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Henry VI, Part 2 or The Second Part of Henry the Sixth (often written as 2 Henry VI) is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England. Whereas 1 Henry VI deals primarily with the loss of England's French territories and the political machinations leading up to the Wars of the Roses, and 3 Henry VI deals with the horrors of that conflict, 2 Henry VI focuses on the King's inability to quell the bickering of his nobles, the death of his trusted adviser Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, the rise of the Duke of York ...

Long theorized to be one of Shakespeare's mid-career works, As You Like It remains an evergreen favorite for audiences and scholars alike for its sparkling characters, pastoral setting, gorgeous prose and entertaining storylines that converge in fun and surprising ways. When several characters, including an elderly French duke, his headstrong daughter Rosalind, and Rosalind's handsome love interest Orlando, are forced to flee the kingdom and take refuge in the neighboring Forest of Arden, their adventures therein lead to a series of amusing encounters and mix-ups. Genders are reversed, ...

The History of Troilus and Cressida has long baffled critics and audiences alike for its inconsistent tone, which ranges from bawdy comedy to somber tragedy, as well as its decidedly unheroic and unsympathetic cast of characters. It is also a work with a multivalent focus, jumping between different subplots and locations so that even the titular characters become lost in the shuffle of warcraft, manipulation, betrayal, and thwarted machismo. Not only do we follow the young Trojan warrior Troilus on his quest to woo the noncommittal Cressida, but also the Greek leader Agamemnon and his plot to ...

Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Life of Marcus Antonius and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Parthian War to Cleopatra's suicide. The major antagonist is Octavius Caesar, one of Antony's fellow triumviri and the future first emperor of Rome. The tragedy is a Roman play characterized by swift, panoramic shifts in geographical locations and in registers,...

Cymbeline is one of the last plays Shakespeare wrote, classified by scholars as a late romance or comedy. It's famous for featuring a highly convoluted plot that oftentimes feels like a grab bag of elements from Shakespeare's greatest hits: we have virtuous lovers, a temperamental monarch, a conniving stepmother, an untrustworthy Italian, an arrogant clod, kidnapped siblings, cross-dressing, battles, a devious murder plot, and (of course) some shocking plot twists.And to perform it all? Three men (Tony Addison, Craig Franklin, and Tomas Peter) and one woman (Sonia), determined to give you a ...

Henry VI, Part 3 or The Third Part of Henry the Sixt (often written as 3 Henry VI) is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England. Whereas 1 Henry VI deals with the loss of England's French territories and the political machinations leading up to the Wars of the Roses, and 2 Henry VI focuses on the King's inability to quell the bickering of his nobles, and the inevitability of armed conflict, 3 Henry VI deals primarily with the horrors of that conflict, as the once ordered nation is thrown into chaos and ...

In 2012, the World Shakespeare Festival surveyed Britons as to their favourite plays by Shakespeare. This collection consists of 21 scenes from the most popular plays written by arguably the greatest writer in the English language, possibly any language. It is an homage to the Bard in celebration of the 400th anniversary of his death in 1616 -- the Shakespeare Quadricentennial. - Summary by John Burlinson Roles performed by: Beth Thomas, Michele Eaton, Sonia, Tony Addison and John BurlinsonEditing done mainly by Michele Eaton and John Burlinson

The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's earliest plays, believed to have been written between 1592 and 1594. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When ...

This work, Charlotte Bronte's second, is set in the England of the early 1800's, which was beset with political and social changes, represented by the Industrial Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. And there is much to do with those changes in values from those of the past. But at its core, this novel is about romance. And the plot primarily follows the struggles and triumphs of two couples, the two brothers Moore, Louis and Robert, and Caroline Helstone and Shirley Keeldar. The final scenes capture the essence of the change in this world, and one hopes for the more philanthropic and ...

LibriVox volunteers bring you 16 recordings of Fidele by William Shakespeare. This was the Weekly Poetry project for July 18th, 2010.

Shakespeare's pastoral comedy was written and first performed around 1599, and presents some of his familiar motifs: a cross-dressing heroine, a wise-cracking fool, brothers usurping their brothers' power, a journey from the court to the country, and various romantic entanglements. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)CastOrlando: Arielle LipshawAdam/Hymen: Kevin GreenOliver/Le Beau/First Lord/First Page: ToddTouchstone/Dennis/First Lord/Forester: KristingjCharles/Second Lord/Jaques de Boys: Algy PugCelia: Eden Rea-HedrickRosalind/Sir Oliver Martext/Second Page: Elizabeth KlettDuke Frederick: Ken ...

Cymbeline is one of Shakespeare's late romances, which (like The Tempest and The Winter's Tale) combines comedy and tragedy. Imogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline of Britain, angers her father when she marries Posthumus, a worthy but penniless gentleman. The King banishes Posthumus, who goes to Rome, where he falls prey to the machinations of Iachimo, who tries to convince him that Imogen will be unfaithful. Meanwhile, the Queen (Imogen's stepmother) plots against her stepdaughter by trying to plan a match between Imogen and her worthless son Cloten. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)Cast:Arviragus...

One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, As You Like It is a pastoral comedy of mistaken identity, wit, and love. Daughter of a banished duke and forced to flee the court, Rosalind hides in the Forest of Arden disguised as a man. When her true love Orlando also shows up in the forest, she courts him without revealing her identity. Meanwhile, Phebe mistakenly falls in love with her disguise, Silvius pines for Phebe, Jacques philosophizes, and Touchstone makes fun of it all, and love and happiness triumph (for the most part) as Rosalind orchestrates a happy ending amid the confusion. (Summary ...

Jane Eyre is not your typical romance. It is a story of a woman who struggles with a world in which she doesn't quite fit. Once finished with her schooling, and with no family that really cares of her she strikes out on her own as a governess. Jane Eyre searches for love, someone to care for her, and someone to care for, and finds it in unexpected places. (summary by Kri)

Merlin. King Arthur. War betwixt British and Saxons. Uther Pendragon. Collapsing castle foundations, Magicians and spirits, and fighting dragons and a blazing comet. Good entertaining stuff. But is it Shakespeare?The 1662 first printed edition of this play says it was written by William Shakespeare and William Rowley. It doesn't appear that anyone any longer believes that Shakespeare was actually involved, and probably this is entirely Rowley - who co-authored plays with a fair number of other authors of the period. Rowley also acted in London troupes, including Shakespeare's The King's ...

Jane Eyre is an extraordinary orphan girl who is treated horribly by her aunt Mrs. Reed and her children. She is sent away to a girl’s boarding school called Lowood. She studies there for a total of six years and graduates to teach at the same school for two years. After two years of teaching, she leaves Lowood to go looking for another job, at 19. She meets Mrs. Fairfax who decides to give her the job as a governess at Thornfield Hall. She eventually falls in love with Mr. Rochester, the master of Thornfield. She is happy being a governess to Adele and being in love with Mr. Rochester. Mr. ...

LibriVox volunteers bring you 16 recordings of Evening Solace by Charlotte Brontë.This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for March 24, 2024. ------Charlotte Brontë was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novels became classics of English literature.This poem is taken from Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. To evade contemporary prejudice against female writers, the Brontë sisters adopted masculine first names. All three retained the first letter of their first names: Charlotte became Currer Bell, Emily became ...

Joanna Eyre é o mais famoso dos romances da escritora Charlote Bronte, um clássico da literatura inglesa, publicado em 1847. É o que se poderia chamar de “um romance gótico da era vitoriana”, com a saga de uma órfã pobre, maltratada pelos parentes que a acolheram e que se apaixona pelo senhor rico para o qual foi trabalhar. É a história de como ela se sobrepõe ao desprezo, crueldade, crenças morais e relações em uma sociedade onde a questão de classes está praticamente acima de tudo. Esta tradução do Jane Eyre saiu em série na revista Vozes de Petrópolis, publicada ...

Miss Mabel Wilcox, the owner of a newly opened girl's boarding school, meets the wealthy Mr. Conway Fitzgibbon, who drops off his frail daughter to be educated there. When background checks are made, it is discovered that no well-to-do family by the name of Fitzgibbon exists! Supposed Matilda Fitzgibbon is a pseudo-heiress - a fake! What is Miss Wilcox to do?Published posthumously and prefaced by Charlotte Brontë's editor, W. M. Thackeray, these two chapters are the only existing fragments of Emma, the novel Brontë worked on until her untimely death. Since then, it has been "completed" twice...

After the turmoil and uncertainty of Henry IV a new era appears to dawn for England with the accession of the eponymous Henry V. In this sunny pageant Chorus guides us along Henry's glittering carpet ride of success as the new king completes his transformation from rebellious wastrel to a truly regal potentate. Of course, there is an underlying feeling that the good times won't last, and this is all the more reason to enjoy the Indian summer before the protracted and bitter fall of the house of Lancaster. (Introduction by Algy Pug)Cast:Alice: Caroline SophieArchbishop of Canterbury: Sean ...