Shakespearean tragedies

Antony and Cleopatra• The story is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Lives.• It tells us about the last days of Mark Antony’s life.• It shows the relationship between Antony and Cleopatra from the time of

the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the Final War of the Roman Republic.

• This tragedy is a Roman play where there are a lot of places like Alejandría and Rome.

Characters• Mark Antony – Roman general and one of the three joint leaders, or

"triumvirs", who rules the Roman Republic after the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.

• Octavius Caesar another triumvir• Lepidus – another triumvir• Cleopatra – Egypt’s queen.• Sextus Pompey – rebel against the triumvirate and son of the late Pompey

Information• Shakespeare used all the arts that he knew.• There are some contrasts in the play like the politic, love, the pleasure.• The play was traduced in May 1608.• A lot of people say that the character “Cleopatra” is one of the best in

Shakespeare’s work.• There are 4 different films based in this play between 1700 and 1900.• It was represented the first time in 1607-08 and published in First Folio in

1623.

Coriolano• The story tells us about a brilliant military from Rome.• He directs a fight in a city Corioli.• Only his mother can stop from destroying Rome.• But he changes his opinion to destroy all.• “When he walks, he moves like a war machine.”

Characters• Cayo Marcio Coriolano.• Menenio Agripa. Coriolano’s friend.• Cominio. Military from Rome.• Tito Larcio. Military from Rome.

• Volumnia. Coriolano’s mother .• Virgilia. Coriolano’s wife.• Joven Marcio. Coriolano’s kid.• Valeria. Virgilia’s friend.

Information• It is one of Shakespeare’s last plays.• It appeared in 1607. • It is a dramatic historic play with a special style.• It shows man’s insanity and their actions that seem scary.• It is very unpopular because it isn’t attractive for actors.• It is based on Sir Thomas North, the play of Plutarco Las vidas de los más

nobles griegos y romanos.

JULIO CESAR

CHARACTERS•Julius Caesar•Triumvirs after Caesar's death•Octavius Caesar•Mark Antony•Lepidus•Conspirators against Caesar•Marcus Brutus (Brutus)•Cassius•Casca•Decius Brutus•Cinna•Metellus Cimber•Trebonius•Caius Ligarius

PLOT

•Caesar has retuned to Rome a er gh ng and killing Pompey, his •former co-leader in the Roman triumvirate. The irony of this is lost on •the plebeians. The situa on at the beginning of the play is tense, and •it's clear something needs to happen to break the tension.

•For once, this is exactly how it all played out in history (which •Shakespeare o en has a funny habit of revising). Having made peace •with each other and themselves, Brutus and Cassius kill themselves •when their ba+le against Antony and Octavius seems to be lost. •Antony and Octavius take the eld where Brutus has fallen, and Brutus •is proclaimed the noblest man in all of Rome. Unfortunately, he's a bit •too dead to hear it, and that praise likely didn't ma+er to him anyway

Otelo

Characters• Othello• Desdemona• Lago• Cassio• Emilia• Roderigo• Duke of Venice

PLOT• In the opening scene, Iago complains to Roderigo that Othello, his • Commander, has passed him over to promote the handsome young • Cassio to be his Lieutenant. He vows to get revenge. Iago rst asks • Roderigo to tell Desdemona’s father, Braban o, that his daughter has • le to marry Othello, a marriage Braban o opposes because Othello is • a Moor. Braban o confronts Othello, and they take their argument to • the Duke, who has summoned Othello to ask him to sail to Cyprus to • stop a Turkish invasion. Convinced by Othello and Desdemona that • they love each other deeply despite their di4erences, the Duke gives • Desdemona permission to travel with Othello. By the me they reach • Cyprus the foreign threat has gone.

• Othello reaches the sleeping Desdemona rst. He kisses her, wakes • her, and accuses her again. Over her protests that she loves him and is • innocent, he smothers her. Emilia enters and Desdemona revives for a • moment, declaring herself guiltless but saying, as she dies, that • Othello is innocent of her death. Iago and others enter, and Emilia • defends Desdemona’s innocence, recognizing that Iago is behind the • tragedy.Othello sees the truth and tries to kill Iago. Iago kills Emilia • and 7ees; Othellocondemns himself and commits suicide. Iago is • seized and taken away.

King Lear

King Lear (1605)

• It’s a Shakespeare tragedy• It comments about filial ingratitude, the old

age and the madness.• The action takes places in Britain Celtic,

nowadays Great Britain• The story introduces 2 ideas:

- About the king and his 3 daugthers- About Gloucester and his 2 children

Characters

• Lear: King of Britain • Goneril: Lear's oldest daughter • Regan: Lear's second daughter • Cordelia: Lear's youngest daughter • Duke of Albany: Goneril's husband • Duke of Cornwall: Regan's husband • Earl of Gloucester

Characters

• Edgar : Gloucester's son • Edmund: Gloucester's illegitimate son• Oswald: Goneril's steward • King of France: suitor and later husband to

Cordelia • Duke of Burgundy: suitor to Cordelia

Different information

• Until 1870, the play didn´t be translated to Spanish

• There are 2 differents films:– The Russian version (1969)– The Japanese version (1985)

Timon of Athens

Timon of Athens (1607)

• This work is the most bitter and pessimistic tragedy

• Considered comedy conflict, despite its end with death of the protagonist

• The action takes place in the city (Athens) and forests around

Characters

• Timon: a lord and, later a misanthrope, of Athens

• Alcibiades: Captain of a military brigade and good friend to Timon.

• Apemantus: a philosopher and churl. • Flavius is Timon's chief steward. • Lucilius: a romantic youth and Timon's servant

Characters

• Lucullus: Timon's "friend”• Sempronius is Timon's most jealous "friend".• The Senators of Athens.

Different information

• This work in medieval style, shows the most critical Shakespeare with the hypocritical mores of society and is full of unexplained situations

• It has an audiovisual adaptation (1981), produced by BBC