Academic League - Shakespeare

Prince Hamlet

(Hamlet) Main character of Hamlet

King Hamlet

(Hamlet) Father of Prince Hamlet who dies from poisoning by brother

Claudius

(Hamlet) Brother of King Hamlet and poisons him to become King and marry Queen Gertrude

Ophelia

(Hamlet) Prince Hamlet’s lover and the advisor’s daughter. Eventually drowned herself over her father’s murder/grief.

Queen Gertrude

(Hamlet) Claudius after King Hamlet dies. Is killed accidentally from drinking poison wine

Prince Fortinbras of Norway

(Hamlet) Takes over Kingdom of Denmark after everyone dies.

Laertes

(Hamlet) Brother of Ophelia and son of Polonius. Tries to take revenge on Prince Hamlet after he kills Polonius by rigging the duel against him.

Polonius

(Hamlet) Advisor of King. Is accidentally killed after trying to spy on Prince Hamlet and Queen Gertrude’s conversation.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

(Hamlet) Two childhood friends of Prince Hamlet who betray him by spying on him. Prince Hamlet intercepted letters to sentence them to death.

Horatio

(Hamlet) Prince Hamlet’s loyal friend who is left alive to tell Prince Hamlet’s story.

Osric

(Hamlet) Officiator of fencing match/duel

Setting of Hamlet

Elsinore Castle in Denmark

"To be or not to be, that is the question”

(Hamlet) Prince Hamlet

Macbeth

(Macbeth) Main Character. Three witches tell him that he is going to be King after he fights Norwegian forces, and he is corrupted by power.

Lady Macbeth

(Macbeth) Urges Macbeth to kill King and eventually dies from guilt

The Three Witches/The Weird Sisters - what did they prophesize

(Macbeth) Three Witches that prophesize Macbeth being Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis, and future King. Later, they tell him that he’s invincible to all except for a man not born of a woman, to beware of Macduff, and that no one can defeat him unless Birmingham Wood moves to Dunsinane Hill. Also tells Banquo that his descendants will be future Kings.

Banquo

(Macbeth) Macbeth’s best friend who was killed because Macbeth became paranoid that his descendants would take over throne.

Macduff

(Macbeth) Thane of Fife. Suspects Macbeth of murder after Macbeth sees ghost Banquo. Eventually joins Prince Malcolm to kill Macbeth.

King Duncan

(Macbeth) While in Macbeth’s Castle, King Duncan is murdered by Macbeth.

Malcolm

(Macbeth) Heir of King Duncan and eldest son. He escapes and gathers forces in England to defeat Macbeth.

Donalbain

(Macbeth) Second son of King Duncan. Escapes to Ireland

Fleance

(Macbeth) Son of Banquo. Escapes Macbeth’s assassination

Setting of Macbeth

Scotland

“Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble”

(Macbeth) Three Witches in Macbeth

Julius Caesar

(Julius Caesar) Main character of Julius Caesar. Successful general that returns from Pompey. Is killed b/c senators afraid that he will become a tyrant, since he has the adoration of the People

Marcus Brutus

(Julius Caesar) Senator that is tricked by Cassius to join conspirators. Only acted out of goodwill for citizens

Caius Cassius

(Julius Caesar) Senator that mainly orchestrates Caesar’s assassination. Organizes army in Greece later. Commits suicide before battle because believes that Titinius is dead

Mark Antony

(Julius Caesar) Julius Caesar’s loyal friend that is part of new triumvirate and influences mob to hunt down conspirators during Caesar’s funeral.

Octavius

(Julius Caesar) Son of Julius Caesar. Part of New Triumvirate

Calpurnia

(Julius Caesar) Wife of Julius Caesar. Had visions of Julius Caesar dying on March 15 and tries to warn him.

Portia

(Julius Caesar) Wife of Cassius. Demands to know secret (plot) and stabs herself in the thigh to try to prove herself worthy. Eventually dies b/c despair that Cassius won’t win

Soothsayer

(Julius Caesar) Tries to warn Julius Caesar during celebration of his return of “Ides of March”

Lepidus

(Julius Caesar) Part of Triumvirate

Conspirators

(Julius Caesar) Casca, Decius Brutus, Cinna, Metellus Cimber, Ligarius, and Trebonius, Caius Cassius

Setting of Julius Caesar

Ancient Rome and Greece

“Et tu Brute?”

(Julius Caesar) Caesar’s dying words: And you Brutus?

King Lear

(King Lear) Steps down from King and gives land to daughters who betray him. Eventually dies of a broken heart from Cordelia’s death.

Cordelia

(King Lear) Only daughter that cares for King Lear. Is exiled but brings French army to try to rescue father.

Goneril

(King Lear) Eldest daughter of King Lear and dies by suicide once poisoning Regan is exposed.

Regan

(King Lear) Daughter of King Lear. Dies by poisoning from Goneril because rivalry for Edmund

The Fool

(King Lear) Court Jester that guides King Lear through his madness by bluntly pointing out his mistakes

Earl of Kent

(King Lear) Tries to intervene when Cordelia is banished and is also banished. He secretly comes back and cares for King the whole time.

Earl of Cornwall

(King Lear) Blinds Earl of Gloucester when Regan and him finds out about Gloucester helping Lear

Earl of Gloucester

(King Lear) Helps Lear and is basically blinded by Earl of Cornwall

Edgar

(King Lear) True son of Earl of Gloucester. Disguises as a beggar named Poor Tom and helps father when father is blinded. Eventually challenges Edmund to duel and wins. Is left with Duke of Albany to rule kingdom

Edmund

(King Lear) Illegitimate son of Earl of Gloucester. Jealous of Edgar and stepfather, so plots against them and drives them apart. Rats Earl of Gloucester out when he helps Lear. Dies from duel with Edgar

Duke of Albany

(King Lear) Only Duke left and rules with Edgar

Setting of King Lear

Pre Christian and Pre Roman Britain

“Nothing will come of nothing; Speak again”

(King Lear) King Lear to Cordelia

Othello

(Othello) Main character. General. Dies by suicide b/c grief over killing innocent Desdemona

Desdemona

(Othello) Wife of Othello. Is smothered in her sleep with a pillow b/c Othello believes that she was having affair with Cassio

Iago

(Othello) Standard bearer for Othello. Is enraged that Othello didn’t promote him to leiutanant, so plots against him. His fate is left up to Cassio

Emilia

(Othello) Wife of Iago. Exposes him when she comes to Cyprus

Roderigo

(Othello) Friend of Iago. Is manipulated to help with plot. Killed by Iago to not expose the plot after failing to kill Cassio

Senator Brabantio

(Othello) Father of Desdemona. Disproves of Desdemona and Othello’s marriage and tries to take it to court

Bianca

(Othello) Loves Cassio. Cassio talks about her and Othello mistakenly believes he’s talking about Desdemona

Setting for Othello

Venice (Cyprus for most of it)

“I am not what I am”

(Othello) Iago to Roderigo