Analyzing the Content of Medieval and Renaissance Drama

Hamlet was a turning point in the writing career of William Shakespeare. Taking an old tale about a Prince of Denmark whose father has mysteriously died and whose uncle has usurped the throne, Shakespeare focused intensely on Hamlet's character and inner drama. The play features many ruminations on philosophy and psychology, which were used in most of Shakespeare's later tragedies.

Antonio, Jessica, and Portia are all characters in The Merchant of Venice.

The image of three witches calmly prophesying the future is one of the indelible images of Shakespeare's Macbeth. The titular character's rise to power is conditioned and effected by the witches' proclamations, providing one of the key themes of the play, predestination and foreshadowing.

Ophelia is featured in Shakespeare's Hamlet.

This quote is from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, and is spoken by Shylock about his reasons for seeking revenge against Antonio. The revenge that Shylock is seeking is the right to exact a pound of flesh from Antonio for not repaying the money that Shylock lent him.

(Passage adapted from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare_,_ III.iii.54-58)

The general consensus among scholars reflects that Shakespeare derived his story and main characters for Romeo and Juliet from Ovid's story of Pyramus and Thisbe. The story of Pyramus and Thisbe depicts two tragic lovers who are separated by their families, who do not approve of their marriage. They communicate their love through a cement wall and plan to meet under a tree outside to confess their love. However, when Thisbe comes out first, she mistakes the blood of a lion for Pyramus' blood and, believing he had been killed, kills herself.