Shakespeare's plays

Shakespeare's literary work may be divided into four periods. The first period, dating from the beginning of his career to 1594, may be called the period of apprenticeship. The plays of that period were written under the influence of the University Wits. and are cruder in their stage-craft and psychology than his later works'. However, we must admit that one play written during that time, "Richard III", remains one of his most popular and most frequently staged works. During the second period, from the 1594–1595 season up to 1600, Shakespeare wrote plays belonging mainly to two dramatic genres: histories (historical, or chronicle, plays) and comedies. The two tragedies written during those years, "Romeo and Juliet" and "Julius Caesar", differ greatly from his mature tragedies. The former, one of his most popular and frequently produced plays, is a true masterpiece; but its treatment of the material places it apart from his great tragedies. "Julius Caesar" in its construction resembles a history rather than a tragedy.

Shakespeare's theatre

The comedies of Shakespeare did not establish a lasting tradition in the theatre, as did those written by Jonson or Moliere. The plays of these authors portray the everyday life of their time with the characters exaggerated almost into satirical grotesques. The comedies of Shakespeare are composed on opposite principles. The scene is usually set in some imaginary country, and the action is based onsto. ries that are almost fairy-tales. But within these non-realistic settings and plots are placed true-to-life characters depicted with the deep insight into human psychology for which Shakespeare is famed. Each comedy has a main plot and one or two sub-plots, and sometimes it is the sub-plot we pay most attention to. The comic characters of these plays always have an English flavour, even if the scene is laid in Athens, Illyria, or the inexplicable Forest of Arden.

All these plays are written in easy-flowing verse and light, tripping prose. The text is fall of jokes and puns, some of which contain topical allusions, which are hard to understand in the 20th century. All the comedies tell of love and harmony, at first disturbed, finally restored. In them Shakespeare, often treats one of his favourite motifs: the right of an individual to free choice in love, despite the conventions and customs of the time. To emphasize this point, Shakespeare more often than not embodies that tendency in a female character; his typical comedy heroines are brave, noble, full of initiative and tree in speech. Another often recurring motif in the comedies is the contrast between appearance and reality. Shakespeare makes us see the importance o( self-knowledge. In the complicated plots of his comedies the heroes and heroines select wrong partners so often because they have formed wrong opinions about their own characters. However, Shakespeare treats their mistakes good-humouredly, and the comedies end happily with the characters understanding themselves and those they love, and everything is brought to a harmonious conclusion. Let us look more closely at one of his so-called "golden comedies", "Twelfth Night", the last play of his second period.