Test your knowledge of William Shakespeare by taking one of our user-contributed quizzes! Each quiz is multiple choice and includes questions on plot points, themes, and character traits. Test your knowledge online or print for classroom use.
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How well do you know Shakespeare's pastoral romantic comedy?
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A Midsummer Night's Dream: Characters
Do you remember who's who in Shakespeare's great comedy?
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How well do you know Shakespeare's tragedy of star-crossed lovers?
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How well do you know Shakespeare's classic tragedy?
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The Comedy of Errors – The Twins
Which twin did what?!
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What do you recall about Jaques, the pessimist, or Rosalind, the ever-positive heroine of this comedic romp? Take this overview quiz from eNotes about William Shakespeare's As You Like It to be sure you remember the numerous plot twists for the play's couples as they pursue happily-ever-after!
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To quiz, or not to quiz? To quiz, of course! Test your knowledge of Shakespeare's famous play with eNotes' Hamlet Overview Quiz, covering major and minor plot points, characters, and other details from the work.
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Our Macbeth Overview Quiz covers important plot points and character developments including the banquet scene, Macbeth's greatest fears, and the subject of Lady Macbeth's hallucinations. Take the quiz to test your knowledge of Shakespeare's most haunting play.
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The Merchant of Venice Overview
What are the consequences of demanding "a pound of flesh"? What happens in the complicated casket scene? Discover the answers to these questions and more with eNotes' The Merchant of Venice Overview Quiz!
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A Midsummer Night's Dream Overview
Test yourself on Shakespeare's play of fairies, fools, and foibles with eNotes' A Midsummer Night's Dream Overview Quiz. Includes questions on the lovers, tricksters, and plot of this classic comedy to help you in your studies.
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Jealousy and manipulation are at the heart of this tragedy. Be sure you recall the details of how a great love turns to terrible murder by taking the Othello overview quiz from eNotes.
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Quiz yourself on everything there is to know about Shakespeare's classic romance with eNotes' Romeo and Juliet Overview Quiz. Includes questions on the lovers, the play's setting and plot, and important dialogue.
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How much do you know about this historical drama by Shakespeare? Take the Henry IV, Part I Overview quiz from eNotes to find out. Contains ten questions about this English play.
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Henry V recounts one of history’s most stunning military upsets, in which the English were victorious over the French at Agincourt. But what else do you know about this historical Tudor play? Take the quiz from eNotes over Henry V by William Shakespeare and find out!
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With questions on Cordelia, Goneril, Regan, and the division of their father's kingdom, eNotes' King Lear Overview Quiz is the perfect study tool to prepare for your next test or essay. Quiz yourself on one of Shakespeare's finest tragedies below!
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Much Ado About Nothing Overview
Break through the sparring and spurning of Shakespeare's comedy with eNotes' Much Ado About Nothing Overview Quiz. Includes questions on Beatrice and Benedick's relationship, Hero's predicament, and Don John's trickery. Test your knowledge below!
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Test your knowledge of Britain's history, at least according to William Shakespeare. eNotes' Richard III Overview Quizcontains ten essential questions on the historical play and its controversial main character to aid you in your review. Bring on "the winter of our discontent," quiz your way to a better grade...
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The Taming of the Shrew Overview
eNotes' The Taming of the Shrew Overview Quiz asks the essential questions to Shakespeare's comedy, covering details of the play's intricate plot and characters. Test your knowledge today to better prepare for your next test or project!
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eNotes' The Tempest Overview Quiz covers important questions on Shakespeare's tale of Prospero's island, including "What is Prospero’s final request to Ariel?" and "What does Ariel transform into in Act III?" Quiz yourself on this Shakespearean comedy below!
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With cases of mistaken identity, separated twins, and gender-crossing disguise, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night can be difficult to grasp. eNotes' Twelfth Night Overview Quiz helps to quickly sort through the confusion of this romantic comedy with questions on dialogue, plot details, and characters great and small.
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All's Well That Ends Well Overview
"Love all, trust a few." Trust us to guide you through the ins and outs of Shakespeare's comedy about Bertram and Helena. Take the All's Well That Ends Well Quizfrom eNotes to find out everything you need to know! This quiz contains ten questions about all the privilege and problems...
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How well do you know Shakespeare's historical tragedy of the Egyptian queen and her Roman general? Find out with eNotes' Antony and Cleopatra Overview Quiz! This quiz contains ten essential questions on the plot, characters, and other details of the play to help you in your review.
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"There is something in the wind, that we cannot get in." Two sets of twins make for plenty of confusion in The Comedy of Errors, but we can help you find the right answers for your test. Understand the ins and outs of Shakespeare's most slapstick play by taking ...
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Witness the downfall of one of Shakespeare's most tragic of heroes in Coriolanus, then test your knowledge of the play with eNotes' Coriolanus Overview Quiz. With ten important questions on characters, plot, and dialogue, this quiz is designed to test your knowledge of the entire play, preparing you well...
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Vienna is becoming increasingly corrupt and the duke, at a loss for how to turn things around, appoints a temporary governor. Be sure you understand all the ins-and-outs and ups-and-downs of William Shakespeare's comedic romp Measure for Measure by the Overview quiz from eNotes here.
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With whom do the commoners side? What bad tidings does Richard receive in Wales? Find the answers to these and other important questions from Shakespeare's history play with eNotes' Richard II Overview Quiz. With ten essential questions on plot, characters, dialogue and more, this quiz is designed to test...
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"A snapper-up of unconsidered trifles." We've considered everything to guide you though the ins and outs of Shakespeare's most interesting problem play. Take The Winter's Tale Overview Quiz from eNotes before you take a test in class. Contains ten questions about the mistakes of King Leontes.
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Navigate the intricacies of courtship, disguise, and vows in Shakespeare's classic work with eNotes' Love's Labor's Lost Overview Quiz.
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"I have not slept one wink." Don't lose any sleep over the particularities of Shakespeare's tale of an early Celtic British king. Take the Cymbeline Quiz from eNotes to review everything you need to know! Contains ten questions about this problem play and its themes of love and jealousy.
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Pericles, Prince of Tyre Overview
Follow Pericles, Prince of Tyre, as he solves riddles, flees from tyrant kings, wins tournaments, and sails off on adventures. Take eNotes' Pericles, Prince of Tyre Overview Quiz for this fascinating play below.
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"Press not a falling man too far!" Henry VIIIis not Shakespeare's easiest or most popular work, but if you need to know about Henry VIII's reign based on the Bard's historical play, eNotes won't let you fall down with these top 10 questions to study. Be sure you understand...
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Delve into the intrigues of the English court with eNotes' Henry IV, Part II Overview Quiz.
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Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida is a tumultuous play of deep tragedy and ribald comedy. Work through the details with eNotes' Troilus and Cressida Overview Quiz.
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Shakespeare knows that political intrigue sets the stage for war. See how much you know of his famous history with eNotes' Henry VI, Part I Overview Quiz.
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Delve into the intrigues of the English court with eNotes' Henry VI, Part II Overview Quiz.
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The Merry Wives of Windsor Overview
Test yourself on the roguish adventures of Sir John Falstaff with eNotes' The Merry Wives of Windsor Overview Quiz. Contains ten questions covering Shakespeare's entire play to help you in your review.
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Quiz yourself with eNotes' Henry VI, Part III Overview Quiz, covering questions on important plot points and character motives.
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Shakespeare's Timon of Athens is widely regarded as his most challenging and obscure work. Take eNotes' Timon of Athens Overview Quiz to see if you've got what it takes to take on this play.
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How much do you know about Shakespeare's bloodiest and most violent play? Take the Titus Andronicus overview quiz from eNotes to find out! Contains ten questions about the cycle of revenge between a Roman General and a Gothic Queen.
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Two Gentlemen of Verona Overview
Take eNotes' Two Gentlemen of Verona Overview Quiz to test your knowledge of the play as a whole, including its setting, plot, and characters.
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"Et tu, Brute?" Caesar's dying words encapsulate the entire essence of this play of leadership, friendship, and betrayal. Be sure you recall the details of William Shakespeare's tragedy Julius Caesar by taking the overview quiz from eNotes.
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Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Have you figured out the many things that are "rotten" yet? Be sure you understand what is going on in the opening scene by taking this quiz over Act 1, Scene 1 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in...
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Just a few ladies, hanging around in the country side... Oh, wait... Does that one have warts? And what are they stirring in that huge pot? Is that a... thumb? Welcome to Act 1, Scene 1 of Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth. No ruby slippers or benevolent witches here....
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Mondays... am I right? Imagine you are Brabantio. First you get one piece of bad news, then another! What's a wealthy politician to do when your daughter defies you and your underlings are running amok? Making matters worse is that the once-trustworthy Iago is behind the scenes, seething with anger...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 1
Everybody who has been through high school knows about crushes... and if you don't yet, you soon will. Act 1 Scene 1 introduces us one of the "star cross'd lovers" the Chorus warns of in the Prologue. Here, the audience witnesses Romeo's teenaged angst and observes how he responds to...
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The ambitious Julius Caesar has suddenly become the most powerful man in Rome. Not everyone is happy about this, to say the least. Be sure you understand what is going on in this opening scene of the play by taking the quiz over Act 1, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar...
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Ever come home after a long trip and find your family has redecorated your room? It's a million times worse for the Prince of Denmark, who returns to find his father dead, his mother re-married to his uncle, and his country under threat. Be sure you understand this foundational scene...
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"The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse, " warned Irish philosopher Edmund Burke. He was right. Power is like a drug: the more you have, the more you want. Such is the case with Macbeth. He has proven himself to be a formidable force and has been rewarded...
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Although he is called "Honest Iago" often, and ironically, by Othello, Act 2, Scene 1 of the play proves the moniker is a false one; "Cunning" might do it, but "Evil" seems more fitting. Iago has his hooks into everyone in this scene, baiting them all into stirring up trouble...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 2
Parties have a way of getting out of hand. Even in the days before Twitter and Facebook, word could spread quicker than you could say, "Swounds! Where did all these people come from?" This is what essentially happens at the ball thrown by Juliet's parents, Lord and Lady Capulet. Soon,...
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Three shouts bode change and Brutus is concerned. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 1, Scene 2 of Julius Caesar from eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a good grasp of the...
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Laertes and Ophelia are saying goodbye, and like any big brother going off to college, Laertes has some words of warning for his little sister. Be sure you understand Laertes's concerns by taking the quiz over Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in...
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An enigma wrapped in a mystery! By Act 1, Scene 3, things are getting stranger (if that's possible) and more confusing. The Weird Sisters are stirring the pot, both literally and figuratively. Banquo is trying to figure out the witches' riddle. Macbeth is reveling in the old crones' flattery of...
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“Men are so simple and yield so readily to the desires of the moment that he who will trick will always find another who will suffer to be tricked," Machiavelli warned. It's too bad Iago had already checked out The Princefrom the local Venetian library, because Cassio could really...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 3
Nurse and mother, Lady Montague, have a heart-to-heart with Juliet and their combined behaviors and responses begin to map out the fate of Juliet's future. What action does Juliet's mother request? What response does Juliet make? What will Lady Montague's "selling points" lead to? How do these foreshadow what is...
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Casca has had some strange visions, which he reports to Cicero. What has Casca envisioned and how does Cicero interpret theses "signs"? Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 1, Scene 3 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions...
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What would you say to a ghost? Furthermore, what if your friend was talking to a ghost, how would you advise him? Horatio, Hamlet's best friend, must answer both of these questions. Be sure you understand this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 1, Scene 4 of Hamlet...
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It must have appeared to King Duncan that Scotland was his chessboard. Executions here, appointments there; castles to visit, knights to move about. The "game" Duncan is playing, however, is not one he will win. Plans are being made without his knowledge, sanction, or consent. Of course, the new players...
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Othello may very well possess a great military mind but in matters of the heart, he's easily fooled. Misinformation, planted "proof" and deliberate lies are part and parcel of Iago's plot, and Othello falls for all of it. No one is above suspicion in Othello's mind, except, ironically, the perpetrator...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 4
So... you and your friends have decided to crash a party. A few of them are all, "YES! Let's go!" but there's always that one who is the Voice of Reason and implores the rest of you to not do something rash. What usually happens? That's right. Everybody goes and...
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Brutus receives an important letter. Do you know what it says and how he reacts? Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 2, Scene 1 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if...
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The Ghost of King Hamlet has some shocking news. Well, the fact that a ghost is speaking at all is pretty shocking in and of itself. What does the apparition tell his son and why does the prince have concerns about the ghost's veracity? Be sure you understand what is...
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The ambitions of "The Real Housewives of Wherever" are NOTHING compared to the aspirations Lady Macbeth. While Macbeth certainly has the lion's share of culpability in the tragedy that is to come, his greedy wife bears much of the responsibility as well. In this scene, the audience learns just how...
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"Our distrust is very expensive, " Ralph Waldo Emerson warned. And so it will be for Othello as he trusts the wrong person and doubts the innocent. In Act 1, Scene 2, Iago is carefully baiting his trap, luring Othello to a false sense of trust and sowing the seeds...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 1 Scene 5
The Montagues and the Capulets meet at the Capulet's ball ... with the Montagues uninvited! Many actions transpire here that build toward romantic delight and the awful climax. Who shows unexpected kindness and with what loving metaphor is Juliet described? See the enmity between the Montagues and the Capulets take...
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Calpurnia has had a terrifying vision about the fate of her husband. What has she seen and how does Caesar respond to her pleas? Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 2, Scene 2 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes....
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Polonius is sure of the cause of Hamlet's odd behavior, but Hamlet is using him, and his daughter, as the cheese in the trap he is setting for Claudius. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 2, Scene 1...
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“Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides," warned the French novelist André Malraux. King Duncan would have done well to have understood this maxim regarding human behavior as he crossed the threshold of Inverness. Although he is greeted warmly and returns the hospitality both...
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Guess who's coming to dinner? This is not a game the Duke of Venice is particularly interested in playing. His daughter, Desdemona, has wedded someone who, while accomplished, is not up to his standards for a variety of reasons. Among those reasons is a father's feeling that no one is...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 1
We've all had a BFF that you just want to smack from time to time. The mooning... oh, the mooning. You try reasoning, cajoling, pleading, or some combination thereof. This is what Romeo's good buddies are dealing with, as they plead with their friend to come out of his funk,...
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Julius Caesar Act 2 Scenes 3 and 4
Artemidorus urgently needs to get a letter to Caesar. Do you know what the important message is and what happens to the information? Be sure you understand what is going on in these important scenes by taking the quiz over Act 2, Scenes 3 and 4 of Julius Caesarfrom...
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Claudius is getting nervous. Fortinbras is on the move and Hamlet is becoming a greater threat by the minute. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 2, Scene 2 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in...
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"Keeping Up with the Macbeths"? "Survivor: Scotland"? If reality television had been around in the eleventh century, scouts might well have chosen Macbeth and his wife for their own show. They have all the human foibles we all like to rubberneck... they are already rich, but they want to acquire...
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"A few vices are sufficient to darken many virtues," Plutarch observed. Once someone figures out what your chief weakness is, that person can exploit it. Unfortunately for Cassio, Iago has discovered his vice. While Cassio isn't Iago's primary target, he is a most necessary liaison to the person who is:...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 2
Dialogue is at the heart of every Shakespearean play, moving both our emotions and the plot. There are some juicy conversations in Romeo and Juliet, Act II, scene ii. Do you remember them? Test yourself! Romeo and Juliet have a romantic tête-à-tête until they are interrupted! (Egad!) Romeo, ever...
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Brutus is rallying the conspirators while Antony is delivering dire predictions. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 3, Scene 1 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a good...
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Hamlet is trying to be free of Ophelia while Claudius is plotting to get rid of his stepson. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 3, Scene 1 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a...
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Bell, hook, or candle: signs that some people are up to no good. The evil plot brewing between the Thane of Cawdor and his lady love is coming to a boil and the vile soup finally spills over. The deed is done but the consequences and ramifications have only just...
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Psychologists say that manipulation works on four fronts: fear, guilt, hype, and moralism. It seems that Iago is firing on all cylinders as he customizes his approach for each person in his sights. And since none of the people he manipulates are aware of his ill intentions at all, they...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 3
A tisket, a tasket, what's in the friar's basket? In Act 2, Scene 3, we find out. And it's probably not what you think it is. As Friar Laurence prepares to "help" the young lovers, we, as readers or viewers, might be both moved by his compassion and suspicious of...
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Julius Caesar Act 3 Scenes 2 and 3
Brutus and Antony are both trying to work the crowd; each has an opposite message. Be sure you understand what is going on in these important scenes by taking the quiz over Act 3, Scenes 2 and 3 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a...
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"The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King!" Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the eNotes quiz over Act 3, Scene 2 of Hamlet. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a...
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Have you ever had friends that were so bad for each other that it made you cringe? Alone, the friends seemed fine; but together, they were a train wreck. Well, this is the case with Macbeth and Lady Macbeth; they inflame whatever is worst about the other person when together....
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When Emilia tells her husband, "I have a thing for you," Iago makes sport of the comment. Would that it were only a sexually-tinged inference. Emilia does indeed have a "thing" for her husband, who is frequently and ironically called "Honest Iago" by his boss, Othello. But the "thing" Emilia...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 4
Actions speak louder than words, and secondary characters have some pretty "loud" actions in Romeo and Juliet, Act II, scene iv. From Romeo's servant to his teasing friends, everyone has some significant role to play. Nurse has an urgent message for Romeo. A Capulet is out for revenge and...
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Tasks have been delegated. If you are in on the conspiracy, it's too late to back out now. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 1 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in...
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The perfect moment has come for Hamlet to avenge his father... why doesn't he take it? Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 3, Scene 3 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if...
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"When clouds appear, wise men put on their cloaks," warns a citizen in Shakespeare's Richard III. Macbeth does not heed this wisdom. Portents of doom abound. Control over events is ebbing away. Rash actions will have dire consequences. Inverness, to put it in modern terms, has broken bad. Be...
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If the definition of stupid is knowing the truth, seeing the truth, but still believing the lies, Othello isn't very bright, even if he is a high-ranking military officer. His trust is misplaced. He believes those he shouldn't and distrusts those who have never given him reason to suspect their...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 5
Things are heating up in Act Two, Scene Five. Will Juliet's love-at-first sight return to claim her fair hand? Will her nurse help or hinder the young lovers' efforts? While the fate for the young couple is unknown to the players, the audience knows that the "star cross'd lovers" are...
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Julius Caesar Act 4 Scenes 2 and 3
Ghosts and disagreements are the themes of these important scenes. Be sure you understand what is going on by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scenes 2 and 3 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a good grasp of the...
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Polonius is playing hide-and-seek but unfortunately for him, things get a little... stabby. Be sure you are following the cloak-and-dagger action of this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 3, Scene 4 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a...
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If Act 2, Scene 4 left you going, "Um, huh? What? I can't even..." this is not a surprise. The action is fast and furious. Players are dead, people are missing, mystery and accusations abound, and many characters are in mourning for their murdered king. A power vacuum is a...
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Act 4, Scene 3 has the two main ingredients of a good country song: love and betrayal. Poor Desdemona actually does croon about her misfortunes in this scene. Her BFF isn't being so "best" and her husband is being aloof and weird, to say the least. What is the daughter...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 2 Scene 6
Ever had a well-meaning adult in your life who just made everything worse? Such is the case, the reader or viewer begins to learn, in Act Two, Scene Six of Romeo and Juliet, as Friar Laurence is torn between fostering love and giving guidance to these two hormonally-charged young...
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A battle is about to begin and the conspirators think they have been shown signs. Do you know what those signs are and how they are being interpreted? Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 5, Scene 1 of ...
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Hamlet is playing hide-and-seek... with a body. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 1 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Four questions let you know in a flash if you have a good grasp of the major points...
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"The best of men cannot suspend their fate: The good die early, and the bad die late," Daniel Defoe wrote. The same lesson could be applied to the characters of Macbeth. While Macbeth and Banquo are hoping for good fates, for themselves and for their children, fate does not...
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People gettin' stabbed, people gettin' dead. Two guesses who is responsible for both: Iago. This treacherous turncoat has escalated his betrayals and lies resulting in the escalation of the tragedy. Roderigo is his pawn; so is Cassio. But this is no friendly game of chess. Deaths come because of Iago's...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 1
Ever see a fight about to happen, and all around you, instead of trying to stop it, people are cheering,"Fight! Fight! Fight!"? This is kind of what is going on as things are really heating up in Act 3 Scene 1. Had cooler heads prevailed, this entire tragedy might well...
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Julius Caesar Act 5 Scenes 2 and 3
Someone is captured. Someone is blamed for the carnage. Someone shows remarkable loyalty. Do you know who and why? Be sure you understand what is going on in these important scenes by taking the quiz over Act 5, Scenes 2 and 3 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let...
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Watch Hamlet play cat-and-mouse with the none-too-bright duo Rosencratz and Guildenstern. The pair have betrayed their childhood friend and Hamlet is going to find out for what purpose. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 2 of ...
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For someone who shows such bravery on the battlefield, Macbeth sure has a hard time standing up to his wife. However, Lady Macbeth is not completely responsible for her husband's actions; she isn't even aware of some of his future, murderous plans. Act 3, Scene 2 finds the criminal couple...
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"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies," Groucho Marx said. While Othello isn't exactly engaging in politics, he is indeed looking for trouble, finding it, coming to an erroneous conclusion, and crafting some deadly remedies. Desdemona cannot answer...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 2
Miscommunications and misunderstandings are at the heart of many Shakespearean plays. In comedies, the outcome is a happy one and everyone winds up married and smiling. In a tragedy however.... yeah, you guessed it... death and weeping. In Act Three, Scene Two, the "tragedy" part of The TRAGEDY of Romeo...
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Julius Caesar Act 5 Scenes 4 and 5
Time has run out for the treacherous Brutus. Be sure you understand what is going on in these important scenes by taking the quiz over Act 5, Scenes 4 and 5 of Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a good grasp...
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"Do it, England." Claudius is through trying to keep Hamlet under his thumb in Denmark and has opted for a more permanent solution. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 3 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions...
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If Macbeth was a season of "Survivor: Scotland" one of the characters is about to be voted off the island in Act 3, Scene 3. The play isn't called The Tragedy of Macbethfor nothing. Murder and betrayal mark this bloody, memorable scene. Be sure you recall what went down...
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“Latent in every man is a venom of amazing bitterness, a black resentment; something that curses and loathes life, a feeling of being trapped, of having trusted and been fooled, of being the helpless prey of impotent rage, blind surrender, the victim of a savage," Paul Valéry warned. This truism...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 3
Oh boy...Things have gone from bad to worse by Act 3 Scene 3. Tybalt is dead by Romeo's hand, the Prince has imposed punishment on his errant subject, and Romeo turns to a trusted man for help. Like headphones that get all twisted and you're not even sure how, Romeo's...
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Antony is Caesar's close friend who possesses the ability to sway a crowd with his powerful oratory skills. Be sure you understand Antony's powerful influence in the play by taking the eNotes quiz on the character of Antony in Julius Caesar. Ten questions let you know in a flash...
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The broody prince does what he does best in this scene... ponder the point of life itself. Be sure you understand Hamlet's philosophy as he compares himself to Fortinbras by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 4 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash...
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“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead,” Benjamin Franklin once said. And he was right. Three people know who killed Duncan. Only one of them is dead. Guilt is consuming one of the players, and greed continues to propel both of those in on the secret...
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“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak, " Sun Tzu advises in The Art of War. This might be Iago's personal motto. He has to keep his boss, Othello, happy while he simultaneously tries to destroy him. But he can't attack the general directly;...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 4
If you're a teenager, or if you *remember* being a teenager, this scene will probably resonate with you. Juliet has very adult feelings: of love, of lust, of a desire for independence. Nonetheless, she is still under her father's command and watches helplessly as he plans her future. Colluding with...
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Brutus has become a name synonymous with "traitor." Be sure you understand the conflicts and complexity of one of literature's most notorious personalities by taking the quiz over the character of Brutus in Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Ten questions let you know in a flash if you have a good...
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Laertes has returned from France to find the kingdom in chaos and his sister out of her mind. Be sure you understand what is going on in this scene by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 5 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Four questions let you know in a flash...
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If you think it's bad when yourmom blows a gasket, try angering the Head Witch of Scotland! Okay, Hecate is not really the mother of the other witches in this play but she certainly wields power and authority over them. And she is about to make life a lot...
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Don't dismiss Desdemona as just a good-but-not-very-bright-girl who gets duped. In fact, Desdemona is one of Shakespeare's most interesting female characters. Pains are taken to describe how dutiful she is, yet she defies her powerful father to marry the man she loves. However, she is not flawless. For example, Desdemona...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 3 Scene 5
Act 3 Scene 5 finds a fretting Juliet and her equally anxious Nurse. The marriage drama has heated up as, unbeknownst to either sets of parents, Juliet and her Romeo have secretly wed. Juliet's father, however, has other plans for his only daughter, plans that are complicating an already impossible...
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"Et tu, Brute?" the dying Caesar asks. Caesar, as portrayed by Shakespeare, is a power hungry man. He sees no goals other than his own; therefore, he is stunned by the betrayal of those closest to him. Be sure you understand the motivations of the notorious ruler as well as...
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Hamlet has turned the tables on his would-be betrayers. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 4, Scene 6 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a good grasp of the...
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Nothing like a few murders to make a naive kid grow up in a hurry. Such is the case with Lennox, a character who exhibits growth and wisdom by the end of this act. It is Lennox, not his elders, who has put the grisly pieces together. Make sure you...
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Aristotle observed that “youth is easily deceived because it is quick to hope.” Perhaps this is the reason poor Cassio is so gullible. Although he has scored some impressive accomplishments in his military career, he is still young and therefore a target for the older and jaded Iago. Iago plays...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 1
Don't you just want to make Friar Laurence sit down with Oprah, or at the very least, Dr. Phil, before he goes ahead with this plan? Did he not see that the title of the play is The TRAGEDY of Romeo and Juliet? And maybe he might have listened to...
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Ambitious and jealous yet curiously practical: these are all words that describe one of the most eager participants of the plot to kill Caesar, Caius Cassius. Be sure you understand the motivations and machinations of this character by taking the quiz over Cassius in Julius Caesarfrom eNotes. Nine questions...
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Claudius has enlisted Laertes in his plot to do away with his stepson. Be sure you understand the numerous back-up plans the co-conspirators have concocted by taking the eNotes quiz over Act 4, Scene 7 of Hamlethere. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a...
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Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the most doomed of all? If you're Macbeth, you can safely assume at this point that it's you. However, Macbeth continues his record of really poor decision making in this scene by going back to the witches for "help." Make sure you are...
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Oh, Emilia. You just aren't a very good person, are you? While you are close to Desdemona, you do not have her best interests at heart. As a wife, your morals are suspect. Even your job skills could use some polishing. It would be tempting to dismiss you as a...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 2
In Act IV, scene ii of Romeo and Juliet, the emotional combat between Lord Montague and Juliet is like the clash of the Titans as the two come head-to-head over Juliet's future. In dramatic irony, we watch Lord Montague struggle in a dark sea with no clarity, knowing what...
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"I loved her!" "I loved her more!" Hamlet and Laertes argue over Ophelia's grave, but that's not the only problem at this funeral. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the quiz over Act 5, Scene 1 of Hamletfrom eNotes. Five questions...
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“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it," observed J.R.R. Tolkien. In Act 4, Scene 2, Lady Macduff is left to explain her husband's hasty departure to her son. Sides are being taken and courage is being tested...
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Brabantio. A man of position and power. A man with a daughter. A man who will use his position and power to try to protect that daughter. So when his beloved little girl goes against his wishes, Brabantio is displeased, to say the least. While his role in this play...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 4 Scene 3
A potion that will make you appear to be dead for many, many hours! What could possibly go wrong? Juliet has her doubts about Friar Laurence's schemes, but a variety of circumstances and events, from her mother's harping to her strange dreams, make her go through with the plot. And,...
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The duel is on and the tragedy is about to unfold in full. Be sure you understand what is going on in this important scene by taking the eNotes quiz over Act 5, Scene 2 of Hamletbelow. Five questions let you know in a flash if you have a...
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"The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him," Machiavelli warned in The Prince. In Act 4, Scene 3 of Macbeth, Malcolm is put in this position. He is weighing his own abilities to govern and assessing...
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Desdemona might be compared to the cheerleader all the guys want. And like a cheerleader, some guys have a better shot than others. Othello is going to get her, Cassio wants her, and Roderigo is like the nerd with no chance, but his crush makes him vulnerable to Iago's manipulations....
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Romeo and Juliet Act 5 Scene 1
Romeo seems to react more often than he acts from volition, and nothing's changed by Romeo and JulietAct V, scene i. To whom does Romeo react this time? Find out as you follow Romeo's actions and reactions in the last act of Shakespeare's great tragedy. Take the eNotes quiz...
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Hamlet is the son of his father but he is not exactly his father's son. King Hamlet was a man of action; Prince Hamlet is a man given to long, ponderous thoughts about the meaning of life. Do you really understand the complexities of one of literature's most infamous characters?...
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About 400 years before Freud articulated the concept of the super-ego, Lady Macbeth was walkin' the walk. LITERALLY. Guilt has a way of seeping through even the most carefully caulked cracks. No one seems to know what's going on, and no one knows what do do. Discover how Lady Macbeth's...
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Romeo and Juliet Act 5 Scene 2
Ever heard the saying, "Too many cooks spoil the broth"? It means that the more people that get involved, the more likely it is that things will go wrong. This is exactly what is happening in Romeo and Juliet Act 5, Scene 2. As Friar Laurence tries to coordinate...
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Claudius, the murderous traitor, is one of the most notorious villains in English literature. Be sure you understand his motivations and manipulations by taking this eNotes quiz on the character of Claudius in Hamlet. Ten questions let you know in a flash if you have a good grasp of...
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You can look in a lot of "leadership" books and probably none are going to tell you (except for maybe Machiavelli's The Prince) that murder is the key to success. Macbeth thinks that the ends have justified the means, but those forced to follow him have significantly different ideas....
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Romeo and Juliet Act 5 Scene 3
Well, they don't call it "The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet" for nothing! All the convoluted plans for future happiness come unraveled in this final scene of the play. The body count is higher than a Peter Jackson movie! (Okay, not really.) Have you been able to keep straight who...
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Scholars have long debated how much of a role Gertrude has in this tragedy. Do you really understand the complexities of one of literature's most infamous characters? Be sure you do by taking the eNotes quiz over the character of Gertrude in Hamlet. Five questions let you know in...
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Denial. It ain't just a river in Egypt. Also, don't ever ask Macbeth to play "Clue" with you. He'll never get it. All the signs are there but Macbeth refuses to read them. And his wife, she'll snap out of it soon... right? By this point in the play, literally...
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From flight away from impassioned murder to flight to lovers' arms, test your overall knowledge of the character of Romeo in Romeo and Julietwith this quiz. Relive the details of the Capulet/Montague feud and of Romeo's motivations for party crashing (where, rather like Cinderella, he finds his true love,...
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Ghost of King Hamlet in Hamlet
The King is dead. And boy, is he upset. The Ghost of King Hamlet comes back to Denmark with a very important mission for his son. Be sure you understand the motivations and manipulations of the Ghost of King Hamlet in Hamletby taking the quiz over his character from...
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Oh, hindsight! How nice to meet you out here, in the woods! Yep, it's not called The Tragedy of Macbethfor nothing. Macbeth has lost everything. All of his plans for power and wealth are dissolving in the pools of blood beneath his feet. Too late does he realize the...
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Juliet is a young girl torn between her family's expectations and demands and her own burgeoning independence and desires. There's a reason you always remember your first crush. It's a powerful, sometimes overwhelming feeling. Even though Juliet's infatuation is hundreds of years old, it resonates because human behavior changes very...
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Almost everyone has a "Horatio" in life, that one true friend you can turn to, not only for support but to tell you when you are wrong. For Hamlet, Horatio is that person. Be sure you understand his role in the play by taking the eNotes quiz on the character...
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Six prophecies professed. Six prophecies fulfilled. The Tragedy of Macbethhas reached its bloody, foretold conclusion in these final, fast-paced scenes. Fates are determined, lives are lost, justice is served. Be sure you are clearly recalling who lives, who dies, and how each of the prophecies has come to fruition...
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Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet
Friar Lawrence: villain or savior? He gathers healing ingredients, but does he sew deadly deceit? Friar Lawrence knows and distrusts Romeo's infatuation with the feelings of love, no matter who inspires those feelings. Still he performs the hasty marriage between Romeo and Juliet. Why does he do this? Test your...
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Laertes tries to be a good son and a good brother. Unfortunately, he is a victim of cunning manipulation. Be sure you understand his motivations and how he is a pawn in Claudius's deadly game by taking the quiz over the character of Laertes in Hamlet from eNotes. Five...
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"Ambition should be made of sterner stuff," Marc Antony said in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The same thing could be said of Macbeth. The Thane of Cawdor had shown remarkable bravery on the battlefield, and his ambition seemed boundless. However, as the once-great warrior discovered, his "stuff" was not as...
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The role of Juliet's Nurse is important to understanding the complexity of Romeo and Juliet. The Nurse has many different roles within the play. She is not only mother figure to Juliet, but also the young woman's friend. And although she does not know it, the Nurse acts as a...
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Poor Ophelia. If there was ever a pawn of the patriarchy, it is she. Her love for Hamlet brings nothing but pain, her loyalty only betrayal. Be sure you understand her role in the play by taking the eNotes quiz on the character of Ophelia in Hamlet. Five questions...
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"Out, out, damned spot!" Lady Macbeth is one of literature's most fascinating characters. She is arguably even more driven to wealth and power than her murderous husband. It is she who compels Macbeth, she, who, ultimately, compels the tragedy. No actions occur without reaction, however. For Lady Macbeth, those actions...
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Lord Capulet in Romeo and Juliet
Fathers...Ugh. Am I right? Lord Capulet wants the best for his little girl and thinks he has found just the right match for her in a husband. But telling a young teenager what to do, apparently, has a long history of backfiring. Shakespeare's Lord Capulet is an interesting mixture of...
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False friends and mysterious prophecies; betrayals and upheavals. Throughout it all, Banquo, a trusted general in King Duncan's army, acts bravely and wisely. In fact, Banquo's wisdom is what Macbeth fears the most. The general's quick mind might just be the treacherous Thane's undoing. Be sure you understand how Banquo...
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Ben-who-lio? BENVOLIO. Although this character is not a major one in the play, he does have something different to say and as such, his role should be examined. Benvolio offers another way to approach situations when others are quick to judge and act. Understanding Benvolio's character can help you see...
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"Double, double, toil and trouble!" You probably knew this line long before you read The Tragedy of Macbeth. In fact, most of our popular lore about witches, from cauldrons, to warts, to pointy hats, comes to us courtesy of the bard. However, the witches here are not just for...
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Prince of Verona in Romeo and Juliet
If your idea of a prince was formed largely by the magic of Disney, Shakespeare would like to have a word with you. The Prince of Verona's duties seem to be more in line with keeping squabbling children from coming to blows than they are looking for that perfect princess....
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Modern men, take a cue from Macduff and "feel it like a man." Macduff is one of Shakespeare's most intriguing characters. He is brave but not foolhardy. He is emotional but not helpless. Macduff acts only after carefully reviewing his options; he doesn't fly into a rage and hurt people,...
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Mercutio is kind of like that buddy we all have who is amusing so we keep him around even though he's a troublemaker. That this character is volatile should not be much of a surprise to the careful reader. As his name suggests, Mercutio has a temper that reacts like...
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"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." This line comes from Shakespeare's Henry IV but it applies to any king in his plays, or indeed, any king in real life. Power is attractive. Power is often seized. In Macbeth, when Duncan is killed Malcolm must make decisions that will...
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You know that guy who shows up to a party and immediately starts picking a fight? The one who gathers up his goon buddies around him, like Malfoy in every Harry Potter book, and stirs things up? That would be Tybalt, the character who propels the tragedy of Romeo and...