The time is the 15th century. The place is Verona, Italy. The Montagues and the Capulets, two noble families, have long disturbed the city's peace, with their senseless feud. At their home, the Capulets are preparing for a masked ball to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of fourteen-year old Juliet Capulet to Count Paris. Romeo Montague, crashes the Capulet party with his friend Mercutio. When Romeo sees Juliet there, he falls desperately in love. Juliet returns his feelings, and the two speak of love in the famous balcony scene. Although their parents do not know that they have even met,...

Julius Caesar is set in Rome. The action begins on February 15, 44 BC the day of the feast of Lupercal, a Roman festival. A fortune-teller is warning Roman ruler Julius Caesar to "beware the ides of March," the 15th. While he dismisses the fortune-teller as just a dreamer, the men who oppose Caesar, because of his ambition to be king, discuss killing him. Caesar has just returned home in triumph after having defeated his rival, Pompey. The people have taken the day off from work to celebrate.

There are four main strands to Midsummer Night's Dream. One, which forms the basis of the action, shows preparations for the marriage of, Theseus, Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, and (In the last act.) its celebration. The second strand is the love story of Lysander and Hermia (Who elope to escape her father's opposition.) and of Demetrius. Shakespeare adds the comic complication of another girl (Helena.) jilted by, but still loving, one of the young men. The third strand is the play for the wedding. I did not include this strand, because the play would be just too long,...

Macbeth is a man overcome by his ambition, so he commits murder even though he can foresee the tragic consequences of his own actions. At first when he thinks about killing Duncan and overthrowing his kingdom for the crown, he thinks he can murder him without any personal consequences. He would like to see the deed, murder, vanish from time itself. He imagines he can do this. But his reason tells him, he is causing his own destruction.