Shakespeare's Plays Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing the main characters and plotlines of Shakespeare's plays based on the provided lecture notes.

Titus Andronicus

A play in which a popular Roman general declines the emperor's throne, betroths his daughter Lavinia to the new emperor, and faces revenge from conquered Queen Tamora and her sons, ending in mutual slaughter.

Measure For Measure

A play in which Duke Vincentio disguises himself to observe his government, while successor Angelo strictly enforces puritan sex laws despite desiring Isabella, culminating in the Duke revealing himself and pardoning the couples.

The Merchant of Venice

A play where Shylock demands a pound of flesh from Friend A if a loan for Friend B is unpaid; Friend B correctly picks the lead casket to marry Portia, who later disguises herself as a lawyer to save Friend A.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

A play in which Falstaff attempts to romance multiple women, who discover his scheme and make sport of him.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A play involving a love triangle among four people where mischievous fairies cause the wrong individuals to fall in love before correcting the magic so everyone marries the right person.

Timon of Athens

A play about a generous man who gives away his wealth, gets abandoned by his friends when creditors come, flees to a cave, finds buried treasure, and dies poor and insane.

Romeo & Juliet

A play about a blood feud between two families whose children secretly marry, but ultimately both die due to a tragic misunderstanding.

As You Like It

A play where exiled Rosalind disguises herself as a man in the forest, meets Orlando who proclaims his love for her, drops her disguise to marry him, and sees her father reconciled with his usurper.

The Winter's Tale

A play where King Leontes wrongly suspects Queen Hermione of adultery with King Polixenes and abandons baby Perdita, but after 16 years reunites with his grown daughter and his presumed-dead wife.

The Two Noble Kinsmen

A play where jailed friends Arcite and Palamon both fall in love with Theseus's sister; Arcite wins a strength contest for her hand but dies in a horse accident, leaving Palamon to marry her.

The Tempest

A play in which shipwrecked travelers land on an island ruled by an exiled, magical Duke whose daughter falls in love with a shipwrecked Prince, while the monster Caliban opposes the Duke.

Twelth Night/ What You Will

A play featuring a love triangle between a Duke, Olivia, and disguised Viola, ending with Olivia marrying Viola's twin brother, Viola marrying the Duke, and servants playing pranks on puritan Malvolio.

Othello, the Moor of Venice

A play where the evil Iago tricks a noble black general into believing his wife is unfaithful, causing the general to murder his wife and take his own life upon learning the truth.

Much Ado About Nothing

A play following two couples where a villain spreads rumors that one woman is unchaste, causing conflict until the rumor is disproven and both couples marry.

Anthony & Cleopatra

A play where a Roman leader loves an Egyptian queen, marries Caesar's sister to create peace, but returns to Egypt, leading Caesar to declare war and both lovers to die.

All's Well That Ends Well

A play where Helena pursues Bertram, who flees to war to avoid her, but she deceives him by impersonating another girlfriend to sleep with him and eventually secure their marriage.

The Comedy of Errors

A play centered on the comical misunderstandings that occur when twin brothers and their twin servants are repeatedly mistaken for each other.

Love's Labor Lost

A play where three men swear off women and comforts to study, yet fall in love anyway and are tasked by the women to complete quests before marrying.

Macbeth

A play where a nobleman assassinates the rightful King after being persuaded by magic sisters and his wife, ascends the throne, and is eventually killed by MacDuff during a war.

Julies Caesar

A play detailing the assassination of the title leader by conspirators including Brutus and Cassius, followed by Anthony stirring up the public until the conspirators die.

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

A play where the title prince investigates his father's death, discovers his uncle murdered the king to take the throne and marry the queen, resulting in a fatal final duel.

Coriolanus

A play about a popular Roman military leader who defeats Aufidius, gets exiled by politicians, aligns with Aufidius to attack Rome, spares the city for his family, and is killed by Aufidius.

King Lear

A play where an aging king banishes his honest youngest daughter, is betrayed and driven mad by his other 2 daughters, and dies wise after reuniting with his loyal daughter; featuring a subplot where a bastard son blinds his father.

Pericles

A play where a man solves a riddle, escapes an angry king, marries another woman, loses his wife and kidnapped daughter, and is eventually reunited with both years later.

Cymbeline

A play where a king's daughter secretly disguises herself as a male to avoid marrying her stepson, leading to war, capture, rescue, and the ultimate triumph of true love.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

A play about friends Valentine and Proteus; Proteus attempts to woo Valentine's love Silvia before repenting and marrying Julia, while Valentine marries Silvia.

The Taming of The Shrew

A play in which a money-seeking friend is persuaded to domesticate a ill-tempered woman so that her sweet younger sister is permitted to marry her love.

King John

A play depicting a succession struggle and war between England and France involving the title king, a real son, and a bastard son, ending in widespread death and Prince Henry becoming king.

Troilus & Cressida

A play set during the Trojan War where a noble woos a peasant woman who flirts with captors upon being taken, while proud Achilles defeats the Trojan hero Hector.