Shakespeare Play Summaries

Need to get a quick overview of one of Shakespeare’s plays? Read – or listen – to one of our five minute Shakespeare play summaries to understand the main characters, plots and stories of each play.

Summaries of Shakespeare’s Most Popular Plays

Macbeth Summary

Shakespeare Play Summaries 1

King Duncan’s generals, Macbeth and Banquo, encounter three strange women on a bleak Scottish moorland on their way home from quelling a rebellion. The women prophesy that Macbeth will be given the title of Thane of Cawdor and then become King of Scotland, while Banquo’s heirs shall be kings…. read full Macbeth summary

Othello Summary

Shakespeare Play Summaries 2

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 first asks Roderigo to tell Desdemona’s father, Brabantio, that his daughter has left to marry Othello, a marriage Brabantio opposes because Othello is a Moor…. read full Othello summary

Romeo & Juliet Summary
Shakespeare Play Summaries 3

On a hot morning fighting by young servants of the Capulet and Montague families is stopped by the Prince, who tells them that the next person who breaks the peace will be punished with death. Capulet plans a feast to introduce his daughter, Juliet, who is almost fourteen, to the Count Paris who would like to marry her… read full Romeo & Juliet summary

The Merchant of Venice Summary

Shakespeare Play Summaries 4

A young Venetian, Bassanio, needs a loan of three thousand ducats so that he can woo Portia, a wealthy Venetian heiress. He approaches his friend Antonio, a merchant. Antonio is short of money because all his wealth is invested in his fleet, which is currently at sea. He goes to a Jewish money lender, Shylockread full The Merchant of Venice summary


Summaries of All Shakespeare Plays

All’s Well That Ends Well Summary

Antony and Cleopatra Summary

As You Like It Summary

The Comedy of Errors Summary

Coriolanus Summary

Hamlet Summary

Henry IV Part 1 Summary

Henry IV Part 2 Summary

Henry V Summary

Henry VI Part 1 Summary

Henry VI Part 2 Summary

Henry VI Part 3 Summary

Julius Caesar Summary

King John Summary

King Lear Summary

Macbeth Summary

Measure for Measure Summary

The Merchant of Venice Summary

The Merry Wives of Windsor Summary

Midsummer Night’s Dream Summary

Much Ado About Nothing Summary

Othello Summary

Pericles Summary

Richard II Summary

Richard III Summary

Romeo and Juliet Summary

The Taming of the Shrew Summary

The Tempest Summary

Titus Andronicus Summary

Troilus and Cressida Summary

Twelfth Night Summary

The Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary

The Two Noble Kinsmen

A Winter’s Tale Summary

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