William Shakespeare: Table of Contents

Meanwhile Portia in Belmont is deep in suitors in response to her father's strange will in helping her locate a husband. Shylock's servant Lancelot goes to work for Bassanio.
Jessica, Shylock's daughter is in love with Lancelot. She steals her fathers gold and jewels and goes with Bassanio and Lancelot to Belmont., Shylock is upset.
At Belmont Portia suitors the Prince of Morroco and Prince of Argon each end up picking the wrong casket. Bassaino picks the correct casket;
Graziano then becomes engaged to Nerissa Portia's maid at the same time Bassanio is engaged to Portia. Shylock reminds everyone about the loan.
Antonio still is worries over his lost ships. They go to court. Portia is disgusted as a lawyer with her maid. She says Shylock can't collect on due bond of flesh from Antonio because blood was not included in the deal. Shylock is judged to have threatened to harm another venetian all his goods are transferred to Antonio and Bassanio.
Antonio's' says to give his shares to Jessica and Lancolot. Antonio also demands Shylock convert. Shylock flees court. Bassanio and Graziano gives there rings to the lawyers as payment thought their wives forbade them to. Antonio makes them.
When they get home, they are scolded by their wives. The story comes out. They then celebrate each others marriages.

Violia is now working as a page for Orsino and is known as Cesario. The Duke sends her to woo the Countess as a page in disguise. The problem is that Viola is in love with Duke Orsino.
Countess Olivia rejects Duke Orsino's advances but is attracted to Cesario /Viola as a boy. She sends her steward Malvio after him/her. A love triangle is formed.
The people in Oliva's house hate Malvio and plot against him. Oliva's uncle Sir Toby Blech, his friend Sir Andrew, and her servant Maria. Sir Andrew wants to marry the Countess. They write a letter to Malvio as if it is from the Countess. In it they tell him to dress in yellow stockings and smile in public. When Countess Oliva sees him she thinks he is crazy and sends him to prison.
Sebastian Viola's twin brother unbeknownst to her has survived the shipwreck and is serving the pirate named Antonio who has stolen from Oliva.
While Malvio is in the dungeon Maria and Sir Festes the court fool torture him but they realize they may get in trouble so they allow him to write a letter to Oliva.
Antonio is brought to see Duke Orsino, when he sees Violia/ Cesario he accuses him of betrayal. Sebastion then walks in to apologize to Antonio for fighting with Sir Toby.
The twins see each other and realize that they both have survived and are reunited. Maria and Feste's plan is found out but they celebrate prematurely by Maria marrying Sir Toby.
The play ends as Orsino approves of Sebastian marrying Countess Oliva and realizes he loves Viola and tells her he will marry her as soon as she stops dressing like Cesario and dress like a woman

Lucentio decides to gain access to Bianca by posing as her latin tutor. Hortensio does the same thing with music instead of Latin. Tranio pretends to be Lucentio's father to talk to Bianca's father Baptisa Minola about marriage.
The Katherine issue is solved when Hortensio's friend Petruchio a brash young man from Verona arrives. He wants to marry a rich woman. He does not care who they are as long as they have money. He agrees to marry Kathrine sight unseen. Petruchio goes to Katherine's house and they fight. Petruchio says that he will marry her no matter if she agrees or not. Petruchio tells Baptisa Minola that Katherine agreed to the wedding even thought she didn't.
Petruchio is late to his own wedding and has Katherine worried thats he will be an old maid. He shows up and they get married. After the wedding Petruchio announces that Katherine is his property and he can do with her what he pleases.They go to his country house where Petruchio continues his efforts to "tame" her. Lucentio wins Bianca's heart by declaring his love for her in Latin. Hortensio does the same with music but she realizes loves Lucentio.
Hortensio then agrees to marriage with a widow. Tranio secures a marriage agreement with Baptisa Minola who says he needs a sum of money to be confirmed by Lucentio's father. Tranio and Lucentio want to try to find someone to pretend to be Lucentio's father but before they do that Bianca and Lucento elope. Katherine and Petruchio come back to Padua, Vincento, Petruchio's father comes to Padua to see his son. He is shocked to see the masquerade his son has orchestrated. At Hortensio's wedding banquet Katherine gives a speech about loyalty to husbands. The grooms Hortensio, Petruchio, and Lucentio have a contest to see whose wife is the most obedient /tamed Bianca says she wont come and will not obey. Katherine comes immediately. Others says Petruchio won. Katherine and Petruchio leave to go to bed.

Othello tells Montano that the storms dispersed the Turkish fleet. Roderigo confesses his doubts about pursuing Desdemona. Iago says there is still hope. He urges Roderigo to challenge Cassio to a duel. Iago claims Desdemona has fallen in love with Roderigo. At night Iago gets Cassio drunk and Roderigo indices his anger. Montano is stabbed during his attempt to contain Cassio. Othello is angry about the fight and blames Cassio stripping his officer status. The next day I ago stows the seeds of jealousy in his mind over Desdemona Othello gets angry when Desdemona loses a handkerchief he first gave her. It is very important to him. Emilia took it and hid it where Cassio will find it because Iago told her to. Othello suspects Desdemona of infidelity and is jealous. Iago manipulates Othello and has him overhear a conversation with Cassio and his mistress Bianca talking about his handkerchief. Othello has an epileptic fit. He orders Iago to kill Cassio . Desdemona can't understand Othello's change of attitude towards her. Othello hits her in front of her relative the ambassador from Venice. Desdemona talks to Emilia to relive the stress over loosing the trust of her husband.. Rodrigo realizes Iago not the friend he thought he was. Rodrigo attacks Cassio so he can court Desdemona Iago wounds Cassio undetected and accuses and kills Rodrigo for the act. Othello goes to Desdemona while she is sleeping with plans to murder her for committing adultery. He does. Emilia alerts the house as Othello is doing this. Everyone comes to see Othello defends himself mentioning the stolen handkerchief as evidence. Emilia realizes Iago's plot and betrays him by spilling it aloud to Othello. Iago kills his wife by stabbing her. Iago is sent to trial but not before Othello wounds him. Othello is facing his own trial and kills himself. Cassio is reinstated and placed in command as Governor of Cyprus.

Romeo is with Mercutio his friend who snuck him into the party and his cousin when he is seen by Tybalt Juliet's cousin. Tybalt wants to attack them but his uncle Capulet restrains him.
Romeo and Juliet see each other, and are smitten and they find themselves alone and they kiss without knowing each others identities. . Each go on there way and find out the identity of the other person whom they have just kissed from their friends around them..
The next day Romeo and Juliet marry at Romeo's confident and priest's the Friar Lawrence. He sees their union as a way to end the age old feud between the two families. He then performes the marriage in secret.
Tybalt sees Romeo with Mercutio and challanges him to fight in a duel. Romeo refuses he does not want to fight because they are now kinsman unbeknownst to Tynbalt, Mercutio says he will step in and fight in Romeo's place.. Tyballt kills Mercurtio and then in rage and greif Romeo kills Tybalt .
The Prince then puts out a warrent for Romeo. Romeo flees.
Friar Lawarence arranges for Rome and Juliet to spend time totgther before he leaves.
Juliet then learns her Father wants her to marry Paris in 3 days. She asks her Nurse what she should do. The Nurse says to marry Paris and forget about Romeo. Juliet is disgusted with the Nurses attidudue towards her husband Romeo and goes to Friar Lawrence for help.
They plan together that before the wedding Juliet will drink a potion to make it seem like she is dead, and then Romeo and Friar Lawrence will come revive her. This will allow her and Romeo to be together.
The plan then needs to be enacted earlier then the Friar and Juliet planned because Capulet wants the wedding pushed forward.
Romeo does not get the message outlining the plan because the messenger doesn't make it in time so he does not know that Juliet's "death" is not real.
. Romeo hears that Juliet is dead and returns home right away. He goes to t the cemetery where he sees Paris they fight and Romeo kills him.
He then goes to see Juliet finds her "almost" dead and
takes the poison he brought with him ,
killing himself.
Frair Lawrence comes to the crypt to wake up Juliet sees Paris dead and Romeo dead and realizes what happens. He goes to head off the watch who are on their way
from the commotion of the fight.
Juliet wakes up realities what Romeo has done and kisses him to ingest the poison and kill herself. It does not work. She then takes Romeo's dagger and stabs herself to death.
The watch arrive with Montague and Capulet and Frair Lawarnce. Mountguae
then tells those assembled that
his wife has killed herself over Romeo's banishment. Montague and Capulet end the feud and erect a statue of their kids in Verona.

Macduff the King's servant shows up to at the castle to prep the King for his return to court and finds the body. Macbeth kills the guards and Lady Macbeth faints. Lords of Scotland swear to avenge the murder the King's sons flee the country. Donalbaim to Ireland and Malcolm to raise an army in England. Macbeth declared King. He arranges for the murder of Banquo and his son Fleece. Both of them represent a threat to his Kingship. The guards allow Fleece to escape by accident. The ghost of Banquo shows up at the celebratory Banquet. Macbeth goes to the witches again They sprout prophecy that Fleece will rule and Macbeth will be invincible in Battle until he meets an enemy not born of a woman and the forest of Birran moves towards his stronghold at Dunsinane. Macbeth prepares for invasion. Macduff deserts Macbeth. In revenge Macbeth kills his wife and kids. Macduff swears loyalty to Malcolm. Lady Macbeth goes crazy. Malcolm's army disguises themselves with swan off branches. Macbeth then sees wood moving to his stronghold at Dunsinane. Mac duff and Macbeth meet in single combat. Macduff his sworn enemy reveals he was born by Cesarean section "not of a women". Macbeth rejects the witches final prophecy. With a loud cry he launches himself at Macduff and is slain. Malcom is crowned King of Scotland.

On the way Puck has some fun and pus a spell on Lysander and Demetrius. Pucks spell causes both men to fall in love with Helena Hermia chases Helena while the men also fight. The Queen of Farriers is then be spelled by Puck and she ends up falling for Nick Bottom, who sports the Head of a Donkey. Chaos then ensues.
King Oberon removes the enchantments from everyone except Demetrius who is still in love with Helena. Duke Theseus and Hippolyta celebrate their wedding with everyone.

Falstaff has to hide in a basket of dirty clothes, gets dropped in the river, has to disguise himself as an old lady and gets beat up. Both wives dupe Falstaff and Mr. Ford. Both wives join the "merry wives" Falstaff is humiliated as he is dressed and disguised as "Herne the Hunter" complete with Horns. Two suitors vie for the hand of the lovely Anne Page. Doctor Caius who is a quick tempered Frenchman, and Slender the stupid nephew of Justice Shallow. Anne finds both abhorrent. Sir Hugh Evan's Shallow's friend often comes into conflict with Dr. Cauis (Their meeting ensue in hilarity from the audience as there English is often garbled)
The End of the play Ann Page marries her true love the poor young gentleman named Fenton. Mr. Ford promises to stop being jealous of his wire. Falstaff is made a laughing stock and then reconciles with the group.

Gonzalo helped Prospero escape with Miranda when she was a baby and his books of magic and supplies to the island. On the island Prospero encounters the inhabitants of the island the witch Sycrorax (whom he kills), her son Caliban, and the spirt Ariel. Prospero makes Caliban his slave and after saving the spirt Ariel from a tree he is trapped in (by the witch), he becomes endued in service to Prospero. Prospero wants to rectify the past. Miranda falls asleep and Prospero and Ariel talk about what to do with the men of the shipwreck, and his role in the shipwreck. We learn that the shipwreck was caused by Ariel and it is he who separated the men once they were on the island. Ariel uses music to lead the couriers away to different parts of the island Ariel is invisible during this time almost to the end of the play.
Sebastian and Antonio plot to kill King Alfonso. The men of the shipwreck wander the island and have different experiences. Ariel prevents the Kings murder.
The court fool Trinculo comes ashore and finds Caliban . He is hiding from the spirts on the island. Stephano the butler finds them. They all get drunk together. Caliban sets out to kill Prospero and make Stephano Lord. Ariel knows what they are doing and informs there master.
Prospero gives his blessing to Miranda and Ferdinand for them to b married. He then throws a party for them. He then remembers the plan to kill him. Prospero and Ariel set a trap for the plotters. They show them gaudy clothes which the men touch and spirt dogs run after them.
Everyone is then brought together and Prospero reveals himself. He says that he forgives them and then accepts his Dukedom back. Ferdinand and Miranda are betrothed. Sailors come to say the ship is safe. Ariel is promised his freedom while Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo are rebuked.
They play ends as everyone is reunited and goes to celebrate.

The King of France who is courting Cordelia says she still loves her even thought she has no land. She goes to France without her father's blessing. His daughters undermine him and Lear goes insane and runs from his daughters house, Accompanying him are the Fool and Kent a loyal nobleman in disguise.
An old man named Gloucester has some family problems when his illegitimate son Edmund convinces him his legitimate son Edgar is trying to kill him. Edgar disguises himself as a crazy beggar named Poor Tom. Gloucester decide to help Lear. Reagan and Cornwall her husband discover that Gloucester is helping Lear accuse him of treason, blind him and turn him out. He ends up being led by his son Edgar to Dover. Lear is in Dover also. The French Army leads an invasion by Cordelia to save her father. Edmund is involved in a love triangle with Gonirial and her husband Albany. Albany is sympathetic to Lear's cause so Gonilial and Edmund conspire to kill him. Gloucester tries to commit suicide but Edgar saves him
The English win the battle with the French. Edmund and Edgar fight and Edgar kills his brother. Gloucester dies and Goneril poisons her sister Reagan because she is jealous regarding Edmund. She then ends up killing herself when Albany her husband finds out what she has done. Cordelia is captured by the English and is excuted in prison. Lear dies of greif over the death of his favorite daughter.
Albany, Edgar, and the elderly Kent are left to take care of a country deep in sorrow and regret.

Helen goes home then discuises herself as a begger and follows Bertram to Florance. There she befriends a widow and her daughter whose name is Diana. Bertram is obsessed with Diana. He intends to sleep with her. Diana says that she will meet him but places the condition on the union that it must be very dark. He agrees. Diana is really helping out her friends Helen. Helen then takes Diana's place that night. Bertram gives "Diana" his ring and she then becomes pregnant.
Back at the French Court Helen is assumed dead and Bertram goes home. He finds that his mother and Lafeu have been arranging a marriage between him and Lafeu's daughter. Bertram gives her a ring that he got from "Dianai". The King and others recognize it as the ring the king gave Helen. Diana comes to court in possession of Bertram's ring and claims to be pregnant with his child. Bertram denies her. Lafeu withdraws his offer of his daughter for marriage. The King wants to throw Diana in jail and is ready to when the widow suddenly brings in Helen as a whiteness for Diana. Helen is recognized in court and welcomed. Diana says that the ring Bertram gave her is really from Helen. Everyone recognizes it. They see Helen pregnant and that she had Bertram's ring. Both conditions of Bertram's are met for him to recognize his marriage to Helen. He asks to be pardoned and accepts his wife and child. Diana is compensated and rewarded by the King with money and she is given the same choice as Helen she may marry any of the courtiers of the King . She is also promised a dowry.

Brutus is troubled but refuses to tell his wife Portia. On the 15th of March Caesar is urged by his wife Calpurnia to not go to the Senate. She says that she has had visions and fears for Caesar's safety. Caesar goes to the Capitol anyway and is stabbed by each conspirator including Brutus. He is the one to give the final blow When he does Caesar says the most famous line "Etu Brute?" Caesar is dead. Brutus allows Marc Anthony to orate a funeral eulogy for him but he must speak first. Brutus explains to the public the conspirator's reasons and fears regarding Caesar's power, and ambition regarding his death. The crowd accepts Brutus's speech. Marc Anthony then speaks of Caesar's benevolence and refusal to accept the crown. Marc Anthony then reads Caesar's will to the crowd and how he left each citizen public land and money. The crowd follows Marc Anthony and wants to riot the conspirators for revenge. The conspirators flee the city. Brutus goes to Northern Greece and prepares to fight Marc Anthony. Octavius Caesar's great nephew joins March Anthony. Brutus and Caius argue over money to pay their solders.
Both sides meet at Philippi. Brutus hears his wife commits suicide and the night before the battle he sees Caesar's ghost. He is unable to sleep. Brutus the next day leads the Republicans in battle. It seems like their side is winning but that ends when Caius thinks his horse is overtaken by the enemy and he fears the worst. His servants help him kill himself. Brutus finds him and the only honorable way he sees out of his situation is to kill himself. He does. Marc Anthony praises Brutus on the battlefield as the "noblest roman of them all" and orders a formal funeral before him and Octavius return to rule Rome.