What would Shakespeare say if he could speak to us today? In our new blog series, we’re doing just that—bringing the Bard back for a series of playful, insightful, and often hilariously bawdy conversations! To kick off, we sat down with Shakespeare for an exclusive interview about one of his most colorful phrases: “making the…
Read More "Interview with the Bard, Part 1: The Beast With Two Backs (Audio)"
Shakespeare’s Macbeth is filled with moral complexity, driven by ambition, betrayal, and outright cruelty. But not all characters are equally steeped in evil. Here’s our ranking of Macbeth characters, starting from the least evil and working our way up to the most malicious. 9. Duncan The Innocent King Duncan, the benevolent king of Scotland, is…
Read More "Ranking Every Major Character in Shakespeare’s Macbeth Based on How Evil They Are"
William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet remains one of literature's most studied and beloved plays in the history of English Literature. Its themes of love, fate, and family conflict resonate across centuries, making it a perennial subject of discussion and analysis. Based on frequently asked questions here on eNotes, we’ve compiled the top five questions people…
Read More "Top 5 Most Common Questions About Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet"
It’s Shakespeare birthday, and also “Talk Like Shakespeare Day.” In the spirit of the day, we've put together a simple 5-step guide to talking like Shakespeare himself. 1. Know Your Iambic Pentameter A good place to start on your quest to sound like Shakespeare is with iambic pentameter. This unstressed-stressed pattern totals ten syllables per…
Jaques is one of the best-loved characters from Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It. While he does not play a central role regarding the development of the plot, his pessimistic and contemplative nature makes him an interesting study for readers and actors alike. Jaques Character Analysis Jaques lives alongside Duke Senior, the rightful heir to…
Read More "Jaques from As You Like It – A Shakespeare Analysis"
Whether they be tragedy, comedy, or history, Shakespeare’s plays are often remembered by the strength of the monologues delivered at key moments. Macbeth is a particularly good example. The most critical scenes are punctuated by unforgettable speeches, dwelling on consequences, fate, and death. The moving monologues found in Romeo and Juliet are also wonderful examples…
If you’re sick of the state of politics, you’re in good company—a lot of Shakespeare’s characters were, too. Shakespeare’s plays are filled with terrible kings and queens, princesses and dukes, but we don’t usually talk about the ways that the average citizen is affected by the actions of those characters. Honestly, a lot of the…
Eight steps to guide your students through William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
