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The popular 2006 film, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, was said to be based on a comedy written by William Shakespeare entitled, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.” Some episodes of the television show, Dawson’s Creek, was also inspired by the same play. In this Shakespearean comedy, the two gentlemen referred in the title were Valentine and Proteus. They shared a bond of friendship but soon found themselves at odds when they fell in love with the same woman, Silvia.

“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is considered by historians to be among the earliest works of Shakespeare. It was first published in the First Folio of Shakespearean plays in 1623. A major theme of this play is the question of whether friendship between two friends should outweigh the relationship between lovers. The contest between friendship and love is a recurring theme in many plays during the Renaissance. This is primarily because during Shakespeare’s time, friendship is considered to be the more important relationship. This culture explains why at the end of the play, Valentine decided to surrender Silvia to Proteus without even asking her permission. Ironically, Proteus remembered his great love for another woman, Julia which is why Valentine ended up with Silvia.

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Historians speculate that “The Merchant of Venice” was created by William Shakespeare some time between 1596 and 1598. Although this play is considered a comedy, some elements of its plot have led critics to classify it as a romantic comedy. As one of the Bard’s well-known plays, this had been adapted into several television movies.

“The Merchant of Venice” is classified as one of Shakespeare’s “problem plays.” Unlike his other plays, the most prominent figure in this story is not the title character, Antonio. Rather, the spotlight is on Shylock, the Jewish moneylender and the play’s main antagonist. This was considered a problem play because it is up to the audience to decide whether they should sympathize or feel disdain for Shylock. Determining whether this character is the tormentor or the tormented will depend largely on the interpretation of the director and the actors. Some actors presented the character of Shylock as a man who wants to exact revenge. Others present him as a man whose actions are dictated by his pride. As pointed out by many, it is but normal that Shylock should feel hatred for Antonio since the week previously, the latter spat on his face and insulted him for being a Jew.

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William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew

Among the best-known plays written by William Shakespeare, “Hamlet” is considered by many critics as his greatest play. It is also one of the most-performed plays in the list of Royal Shakespeare Company since 1879. Even during the Shakespeare’s most productive years in theater, “Hamlet” was among his popular plays. According to critics, Shakespeare created the role of Prince Hamlet, the lead protagonist of the story, especially for his friend and colleague in the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Richard Burbage. Burbage was also the leading tragedy actor during their time. The play centers on the how Prince Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, took revenge on his uncle for killing his father. His father was the former king and upon his death, the throne went to his uncle.

This tragedy by William Shakespeare features a play within the play. In the story, Prince Hamlet wanted to prove that his uncle had a hand in his father’s death. He intended to do this by watching his uncle’s reaction as he watches the play, “The Murder of Gonzago”, which Prince Hamlet will stage with the help of a troupe of actors. The play is actually a reenactment of how the former king was killed.

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William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice

“Romeo and Juliet” is undeniably one of the most popular plays of William Shakespeare. Through this play, literary critics praised his potential as a dramatist through his development of minor characters and subplots to embellish the plot. Contrary to what many people think, this play was not an original story of the playwright. Shakespeare developed his plot of “Romeo and Juliet” based on the narrative poem of Arthur Brooke in 1562 entitled “The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet” and its prose version written by William Painter in 1582. Painter wrote his adaptation in prose which was entitled “The goodly History of the true and constant love of Rhomeo and Julietta.” He published it as one of the stories featured in the “Palace of Pleasure,” a collection of Italian tales.

The plot of “Romeo and Juliet” centers on the lives of two teenage lovers who belonged to two feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Juliet Capulet is the play’s female protagonist while Romeo Montague is the male protagonist. These families eventually reconciled after the tragic deaths of the two lovers. Young love is considered to be the dominant theme of this story. At present, the characters of Romeo and Juliet have become emblems of those who die young for the sake of love.

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