This document provides summaries of three of Shakespeare's plays: 1) Romeo and Juliet is set in Verona and focuses on the love between Romeo and Juliet from feuding families despite their families' hatred. The main characters struggle against forces like fixed marriage and banishment that ultimately lead to their deaths. 2) Hamlet is a tragedy that explores revenge after Hamlet learns his uncle murdered his father. Hamlet struggles with inaction as events overwhelm him. 3) The Tempest is a romance involving forgiveness. Prospero is exiled from his throne but gains magical powers on a mysterious island, encountering supernatural creatures like Ariel and Caliban. It explores themes of discovery

1. The picture of
Shakespeare’s plays
Elisa Pellegatta

2. Romeo and Juliet
(1594-96)
 It’s the tragedy of the time because time is the real enemy of the two «star-
cross’d lovers». The lack of time doesn’t permit them to speach to each other (=
lack of knowledge ).
 Setting = the city of Verona and later Mantua
 Themes = the hatred between two powerful Verona’s families (Montagues &
Capulets) and the love affair between Romeo and Juliet the last descendant of
these families.
 Characters = the main characters are: Romeo and Juliet ( their death were pressed
by the fixed marriage of Juliet with Count Paris and Romeo’s banishment from
Verona); Thebald (Juliet’s cousin); Mercutio (Romeo’s best friend) and friar Florence.

3. This picture, in my opinion, represents Romeo
and Juliet in a beautiful way.
Their faces are white signs in a dark setting. In
this picture the lovers are trying to kiss but
their faces are crossed each other without
touching; giving us the idea of the impossible
love.
The fresh and light lines of their faces are
white, this colour contrasts the black colour
of the background. The white line is the only
thing which connects these figures to each
other.
The line of these two lovers intersects in only
two points: the first at the top of the picture
and the second on the left bottom of the
picture.
In this painting I can see Romeo and Juliet’s
tender desire of staying together in spite of
the difficulties they were living (rapresented
by the dark background of the picture).

4. Hamlet
(1606)
 This is a tragedy of the will (similar to Seneca’s tragedy), because the world
around Hamlet is rotten but he doesn’t realize it. He understands that the people
he most loves are corrupted when his father’s ghost appears and asks him to take
revenge for his death. Hamlet never takes a decision (= the events overwhelm him).
 Setting = the first one is the king’s castle in Denmark; the second one is the war
with a northern country.
 Themes = revenge. After the death of Hamlet’s father, Hamlet speaks with his
ghost. His father tells Hamlet that he was killed by his brother (who is now the new
king Claudius and Hamlet’s step-father) and he asks Hamlet to revenge him. After
this confession, Hamlet doesn’t trust his family any longer and he mistrusts even
his girlfriend (Ophelia).
 Characters = the main character is Hamlet who is troubled with the revenge he has
to fulfil (but his thought kills the action); Claudius and Gertrude (Hamlet’s mother);
Ophelia

5. I choose this sculpture to represent
Hamlet for the following reasons: the
sculpture is a material artwork, the
material suggests the concreteness of
Hamlet’s thoughts (even if he doesn’t
act); Hamlet’s doubts are the birds:
they are flying on and on around
themself as well as his doubts. Another
reason why I choose this sculpture is
that when you look at it for a while
you can feel as you are imprisoned by
your own thoughts and you feel alone
(not in touch with the others).

6. The Tempest
(1611)
 This is the last Shakespeare’s play. It’s the comedy of forgiveness (= romance).
Prospero was thrown away from his throne in Naples, and to safe his life he
escapes. He shipwrecks on an unknown island. In the play there are supernatural
elements (Prospero’s cloak, Ariel and Caliban). This romance can be read in two
ways: theatre as a mirror of life & the European relation with the newly discovered
societies.
 Setting = it’s a misterious island in an unknown place.
 Themes = after the characters’ shipwreck they meet and discover new supernatural
creatures, the true residents of the island.
 Characters = the main character is Prospero, with his daughter Miranda and the
spirit of immagination Ariel; they argue with the native Caliban (evil spirit, manual
work, his name is similar to Carrebean and cannibal)

7. In my opinion this is the best artwork which
represents the setting and feelings of The
Tempest. The movement of the sculputure is
tipical of Ariel (he represents imagination
combined with air) and of the supernatural
elements. The wood represents Prospero’s
sceptre and his magical powers. On the floor we
can see a cloak the symbol of Prospero’s power.
The two trunks seem two arms trying to hold
imagination which is escaping away from them. I
think the sea in the background is the perfect
setting for Shakespeare’s play.
The manual work (scorned at the time of the
play) is represented by the wooden sticks which
form this gorgeous «wave» (we can see it is not
a bad work at all!).