April 23rd marks the 443rd anniversary of the birth of Shakespeare. The Bard was the bane of many a school child’s education, but if you want to make yourself sound clever at a dinner party it pays to have a basic knowledge of his most famous plays.

Professor Anthony Thimble from the University of the Isle of Man gives us a brief guide to the Bard’s best work.

Othello:
Othello is a Muslim soldier who is tricked into killing his wife Desdemona by Iago, his trusted advisor. Iago shows Othello a copy of the Ye Olde News of the World which appears to show Desdemona snogging his lieutenant Cassio in a London tavern. However it turns out that the photos were fake and Othello commits suicide by taking a heroin overdose.

Famous quote: ‘Alas lawyer. I’m in proper strife.’ (Othello- Act V, Scene III)

King Lear:
King Lear decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters- the evil Goneril and Regan and the delightful Cordelia, but Cordelia is disinherited after getting caught cheating in her university finals. Goneril and Regan throw Lear out and order his and Cordelia’s execution. However, there is uproar in Parliament and the decision is overturned, but not quickly enough to save Cordelia. In the play’s final scene, Lear, realising the error of his ways, appears on stage with Cordelia’s body before dying himself. King Lear is Shakespeare’s most famous comedy.

Famous quote: ‘I was cast into the night with a flask of Bovril to sustain the fight.’ (Lear- Act II, Scene II)

The Merchant of Venice:
Bassanio needs money to travel to Belmont to woo the beautiful and wealthy Portia. He asks his friend Antonio, but he’s just bought a speedboat, and NatWest won’t help him, so he’s forced to go to Shylock, a Jewish money lender. Shylock hates Antonio and only lends Bassanio the money on the condition that he can take a pound of Antonio’s flesh if he does not repay the loan. Antonio loses all of his money after the Wall Street Crash and Bassanio blows all of his cash on cigarettes and booze so Shylock insists on his pound of flesh. The matter goes to the High Court where a judge decides that the contract is illegal and makes Shylock convert to Christianity as a punishment.

Famous quote: ‘Ok, I’ll convert, but can I still wear the hat?’ (Shylock- Act V, Scene I)

Hamlet:
Prince Hamlet sees the ghost of his dead father, the King, who tells him that he was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle Claudius and demands Hamlet avenges him. Claudius hastily marries Hamlet’s mother and banishes Hamlet to Miami and orders his murder. Hamlet however returns to Denmark and, after getting fatally wounded during a poker match, he kills Claudius and names the Norwegian Prince Colin as the heir to the throne before dying.

Famous quote: ‘Alas poor Yorick….although he was a bit of an idiot.’ (Hamlet- Act III, Scene I)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream:
This fairy story is so mental I’m pretty sure Shakespeare was on drugs when he wrote it. I can’t really make head nor tale of what’s going on, and there’s a bloke prancing around with a donkey’s head on! I think they might all be having a dream or something and there’s a guy called Lysander, but apart from that I’m pretty stumped. I always throw a sickie the week I’m expected to lecture on this play.

Famous quote: ‘Oi, Robin Goodfellow you joker, get out of my sight before I iron you out!’ (Oberon- Act VIII, Scene I)