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Plays
Plays are forms of literature written by playwrights for theatrical performances. These are written with dialogs between characters in a variety of genres – tragedy, historical, satire, comedy or farce. Among the famous plays is William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
2,548 Questions
In Hamlet what does Hamlet mean when he says 'The King is a thing'?
In Shakespeare's time, "thing" was slang for a penis. What women have, on the other hand, is "no thing" or "nothing". This puts a different slant on the title of the play "Much Ado about Nothing".
Thus when Hamlet says to Horatio, "The King is a thing", Horatio is somewhat shocked by this lèse majesté and says "A thing, my Lord?". Hamlet pretends to have been using the more innocent meaning of the word by completing it with "of shreds and patches". But we know and Horatio knows what he really meant.
Character analysis for each main character in the play two weeks with the queen?
Colin Mudford: A 12-year-old Australian boy determined to convince a cancer expert to treat his younger brother. He is sent by his parents to stay with his relatives in London during the family's difficult times.
Alistair: Colin's shy English cousin. While Colin is in London, Alistair becomes involved with Colin's ambitious schemes to find a cure for Luke's cancer.
Aunty Iris: Colin's aunt (his mother's sister) and Alistair's overbearing mother. She is friendly towards Colin but is frightened by the fact that he is so open about Luke's cancer.
Uncle Bob: Colin's uncle, Aunt Iris's husband and Alistair's overbearing father. Bob is stingy with money, critical of the Royal Family and is a fan of the DIY hardware house.
Ted: A Welsh man living in London. He is an unemployed gay man because he is taking care of his dying boyfriend.
Griff: Ted's partner, who discovered that he had developed AIDS shortly after moving to London. Colin visits Griff in the hospital and reunites him with Ted.
Mrs. Mudford: Colin and Luke's mother. She is distraught over the diagnosis of her younger son and sends Colin to London to stay at her sister's house.
Mr. Mudford: Colin and Luke's father. He travels to Sydney where Luke is diagnosed with cancer, prompting him to send Colin to England.
Luke Mudford: Colin's younger brother, diagnosed with terminal cancer after collapsing in his living room. Colin attempts to find a cure for him.
Dr. Graham: Considered the world's leading expert on cancer. Ted informs her of Colin's situation and she calls up Luke's doctors in Sydney, only to find out bad news.
Who came up with the idea for the play We Will Rock You?
"We Will Rock You" was written by Queen guitarist Brian May.
Why are Shakespeare's plays so popular?
Because he was a very talented playwright
Also and little known, is that he brought hundreds of new words and phrases to the English language, such as "all the worlds a stage" About 1500 words in all, so too many to relate. If you go to a Shakespearian play today, you will find that the humour still comes through, and a great deal can be placed in todays society...love him...never did at school though.
How does the play Othello end?
Othello strangles Desdemona and then Emilia comes in and Iago kills her and then Othello realizes that Desdemona was innocent so in the end he kills himself. Not a happily ever after ending, eh?
Who gave their reasons for why Caesar was killed?
Cassius was the driving force behind the whole group. He was afraid of Caesar gaining too much power and weakening his own political and economic position. Basically, he was greedy, and wanted to keep or increase his own power and wealth.
Unfortunately, Brutus was secondary and crucial to the conspiracy. Being such a close friend to Caesar, and then agreeing to the ultimate betrayal of his murder, he gave credence to the others to follow suit. His motive was to protect Rome from being destroyed by the "tyrannical ruler" Caesar was becoming, as projected by Cassius into Brutus' mind/thinking.
Othello is a Moor, which is to say an African, but it is not clear whether or not he was actually born in Africa. He does say that he was a soldier since he was seven years old, and that he had travelled a good deal since then, being captured once and sold into slavery then redeemed. He does seem to have made a career out of fighting the Turk, which does not suggest that he was raised in Africa (most of which was culturally closer to the Islamic Turkish Empire). He may have been born in Europe of African parents.
The full title of Othello is Othello, the Moor of Venice, so Othello is from Venice to some extent.
Othello is a person and a symbol. He is a noble man from a line of royal men, and is the highest ranking person in the play. By birth as by personal merit. The fight is between the middling, trading classes and the nobility who was forbidden to trade, but instead married rich heiresses coming from trade. Desdemona's father is against her alliance with Othello because she quits the sphere of her middling class. He cannot marry her out and use her to bolster his social position in Venice. The Venetians are remarkably non-racist as they made the sole Black in their midst the highest military leader. Even Brabantio, Desdemona's father often invited him to dinner, where he met Desdemona and could woo her. He is giving a fair hearing over his elopement with Desdemona and not automatically lynched, as should expected if the Venetians were racists. The racist remarks are really anti-nobility remarks, in a sharp but satirical fashion, as not to give to much offence to the people who bankrolled Shakespeare, to begin with.
What was the first play that William Inge ever wrote?
We have no idea. We don't even know exactly when he started his career in the theatre, and therefore have no idea when he first stepped onto the stage, or with what company or which of the thousands of possible plays was being performed. Anyone who thinks they can answer this is writing fiction.
Is the winters tale a comedy a history or a tragedy?
This question is difficult to answer due to all the debate about the subject. Traditionally, it is classified as a comedy, but modern scholars have also considered classifying it as a late romance or one of Shakespeare's "problem plays" due to the intense pyschological drama in the beginning of the play.
What does Ariel do that causes fear in the hearts of Stephano and Trinculo?
He plays a musical tune yet remains invisible.
Helena is speaking to Lysander and Demetrius when she says "If you were civil and knew courtesy you would not do me thus much injury."
What is the theme of 'Thunder on Sycamore Street'?
Sycamore Street is a peaceful street, yet there's an underlying excitement. Joseph Blake, a new man in the neighborhood, is not welcome. His neighbors have decided to force him out. There are a number of reasons why such things happen. In this case, it's because the man once served a brief term in prison. Also, though his daughter is a model student, the neighbors don't want their children to associate with her. They form a mob and plan to march on the Blake house. Only one man, Arthur Hayes, fights an inner battle. In a scene of tremendous power, Blake stands up to the crowd.
What era was A Midsummer Night's Dream set in?
In Ancient Greece (Athens), in Pericle's century (around % century BC, if I remember correctly).
How many characters double cast in a midsummer night's dream?
Egeus, Philostrate, various Fairies including Mustardseed, Cobweb, Peaseblossom and Moth, who has only two words to say: "And I."
Villa for sale by Sacha guitry is a humorous play?
Villa for sale is a drama written by Sacha Guitry. In this drama Juliette puts up her villa for sale.some customers come to see the villa but they do not buy it. after almost a month, Juliette gets a call saying a lady will come to buy it. a french couple Gaston and Jeanne come to take a look at the villa. while waiting for the owner of the villa, gaston indicater that he has no intention of buying a villa.
Juliette enters and gives a complete description of the villa.after much bargaining Juliette reduces the price from 2,50,000 francks to 2,00,000 francks.
gaston doesn't agree and is about to leave when Jeanne wants to have a look around the villa. Jeanne wants to see the upper floor Gaton doesn't joins them.
Mrs al Smith arrives to look at the villa. she mistakes Gaston as the owner of the villa. She buys the villa for 3,00,000 francks.
When Jeanne returns after looking at the top floor,she indicates that she has lost the idea of buying the villa but Gaston desires to buy the villa for 2,00,000 francks.Juliette is still unaware that Gaston has sold the villa to mrs al smith. after that Gaston gets to know that MRS al simith was a thief and the cheque was duplicate and again it gose to Jeanne parrents .
SANAYA OBEROI
What omens does Casca report on the Ides of March?
Following the soothsayer's warning "Beware the ides of March"
Casca retells Brutus and Cassius of the public commotion with Ceasar. (Anthony offers Ceasar a crown three times, and three times he refuses it. The crowd goes wild with foul-breathed cheering, causing Ceasar to faint and foam at the mouth.
begin excerp :William Shakespeare - Julius Ceasar / Act I / Scene II. A Public Place
BRUTUS Ay, Casca; tell us what hath chanced to-day,
That Caesar looks so sad.
CASCA Why, you were with him, were you not?
BRUTUS I should not then ask Casca what had chanced.
CASCA Why, there was a crown offered him: and being
offered him, he put it by with the back of his hand,
thus; and then the people fell a-shouting.
BRUTUS What was the second noise for?
CASCA Why, for that too.
CASSIUS They shouted thrice: what was the last cry for?
CASCA Why, for that too.
BRUTUS Was the crown offered him thrice?
CASCA Ay, marry, was't, and he put it by thrice, every
time gentler than other, and at every putting-by
mine honest neighbours shouted.
CASSIUS Who offered him the crown?
CASCA Why, Antony.
BRUTUS Tell us the manner of it, gentle Casca.
CASCA I can as well be hanged as tell the manner of it:
it was mere foolery; I did not mark it. I saw Mark
Antony offer him a crown;--yet 'twas not a crown
neither, 'twas one of these coronets;--and, as I told
you, he put it by once: but, for all that, to my
thinking, he would fain have had it. Then he
offered it to him again; then he put it by again:
but, to my thinking, he was very loath to lay his
fingers off it. And then he offered it the third
time; he put it the third time by: and still as he
refused it, the rabblement hooted and clapped their
chapped hands and threw up their sweaty night-caps
and uttered such a deal of stinking breath because
Caesar refused the crown that it had almost choked
Caesar; for he swounded and fell down at it: and
for mine own part, I durst not laugh, for fear of
opening my lips and receiving the bad air.
CASSIUS But, soft, I pray you: what, did Caesar swound?
CASCA He fell down in the market-place, and foamed at
mouth, and was speechless.
BRUTUS 'Tis very like: he hath the failing sickness.
CASSIUS No, Caesar hath it not; but you and I,
And honest Casca, we have the falling sickness.
CASCA I know not what you mean by that; but, I am sure,
Caesar fell down. If the tag-rag people did not
clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and
displeased them, as they use to do the players in
the theatre, I am no true man.
BRUTUS What said he when he came unto himself?
CASCA Marry, before he fell down, when he perceived the
common herd was glad he refused the crown, he
plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his
throat to cut. An I had been a man of any
occupation, if I would not have taken him at a word,
I would I might go to hell among the rogues. And so
he fell. When he came to himself again, he said,
If he had done or said any thing amiss, he desired
their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three
or four wenches, where I stood, cried 'Alas, good
soul!' and forgave him with all their hearts: but
there's no heed to be taken of them; if Caesar had
stabbed their mothers, they would have done no less.
BRUTUS And after that, he came, thus sad, away?
CASCA Ay.
CASSIUS Did Cicero say any thing?
CASCA Ay, he spoke Greek.
CASSIUS To what effect?
CASCA Nay, an I tell you that, Ill ne'er look you i' the
face again: but those that understood him smiled at
one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own
part, it was Greek to me. I could tell you more
news too: Marullus and Flavius, for pulling scarfs
off Caesar's images, are put to silence. Fare you
well. There was more foolery yet, if I could
remember it.
What are some allusions in The Glass Menagerie?
An allusion is a reference in literature to another piece of literature. For example, In Out of the Silent Planet, C.S. Lewis mentions H.G. Wells, author of War of the Worlds. Simply put, it is impossible to name all the allusions in all of literature.
Who may have written Shakespeare's plays?
Before 1594, when Shakespeare was not attached to any particular playing company, he sold them to any company who would buy them. Since the title page of the Quarto of Titus Andronicus names three different companies (Pembroke's, Derby's, and Sussex's), the theory is that Shakespeare sold the play originally to one of these three companies, who sold it to a second company, who then sold it to a third one.
In fact, most of the playwriting of this time worked on the following basis. A playwright would tell the manager of a company that he had an idea for a play, and if the manager liked it, he would hire the playwright to write the play, paying him part of his fee in advance. Once the play was written the playwright got the balance of the fee and the company got the play. Playwrights did not own their plays. Philip Henslowe's diary lists loads of plays for which he paid the author in advance (but none by Shakespeare).
After 1594, Shakespeare worked exclusively for the Lord Chamberlain's Men who later became the King's Men. He did not have to negotiate the sale of the plays as he was basically an employee (although also a shareholder).
What does lago say must happen to Desdemona?
She says that she will eventually get bored of Othello because he is much older then her so she will want youth.
What causes the crying out of the names at the end of act 1?
At the end of the act, Betty and Abagail are crying out who they saw with the devil.
What is the title of Sophocles major work?
Sophocles most known work is Oedipus. He also wrote Antigone, Electra and Trachiniae (The Women of Trachis).
