Shakespeare was a highly original playwright and poet who had a remarkable talent for understanding the human psyche. His insights into human sufferance, his knowledge of human weaknesses and his ability to interpret human sentiments make his drama a mirror of life.
His great popularity lies with his dealing with universal themes: in his plays ambition, the pursuit of power, human frailty and the assertion of individuality become as relevant as love, family bonds, friendship and death.
Shakespeare’s plays may be divided into four main groups.
HISTORICAL PLAYS:
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They satisfied the demand of the audience for historical background. Shakespeare drew on English history, dealing particularly with the period from the deposition of Richard II to the death of Richard III. He satisfied the tastes of theatre-goers with details and scenes taken from “blood-and-thunder Senecan drama”, focusing on the figure of the villain. In some of these plays he also introduced a comic character, Falstaff. The main themes are the need for order and political stability, the hardships of war, the nature of power, the Divine Right of Royal Succession, in which Shakespeare officially believed.
Some titles: Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV, Henry V, King John.
TRAGEDIES
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They deal with such themes as revenge, sufferance and hatred and they often concentrate on conflicts and oppositions between love and pride, sense of duty and affection.
The structure of his tragedies is simple and linear: it starts with the tragic hero’s action that brings about misfortune causing catastrophe and death. The hero is portrayed as a noble man with a flaw in his character which eventually leads to his downfall. The antagonist is the villain who uses whatever means to achieve and keep power and who is characterized by unscrupulous views about morality.
Some titles: Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Othello.
COMEDIES
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The early comedies are characterized by slightness of plot and little revelation or development of character, but display an effervescent spirit of simple fun and delight in verbal wit.
Some titles: The two gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew.
The great comedies show great development of Shakespeare’s ability to construct a more intricate plot and have a richer, more truly comic spirit.
Some titles: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night.
ROMANCES
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The “romantic” comedies are a mixture of disguised situations, clever schemings, coincidences, comic effects and mistaken identities. They generally deal with the battle of the sexes and conflicts between the various characters.
Some titles: The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest.
