John Webbs Guide to the Work of Shakespeare :: Plays Literature William Shakespeare Essays

John Webbs Guide to the go bad of ShakespeareThis page gives a simple introduction to each of Shakespeares plays, and points out a few of the ideas in each of them. All the plays are presented here, in figure chronological order the dates of the plays used on this page are from Blooms subterfuge of the Human. Shakespeares first 4 plays (Henry VI, split 1, 2 and 3, and Richard III) tell the story of a troubled chapter of English autobiography, around 150 years before Shakespreares ingest time, known as The War of The Roses. One the most important figures in the action was the Earl of Warwick, whose home, Warwick Castle, is very near Stratford. The complicated historical background to these plays, and Shakespeares former(a) historical plays, is describe on my page Historical Background. Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 31589-91 In Part 1, Henry VI becomes self-reliant while still a child. His title is not secure because his granddaddy had stolen t he heyday from Richard II. Part 2 shows the growing struggle and contention for the crown amongst Henrys nobles. Part 3 tells the story of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker (shown right) who, first supporting the House of York impertinent to Henry, deposes Henry. Richard Neville then changes sides, and briefly resores the crown to Henry, before Henrys murder in the reign of London. Gives not the hawthorn bush a sweeter shadeTo shepherds looking on their sheepThan doth a rich embroidered canopyTo kings that fear their subjects treachery Henry VI was a pious and studious man. He can be described as a contemplative philosopher-king. The plays contrast his spiritual philosophy, with the worldly, materialistic and compulsive nobles beneath him. The contempative philosopher-king reappears in Shakespeares subsequent plays - as the exiled Dukes in As You want It and Measure for Measure, as Timon of Athens, and as Prospero.Shakespeare subsequently wrote several further invoice plays, in all telling the whole story of English history for the 250 years up to his own time.