King and Queen. 3.1 The duo reports back to the royals about what they've learned regarding Hamlet's madness: nothing. 3.2 They try again to find out what's wrong with Hamlet, and he calls them out for being spies. They can't come up with anything to say in reply. 4.2 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern try to get Hamlet to tell them where he hid Polonius' body. They fail again. 4.4 Hamlet philosophizes about death on the way to England; Rosencrantz tells Hamlet to get a move on. 5.2 Hamlet announces that he arranged for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to be killed. The dead people are all lying on the floor when, out of the blue, an English ambassador walks in and says, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead."

Friar Lawrence

2.3: Friar Laurence is up at dawn gardening when Romeo rushes in and asks if the Friar will marry him to a girl he met the night before. Friar Laurence is dubious, but agrees to the marriage in the hopes that it will reconcile the warring Montagues and Capulets. 2.6: Friar Laurence tries to convince Romeo to calm down and "love moderately." Romeo doesn't listen. When Juliet shows up he decides he better marry them ASAP. 3.3: After Romeo kills Tybalt, Friar Laurence hides the banished young man in his cell. He tries to convince Romeo that he should be grateful that the Prince has sentenced him to banishment, not death. Romeo rejects this reasoning: to him, being apart from Juliet is worse than death. Someone knocks on the door, and the Friar worries that it's someone who has come to arrest Romeo. Instead, it's Juliet's nurse, who helps the Friar convince Romeo to stop sobbing on the floor. The Friar promises Romeo that they will work out a plan to get Romeo a pardon from the Prince and bring him back. Meanwhile, he tells Romeo to say good-bye to Juliet and then speedily leave Verona. 4.1: Friar Laurence finds himself in a real pickle when Paris shows up at his cell and informs him that he has talked with Juliet's father and he will be marrying Juliet later that week. Then Juliet arrives and threatens to stab herself if the Friar doesn't find a way for her to get out of marrying Paris. The Friar gives her a potion that will make her appear as if she is dead and tells her that he and Romeo will be waiting for her when she wakes up in her family's tomb. Then Romeo and Juliet can go to Mantua together, with no one the wiser. The Friar promises to send a letter to Romeo to tell him the plan. 4.5: Friar Laurence arrives at the Capulet's house to find everyone in mourning for Juliet, who has just been discovered "dead." Friar Laurence is the only one who knows the truth. He tells her grieving relatives that they should be glad that Juliet is in heaven, and tells them to prepare her body and bring it to her family's tomb. 5.2: Only a few hours before Juliet is due to wake up, Friar Laurence finds out that Romeo never received the letter explaining that Juliet's death is actually a sham. 5.3: Friar Laurence arrives at Juliet's tomb too late to prevent Romeo's suicide. Hearing noise outside the tomb, the Friar tries to take Juliet away. But when she refuses to go, the Friar leaves without her, and she commits suicide. The Prince's guards capture the Friar outside the tomb, and he confesses the whole story to the Prince. The Prince suggests that he will pardon the Friar, telling him, "We still have known thee for a holy man" (5.3.279).

Fortinbras, the prince of Norway

4.4 Fortinbras delivers two lines, announcing that he's strolling through Denmark on his way to conquering Poland. Then he exits. 5.2 Fortinbras stops by Elsinore for a royal visit, discovers everyone's dead, and decides he might as well be the new King of Denmark.

Alarbus

Alarbus is Tamora's eldest son and a Goth prisoner of war. Since Alarbus is the "proudest prisoner," he's chosen as the victim for the Romans' ritual sacrifice (1.1). Alarbus doesn't have a speaking role and his appearance onstage is brief. Still, his death motivates Tamora's revenge against Titus, and it also raises the question of whether or not the Romans are as civilized as they like to think they are.

Setting of King Lear

Ancient Britain (pre-Christian)

Setting of T of A

Athens

Portia

Brutus's wife; the daughter of a noble Roman who took sides against Caesar. Portia, accustomed to being Brutus's confidante, is upset to find him so reluctant to speak his mind when she finds him troubled. Brutus later hears that Portia has killed herself out of grief that Antony and Octavius have become so powerful.

Octavius

Caesar's adopted son and appointed successor.

Casca

Casca is a Roman conspirator who takes part in Caesar's assassination. Like all the other conspirators, Casca is worried that Caesar will be crowned king, which goes against the ideals of the Roman Republic.

What plays were about politics?

Coriolanus, Julius Caesar, Titus Andronicus, Macbeth, and King Lear

Demetrius and Chiron

Demetrius and Chiron are Tamora's wicked sons. They kill Bassianus and then viciously rape and mutilate Lavinia in the woods after Aaron and Tamora encourage them to do so. Demetrius and Chiron aren't very bright - they can't even come up with their own evil plots and they're easily duped by Titus. These brothers are pretty much synonymous with savage cruelty. After assaulting Lavinia, they taunt her mercilessly. Check out how they're portrayed in director Julie Taymor's film Titus. (Warning, this film clip is graphic and may offend some viewers.) But don't worry, these boys get their just desserts when Titus kills them and bakes them into a pie, which he then serves to their mom.

Setting of Hamlet

Elsinore, Denmark

Flavius and Marullus

Flavius and Murellus are two snooty conspirators against Caesar. In the opening scene, they catch a bunch of commoners celebrating Caesar's victorious return to Rome and try to give them a spanking for not being hard at work. Check out what Flavius says (and pay attention, because these are the very first lines spoken in the play): Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home! Is this a holiday? What! know you not, Being mechanical, you ought not walk Upon a laboring day without the sign Of your profession?—Speak, what trade art thou? (1.1.1-5) Obviously Flavius is miffed that Caesar is such a rock star among the plebeians. It also seems pretty clear that he doesn't have any respect for the common folk in Rome, which draws our attention to the fact that, even though Rome may be a Republic, guys like Flavius and Murellus don't necessarily think all Romans are created equal. This raises an important question in the play: Who should get to decide the rules of government? Later, when we learn that Flavius and Murellus have been "put to silence" (1.2) for defacing pictures of Caesar, we wonder whether Caesar might really be the tyrant the conspirators say he is.

What plays were set in the North?

Hamlet (Denmark) King Lear (Britain) Macbeth (Scotland)

What plays were about personal dilemma?

Hamlet and Timon of Athens

Lavinia

Lavinia is the virtuous daughter of Titus Andronicus. Like Hamlet's Ophelia, Lavinia is the quintessential "good girl," which - in the 16th century when Shakespeare was writing - meant chaste, obedient, and silent. Early in the play, Bassianus refers to Lavinia as "Rome's ornament," which tells us that Lavinia is valued for her beauty and graciousness and that she's viewed by those around her as an object Raped by Tamora's sons after watching her husband murdered. Tongue cut out and hands chopped off afterwards Killed by her father "so she wouldn't have to live a life of shame" - bullcrap

Romeo

Montague's son, who is loved and respected in Verona. He is initially presented as a comic lover, with his inflated declarations of love for Rosaline. After meeting Juliet, he abandons his tendency to be a traditional, fashionable lover, and his language becomes intense, reflecting his genuine passion for Juliet. By avenging Mercutio's death, he sets in motion a chain of tragic events that culminate in suicide when he mistakenly believes Juliet to be dead. 1.1: Romeo is moping around and philosophizing about love and hate because he's infatuated with this girl Rosaline and she's not interested in him. Benvolio, his cousin and friend, tries to convince him to find somebody else. Romeo says that's impossible: there's no woman more beautiful than Rosaline in the whole world. 1.2: Romeo and Benvolio decide to crash a Capulet party after they find out Rosaline will be there. 1.4: Romeo, Mercutio and Benvolio tease each other as they head towards the party. Romeo has a weird premonition of death, but ignores it. 1.5: At the party, Romeo sees Juliet from across the room and forgets all about Rosaline. "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!" he says. Romeo approaches Juliet and they have an instant connection. Banter turns to kissing. Afterwards, Romeo finds out that the girl he's been smooching is a Capulet. 2.1: Unable to tear himself away from Juliet's home, Romeo ditches his friends and hangs out in the orchard behind the Capulet house. 2.2: Romeo sees Juliet on her balcony and hears her confess her love for him. He reveals himself and swears his love for her. Juliet asks if he wants to marry her, and the two of them plan to arrange a wedding right away. 2.3: Romeo heads straight from the Capulet's house to the home of his mentor and favorite priest, Friar Laurence. He asks Friar Laurence to secretly marry him and Juliet. The Friar agrees. 2.4: Romeo meets up with Benvolio and Mercutio. Juliet's nurse arrives on scene and Romeo tells her the plan: Friar Laurence has agreed to marry Romeo and Juliet that afternoon. 2.6: Mawwaige! 3.1: Later that day Tybalt insults Romeo, and Romeo's attempt to be calm fails. Both Mercutio and Tybalt end up dead, and Romeo has to flee Verona. 3.3: Hiding out in Friar Laurence's cell, Romeo hears the news: the Prince has ordered that Romeo be banished from Verona as punishment for killing Tybalt. Romeo tells the Friar that banishment is worse than death. When the Nurse arrives, Romeo threatens to kill himself for causing Juliet so much pain. The Friar and the Nurse convince Romeo to calm down and tell him he will be able to see Juliet that night. 3.5: After spending the night with Juliet, Romeo says good-bye to her and sneaks out of her house. Banished from Verona, he heads to the nearby city of Mantua. 5.1: In Mantua, Romeo waits for news from Verona, which he gets: Juliet is dead. Romeo immediately decides to commit suicide. He goes to an apothecary and forces him to sell illegal poison. Then he heads back to Verona so he can die next to Juliet's body. 5.3: Paris tries to stop Romeo from entering Juliet's tomb, so Romeo kills him. Romeo embraces Juliet's dead body, drinks the poison, and dies giving her a final kiss.

Mutius

Mutius is one of Titus's sons. Although he survives Rome's long war with the Goths, he's killed (by his own father!) on the day of his return home, when he tries to help Bassianus run off with Lavinia.

Cinna (the poet)

On his way to attend Caesar's funeral, he is caught up in the riot caused by Antony's funeral oration. The mob at first confuses him with Cinna the conspirator, but even after they discover their error, they kill him anyway "for his bad verses."

Cassius

Organizes conspiracy and convinces Brutus to join

Tamora

Queen of the Goths After Titus ritually sacrifices her eldest son, Tamora makes it her mission in life to make Titus and his family suffer. She accomplishes this through her good looks, sensuality, and ability to manipulate those around her.

Quintus and Martius

Quintus and Martius (not to be confused with Mutius) are Titus's sons. They are framed for Bassianus's murder and executed.

Julius Ceasar Setting

Rome

Setting of Coriolanus

Rome

A and C Setting

Rome & Egypt

Setting of TA

Rome, a Living Nightmare It's also important to note that Titus Andronicus is set in ancient Rome, during the fictional reign of Saturninus.

What plays were about love?

Romeo and Juliet Antony and Cleopatra Othello

What plays were set in the Southern Mediterranean?

Romeo and Juliet Othello (Venice)

Tybalt Capulet

SUMMARY BACK NEXT 1.2: Tybalt enters the stage during fight between the servants of the Capulets and Montagues. Benvolio, a friend of the Montagues, is trying to stop the fight. Instead, Tybalt starts fighting with Benvolio. The situation gets so out of control that the Prince of Verona arrives to break it up. 1.5: Tybalt spots Romeo at a Capulet party. Furious at this invasion of Capulet territory, he wants to fight with Romeo right then and there. Lord Capulet intervenes before Tybalt can do anything and angrily orders him not to ruin the party. Tybalt has to obey Lord Capulet, but he swears to punish Romeo at the earliest opportunity. 3.1: Tybalt looks for Romeo and finds Benvolio and Mercutio. He trades some insults with them before Romeo shows up. Tybalt purposely tries to provoke Romeo into a fight. Romeo responds mildly to his abuse and refuses to fight. Mercutio challenges Tybalt to a duel instead. Romeo tries to stop them from fighting, and Tybalt wounds Mercutio while he is distracted by Romeo's interference. When Mercutio falls, seriously wounded, Tybalt exits. But he comes back in time for Romeo to challenge him to a duel to avenge Mercutio's death. Romeo kills Tybalt.

Romeo and Juliet Setting

Southern Mediterranean

Juliet

The daughter of Capulet and Lady Capulet. 1.2: Thirteen-year-old Juliet speaks only a few lines in her first scene; she is overpowered by both her mother and her nurse. Lady Capulet announces a possible arranged marriage between Juliet and Paris. Juliet responds uncertainly to the idea of love and marriage. 1.3: Juliet's mother announces that Paris, one of Verona's most-eligible bachelors, wants to marry her. Juliet promises to talk to him at the party her parents are holding that night. 1.5: Juliet is enjoying the party when Romeo approaches her. It's love at first sight, and Romeo gives Juliet her first kiss. Juliet is called away before she can ask Romeo's name, but she has her nurse find out his identity before the party ends. Only then does she realize the guy she's fallen for is a Montague. 2.2: Juliet is out on her balcony talking to herself about Romeo when he suddenly appears below her. Surprised and embarrassed at first, she soon confesses her love and asks if Romeo is willing to marry her. 2.5: Juliet waits impatiently for the Nurse to return with Romeo's message. The Nurse teases her and refuses to reveal what Romeo said about their wedding. Juliet sweetens up the Nurse with a backrub and gets the information she's been waiting for: Friar Laurence has agreed to marry them that very day. 2.6: Romeo and Juliet meet at Friar Laurence's cell and get married. 3.2: Juliet is excitedly awaiting her wedding night when the Nurse enters with bad news. Romeo has killed Tybalt, and been banished from Verona as punishment. At first, Juliet is furious at Romeo for slaughtering her cousin. But then she realizes she is glad that Romeo won the duel and lived. But Juliet cannot cope with the knowledge that Romeo is banished. To her, his banishment is worse than death. The Nurse promises to find Romeo to comfort her. 3.5: Romeo and Juliet have one night together, but as soon as morning comes, Romeo has to leave for Mantua. Juliet tries to delay his departure as long as possible, but she knows that it is dangerous for him to stay. As soon as Romeo has left, her mother comes in and announces that she will be marrying Paris later that week. When Juliet refuses to marry Paris, her father tells her that he will disown her and throw her out of the house if she doesn't obey him. Juliet's mother ignores her pleas for help. The Nurse tells Juliet that, given her situation, she should forget about Romeo and marry Paris. Abandoned by her family and betrayed by her Nurse, Juliet has only one person left who can help her: Friar Laurence. 4.1: Juliet finds Paris at Friar Laurence's cell and has to endure listening to him talk about their wedding. Once Paris leaves, Juliet threatens to stab herself if the Friar can't find a way for her to avoid marrying Paris. The Friar gives her a potion that will make her appear as if she is dead, and promises that he and Romeo will retrieve her from the tomb when she wakes up. 4.2: Potion in hand, Juliet returns home, apologizes to her father for her disobedience, and acts willing to marry Paris. 4.3: Once alone, Juliet drinks the Friar's potion and falls into a death-like sleep. 5.3: Juliet wakes in her family's tomb and finds Romeo dead beside her. The Friar tries to convince her to leave and promises that he will find a place for her in a convent. Juliet refuses. Juliet has rejected her family, her nurse, and her eligible fiancé Paris in favor of Romeo. When she realizes her husband is dead, she kills herself rather than live without him.

Saturninus

The eldest son of the late Emperor of Rome. Titus successfully advocates for him to be the new emperor. However, Saturninus shows no gratitude. He is impatient with the Andronici and would rather have them out of his way; he feels threatened by the genuine honor and people's support that they have won for themselves. He chooses the captive Tamora, Queen of the Goths, for his empress, thereby giving her the power to wreak havoc on Rome and Titus's family.

Young Lucius

The son of Lucius, Young Lucius is Titus's grandson and Lavinia's nephew. He appears in only a few scenes in the play, but these appearances occur at crucial moments in the plot. It's during Young Lucius's story time in Act 4, Scene 1 that Lavinia finds a way to reveal that she was raped by Chiron and Demetrius. (She gets her stumps on a book containing Ovid's story about the rape of Philomel in Book 6 of Metamorphoses.) After Lavinia identifies Demetrius and Chiron as her attackers, Young Lucius makes a disturbing declaration: I say, my lord, that if I were a man, Their mother's bed-chamber should not be safe For these bad bondmen to the yoke of Rome. (4.1.5) Yikes! When Young Lucius declares the means by which he would avenge his aunt's rape (by storming into Tamora's "bed-chamber" for payback), we can't help but be disturbed. Lucius is only a child, and yet his family's involvement in a blood feud is teaching him to carry on the cycle of revenge-fuelled violence.

Calphurnia

The wife of Julius Caesar; she urges him to stay at home on the day of the assassination because of the unnatural events of the previous night as well her prophetic dream in which Caesar's body is a fountain of blood.

Bassianus

The younger brother of Saturninus. It is to him that Lavinia is betrothed. He steals her away when Saturninus wants to make her his empress, which sets into motion the events that lead Titus to kill his own son, and Saturninus to despise the Andronici. He is murdered by Chiron and Demetrius, but Quintus and Martius are framed for his murder, which leads to their beheadings. As the representative of grace and virtue, his failure to become emperor in the first act is the sign of a degenerate Rome.

Soothsayer to Caesar

This is the guy who famously and cryptically warns Caesar to "beware the Ides of March" (1.2.21). The "Ides of March" refers to March 15, the day Julius Caesar is assassinated by the Roman conspirators. Even though he gets to speak the coolest line in the play, nobody pays any attention to the soothsayer (except the audience, who knows all about how the historical Julius Caesar was stabbed in the back that day). The soothsayer's warning raises an interesting question about fate and free will. If Caesar had actually heeded the warning to "beware the Ides of March," could he have changed the course of events that day? On the one hand, the soothsayer's warning about his impending doom (along with all the other creepy omens in the play) suggests that Caesar's fate is already decided. On the other hand, why would the soothsayer bother warning Caesar if there was nothing he could do to prevent his death?

What plays were set in ancient Greece?

Timon of Athens (philosophical)

What plays were set in Rome?

Titus Andronicus Julius Caesar Antony and Cleopatra (partially) Coriolanus

Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus is a general and a war hero who has just returned to Rome after a ten-year battle against the Goths. Titus gets into a vicious cycle of revenge with Tamora (Queen of the Goths turned Roman Empress) that culminates in an act of cannibalism.

Macbeth

Traveling home from their victory on the battlefield, Macbeth and Banquo just so happen to run into three witches. These witches have some fun prophecies to share: Macbeth will be Thane of Glamis, Cawdor, and then King of Scotland. But how? By murder, perhaps? Or simply by waiting for fate to take its course? For the time being, he's happy to pledge his loyalty to Duncan. His wife has other ideas, however—ideas like impugning Macbeth's manhood until he finally says he'll think about it. Geez, lady! Macbeth philosophizes to himself about the pros and cons of murdering the King, his cousin, whom he is sworn to protect, in his own house. Uh, when you put it like that ... And at first, Macbeth agrees. But in the end, Lady Macbeth's taunts are too much, and he gives in. After the murder, Macbeth freaks out a little (understandably). He still manages to set up a convincing scenario to frame a bunch of other people for the murder, and then moves quickly on to plotting his next evil dead: getting some murders to kill Banquo. You see, Banquo's very own witch-prophecy is that his kids are going to become king, so obviously he can't stay alive if Macbeth is going to stay king. Meanwhile, Macbeth is banqueting in celebration of his new title. Small problem: Banquo's late. When he finally shows up, he's ... a ghost. And only Macbeth can see him. This causes a small freakout. Also freaking out: Lady Macbeth, who's having a bit of a psychotic break about the whole accessory to murder thing. Macbeth heads off to consult with his advisors, a.k.a. the witches, and they reassure him with some goofy prophecies. Meanwhile, basically everyone in the not-yet-United-Kingdom is plotting to dethrone Macbeth. He prepares for battle, confident in the witches' prophecies. Things appear to be going okay, until Macduff shows up with a serious grievance: not only is Macbeth a tyrant, he also murdered Macduff's entire family. Oh, and Macduff just so happens to be the only one who can kill Macbeth, because he wasn't "born" but delivered via C-section. And this is the end of the line for our intrepid, murderous hero.

Setting of Othello

Venice (in northern Italy) and Cyprus (an island in the eastern Mediterranean about forty miles south of present-day Turkey). The time is between 1489 and 1571.

Cinna (the conspirator)

We first meet Cinna in Act 1, Scene 3, where he schemes with Cassius about how to get Brutus to join the conspiracy against Caesar. He's also assigned the task of planting some phony documents in Brutus' room. Cinna the conspirator shouldn't be confused with Cinna the poet.

Hamlet

We meet Hamlet during an official ceremony where Claudius, the new King, is dealing with court business. Claudius and Gertrude try to convince Hamlet not to be so gloomy. Fathers die all the time; he needs to get over the death already. Hamlet soliloquizes about how he wishes he could commit suicide because his mother's remarriage has made the whole world seem corrupted. Hamlet's friend Horatio tells him his father's ghost has been spotted walking on the castle battlements. Cool! Hamlet decides to go see. Hamlet follows the beckoning finger of his father's ghost, who tells him that his brother murdered him in order to steal his wife and his crown. Hamlet vows revenge, and swears the men to secrecy about seeing the ghost. Months later, Hamlet is wandering around the court acting crazy and mocking Polonius at every opportunity. He perks up when his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern show up, but soon realizes they are on the payroll of the King and Queen. Bummer. A bunch of actors Hamlet knows from Wittenberg show up; he greets them enthusiastically and asks one actor to do a speech he remembers about the death of the King of Troy and the grief of his wife, Hecuba. The actor gets so worked up he starts to cry. Hamlet yells at himself in a soliloquy about how the actor can weep for a pretend murder but he hasn't done anything about his father's real murder. He decides to use the actors to stage a play of his father's murder so he can see Claudius's reaction. Hamlet returns to the theme of suicide: "To be or not to be, that is the question." (What, you've heard that before?) He soliloquizes about how the fear of the afterlife forces people to deal with the harsh realities of life rather than escaping them. Next, our anti-hero runs into Ophelia, whom he hasn't seen for a long time. He tells her he once loved her, then tells her he never loved her. Way to jerk a girl around! He accuses Ophelia of being dishonest and verbally abuses her. Hamlet tells the actors how he wants them to perform, and what kind of acting they should avoid (namely, the bad kind). When the court comes in to see the play, Hamlet sits by Ophelia, makes crude sexual jokes, and talks about the faithlessness of women. Charming! Claudius is clearly disturbed by the poisoning scene in the play, and Hamlet is triumphant that his plan has worked. He tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he knows they're on the wrong side. Hamlet stumbles across Claudius praying and repenting. He almost kills him right there, but then decides that Claudius needs to go to Hell when he dies, so he'd better wait for a moment for him to commit sin, rather than murdering him while he's praying. Hamlet confronts Gertrude about her sinful marriage to Claudius and accidentally stabs and kills Polonius, thinking he is the King. Oops. Claudius forces Hamlet to tell him where Polonius' body is, then sends Hamlet away to England (to die). Doesn't work: on his way to England, Hamlet sees Fortinbras' army marching off to war and is inspired to stop delaying and to carry out his revenge. Returning to Denmark, Hamlet walks through the palace graveyard and gets all depressed again about how people die —like Yorick, a court jester he loved, but who died when he was a child. When the court comes to the graveyard to bury Ophelia, he and Laertes fight over who loved her more. Hamlet tells Horatio everything: Claudius had tried to have him killed, he replaced his own name with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's names on the death warrant, and then escaped. Laertes sends a message challenging Hamlet to a just-for-fun swordfight. Hamlet has a bad feeling about it, but accepts. In the not-so-fun swordfight, Hamlet kills Laertes and finally stabs and poisons Claudius, then dies himself of the poisoned wound Laertes gave him. Hamlet asks Horatio to tell his story and suggests that Fortinbras become the next King of Denmark.