The document summarizes plots and characters from several of Shakespeare's comedies, including The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, and Much Ado About Nothing. The Merchant of Venice involves Bassanio borrowing money from Antonio to woo Portia, leading to a conflict with moneylender Shylock. Twelfth Night tells of Viola dressing as a man after being shipwrecked and becoming involved in a love triangle between Orsino, Olivia, and her twin Sebastian. As You Like It involves Rosalind and Orlando falling in love while in exile in the Forest of Arden. Much Ado About Nothing involves Claudio and Hero planning to wed but Don John sland

1. SHAKESPEARE
COMEDIES

2. THE MERCHANT OF
VENICE (1579)
MAIN CHARACTERS
• Antonio: a merchant of
Venice in melancholic mood.
• Portia: a rich heiress and,
later, the wife of Bassanio.
• Bassanio: Antonio's friend;
suitor to Portia; later the
husband of Portia.
• Shylock: a rich Jew,
moneylender, father of
Jessica.
• Jessica: daughter of Shylock,
later the wife of Lorenzo.

3. THE MERCHANT OF
VENICE (1579)
PLOT
Bassanio asks the merchant Antonio for a loan of
3,000 ducats so he can make Portia, daughter of
the rich Belmont and heir to his fortune, fall in
love with him. Antonio has to ask Shylock for the
money and despite all the obstacles Bassanio ends
with Portia and Nerissa, her asistant, with
Graciano and Antonio gets half of Shylock's
fortune.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdbzRtxVtns

4. TWELFTH NIGHT (1601)
MAIN CHARACTERS
• Viola: a young woman of
aristocratic birth, and the play’s
protagonist.
• Orsino: a powerful nobleman in
the country of Illyria.
• Olivia: a wealthy, beautiful, and
noble Illyrian lady, Olivia is
courted by Orsino.
• Sebastian: Viola’s lost twin
brother.
• Malvolio: the head servant in the
household of Lady Olivia.
• Feste: the clown of Olivia’s
household.

5. TWELFTH NIGHT (1601)
PLOT
Orsino, the Duke of lllyria, is in love with his
neighbour, the Countess Olivia. She has sworn to
avoid men’s company for seven years while she
mourns the death of her brother, so rejects him.
Nearby a group of sailors arrive on shore with a
young woman, Viola, who has survived a shipwreck
in a storm at sea. Viola mourns the loss of her twin
brother but decides to dress as a boy to get work as
a page to Duke Orsino.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8DGoF0CQlU

6. AS YOU LIKE IT (1599)
MAIN CHARACTERS
• Rosalind: is the heroine and
protagonist of the play. She is the
beautiful daughter of the exiled
Duke Senior.
• Orlando: is the younger son of the
deceased Sir Rowland de Boys and
brother of Oliver.
• Oliver de Boys: is the oldest son of
Sir Rowland de Boys.
• Celia: Duke Frederick's daughter
and Rosalind's cousin.
• Touchstone: is the court jester of
Duke Frederick, the usurper's
court.
• Jaques: is one of Duke Senior's
noblemen a discontented,
melancholic lord.

7. AS YOU LIKE IT (1599)
PLOT
Oliver and Orlando are two brothers, Oliver, the oldest
son, ill-treats the minor. At the same time, a duke has
been an exile for his brother Federico. The new duke,
Federico, lives in the palace with his daughter Celia
and his niece Rosalinda. Orlando wins a combat in
Federico's palace and falls in love with Rosalinda.
Federico exiles Rosalinda and she goes with Celia and
with a court jester called Touchstone to the same forest
were Orland lives.Finally the two brothers make peace.
Oliver and Celia get married so do Orlando and
Rosalinda.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JLw0kXO2N4

8. MUCH ADO ABOUT
NOTHING (1598)
MAIN CHARACTERS
• Don Pedro: Prince of Aragon.
• Don John: "the Bastard Prince,"
brother of Don Pedro.
• Leonato: governor of Messina
• Hero: daughter of Leonato
• Dogberry: the constable in charge
of Messina's night watch.
• A Sexton: the judge of the trial of
Borachio
• Claudio: of Florence; a count,
companion of Don Pedro

9. MUCH ADO ABOUT
NOTHING (1598)
PLOT
Claudio and Hero fall in love and plan to get married,
but the villainous Don John slanders Hero with false
evidence. The wedding is ruined and Hero faints. Her
family soon suspect slander and decide to pretend that
Hero died from shock. Don John’s evil plan is soon
revealed and Claudio mourns Hero’s death.
Eventually, Hero is revealed to be alive and the
marriage goes ahead as planned. In the play’s closing
moments, it is reported that Don John has been
captured for his crime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYj-2vFLbtc