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Welcome to the dark side of Shakespeare. You didn't think he was all sonnets, roses, and romantic Romeos, did you?

ACT Reading 1.3 Humanities Passage. According to the passage, when did Shakespeare's "tragic period" occur?

We're not sure if good ol' Shakespeare would endorse The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, but that's not going to stop us from hosting themed viewing...

ACT Reading 1.5 Humanities Passage. Which of the following plays is mentioned as a tragedy that Shakespeare wrote early in his career prior to...

ACT Reading: Humanities Passage Drill 1, Problem 7. Which of the following characters is specifically mentioned as a personification of "horror and...

We bet you didn't realize Shakespeare was such a rebel. Seriously. If he were around today, he'd be riding a motorcycle, TIVOing Sons of Anarchy, a...

Imagine yourself going to see a show. The cushy red seats. The talented orchestra. The body odor and animal abuse. Not what you pictured? Be thankf...

"The lady doth protest too much..." And yet, she persisted. This famous line comes from Shakespeare's Hamlet, and is spoken by Hamlet's mother, Ger...

Want to pull an Oliver Twist and ask us for more? We've gotcha covered. Head over to https://shmoop.com/video/subjects/test-prep/texas-eoc/texas-eo...

Does Prospero have magical powers? And if he does, could he get us into Hogwarts? We've been waiting so patiently...

ACT Reading 1.8 Humanities Passage. Based on the tone and complexity of the passage, which of the following would be a reasonable assumption t...

The Winter's Tale is like the Disney movie of Shakespeare plays—if you ignore all the murders, mauling, and love-children, anyway.

ACT Reading: Humanities Passage Drill 1, Problem 1. Which of the following best describes the main purpose of this passage?

In the world of Shakespeare, pretty much everyone either dies or gets married. Hamlet and co. got the short end of that stick.

AP English Language and Composition 4.1 Passage Drill. Which of the following does the speaker present as similar?

Based on this story, you might think King Henry should have ditched the throne to become a motivational speaker. He'd probably have to lose the cro...

The Investment Company Act of 1940 regulated and ensured fair dealings in the mutual fund industry.

Take a stroll with us through the shady back alleys of Venice. If you were looking for a relaxing ride through the gondola canals...well, wrong tra...

Why did Iago want to destroy Othello? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

Brave New World is supposed be an exciting book about a negative utopia and the corrupt powers of authority. So where’s the big car chase? What's...

Old English is just English, right? Can’t be more difficult than reading Shakespeare, right? Hah. Yeah...no. Click on the video to find why tra...

What are the features that make a Shakespearean tragedy? Where do they show up in plays like Othello, Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet? This video help...

Critics started attacking Donne's works only after he had passed away. Talk about kicking a guy when he's already down.

Choose the best alternative to the text below.they measure

ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension 1.2 Detail. According to the passage, the University of Virginia is unique because...what?

CAHSEE ELA 2.4 Writing Conventions. How would you correct the following sentence, if it needs correcting at all?

Think about how you would rewrite the following sentences according to the directions given, and then choose the best answer for each. Keep in mind...

CAHSEE ELA: Literary Genres Drill 6, Problem 1. The previous poem is an example of...what?

CAHSEE ELA 8.2 Literary Devices. Which of the following is a characteristic of a soliloquy?

GED Reasoning through Language Arts 5.5 Language Conventions and Usage. Which choice best completes the sentence?

Texas EOC English 1: Understanding and Analysis of Literary Texts Drill 1, Problem 6

What are Bonds? The simplest explanation is that a bond is essentially an I.O.U. that is issued by a corporate or government institution to borrow...

AP English Literature and Composition 1.4 Passage Drill 5. According to lines 5 and 6, "much pleasure" derives from what?

Take a look at this shmoopy question and see if you can figure out which device the speaker employs the most.

Which of the following revisions more accurately portray the writer's use of sarcasm in sentence 11?

A word to the wise: secret marriages don't work out well in Shakespeare plays. Just ask Othello and Desdemona.

You could try judging books by their covers, but we've heard that's a bad idea. We've got a few other strategies for you in today's video.

We've got your back when it comes to sourcing. And before we start, no, Uncle Moe's dreams about his past life as Queen Victoria won't cut it..for...

Honest Abe—what a nickname. Abraham Lincoln was the president who led the country through the Civil War and abolished slavery. And he rocked that...

Here's another Shmoopy AP English Language and Composition question, and the answer to all of your studying dreams.

You'd have to be a Grinch not to acknowledge what a huge effect Dr. Seuss had on all of us. Horton may have heard a Who, but hey... we heard it, t...

PSAT 4.3 Reading Diagnostic. The vampire bats in Passage 1 and the naked mole rats in Passage 2 share which attribute?

GED Reasoning through Language Arts 5.3 Writing Skills. Which of the following statements provides the best assessment of the argument in Article 2?

Good thing this guy never wrote a parenting book.

You love our Learning Guides and Test Prep. Our puns and punch lines always leave you crying out for more. Well, fellow Shmoopers, we've heard your...

Talk about an absent parent.

Answer this AP English Language and Composition drill correctly and you'll never die!* *Our lawyers have informed us we can't promise anyone i...

This story is more romantic, tragic, and morbid than Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Don't believe us? Watch this video to see how the myth pulls...

Aren't midsummer night dreams the worst? You wake up all sweaty and gross, and for a minute there, you can't even remember where you are. And also,...

You know how you can't copy someone else's answers on a homework assignment? Well the same goes for publishing someone else's ideas. That is, unles...

What is the student loan crisis? The student loan crisis describes the situation that faces our country; namely the fact that there is over a trill...

ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension 3.4 Vocabulary-In-Context. The word "abstract" most nearly means what?

The names of our planets weren't just pulled out of a hat. If it had been that simple, we might have planets with names like "Trevor" and "Monique....

Because the world is working hard to make sure that your brain hurts, there is more than one way to cite an outside source within an essay. You can...

Would would the world be like without books? Ray Bradbury tackles that question—and many more— in Fahrenheit 451. Go ahead; read it on your Kin...

Is Victor Frankenstein a: Romantic Hero? b: Byronic Hero? c: Satanic Hero? d: Guitar Hero? All of the above (but maybe not D…) We don�...

We tend to think of Shakespeare as the timeless author who did nothing but craft beautiful, hilarious plays for our enjoyment. However, the fact is...

Buckle up, Shmoopers. Today, we're talking about the wildest, most sinful topic we've ever covered: Puritan poetry. What, you thought we were serio...

Hopefully, spending six minutes learning about Shakespeare's The Tempest isn't going to throw you into a fury. We'd hate to be responsible for you...

What is the difference between stocks and bonds? Stocks are ownership. They control the election of the board of directors, who hires the CEO, who...

The process of revision involves editing, proofreading, writing multiple drafts, evaluating your evidence, clarifying your main point, and admittin...

Is The Tempest Shakespeare's final play? How does it differ from his other plays? What kind of literature does The Tempest most resemble? Why are w...

How does Hamlet fall into one of Shakespeare's common genres? Spoiler alert: it's not comedy. 

How does Shakespeare use Ophelia and Gertrude to showcase what women's lives were like during his time? 

Why did Shakespeare write a play within a play? What were his thoughts on the game Mouse Trap? The answer to one of these questions is waiting in t...

What makes Ariel and Caliban supernatural entities in Shakespeare's The Tempest? Find out the role Prospero plays in each's characterization.

What is Arbitration? Arbitration is like court for the financial world. It is used to settle disputes between investors and their brokers. An inves...

What is indirect characterization, and how does Shakespeare use it to describe his main characters? 

Shakespeare and drag? We knew he could think outside of the box, but who could have guessed he had such a unique sense of humor? Casts the ending t...

The quotation from Shakespeare in lines 108–109 contains a

What's the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue? Come to think of it, why don't we soliloquize more often? We're going to start doing tha...

What is the setting of Hamlet, and how does it contribute to the overall feel of the play?

Crack open your copy of Hamlet, because it's time to discuss what happens during the course of Act I. Sadly, it has nothing to do with ham. 

How does the theme of confinement play a role in The Tempest? How does imagination tie into this feeling of confinement? Can we just imagine the an...

In what way is The Lion King similar to Hamlet? Our money is on the talking baboons, dispensing wisdom and songs about bananas. ...What do you mean...

Sure, there's some weird Oedipal Complex stuff going on in Hamlet, but look on the bright side, Ham: you end the play with your eyeballs intact.
...

What does the line "to thine own self be true" mean in the context of the play? And why do so many people use it as their senior yearbook quote? Pe...

What's up with Hamlet and Ophelia? Would their relationship status be "it's complicated," or "holy cow, guys, this is pretty messed up, maybe our f...

What happens during The Tempest's inciting event? We're glad you asked. No, really. Otherwise, we read the whole play for nothing. 

What stance does Utopia take on acts of war? What about acts of Shakespeare plays? Or random acts of kindness? This video will answer at least one...

What does Claudius' monologue reveal about his own character? Easy: that he likes to monologue. Self-centered much, buddy? 

How does Ophelia die, and what does that say about her character? What a weird question. If we die as planned––in a bathtub full of mac n' chee...

What does Hamlet's "to be, or not to be..." speech reveal about his character? Besides the fact that he's super comfortable talking to himself, of...

In line 69, "confirmation" functions as which of the following?

This video defines sonnets, a favorite of William Shakespeare. What are the different types of sonnet? How do you identify different kinds of sonne...

Entertainment that's also educational? We'll believe it when we read it, Shakespeare.

Why does Hamlet take so long to serve revenge on his uncle Claudius? This is so obvious...because revenge is a dish best served cold. Duh.

Who is Yorick, and why is Hamlet so obsessed with his skull? Seriously, if Hammy had an Instagram account, it'd be all skull pictures...

To thine own self be true...but, uh...how does one go about being true? Hit play to find out.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown..." Shakespeare said that. Now don't say we never taught you anything.

From the first three paragraphs, it can be inferred that the author would NOT consider which of the following activities heroic?

The author includes the list of poetic quotations found in lines 98-117 to demonstrate

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Find out the meaning behind "clothes make the man."

There’s no need to fear differences. Embrace them. Unless they’re wielding a chainsaw and running at you in a mask. Then you can fear them a li...

Which characters are on the island when The Tempest starts, and which characters end up joining the party, post-shipwreck? Spoiler alert: the answe...

ELA Drills, Intermediate: Main Idea 1. Which of the statements is best supported by the passage?

Don’t be like Dr. Dan who cuts off the wrong leg during surgery. That’s just embarrassing. Okay, yes, it’s also “malpractice,” but that...

Directors make direct decisions that have direct effects on the stories they direct. Now, kindly direct yourself to that play button to learn more.

It's a battle of epic proportions. If you're faint of heart, look away. We're about to see what editing and revising are really made of.

Time to check out the side plots in The Tempest, because what play is complete without a couple of buffoons drinking their way across an island?
...

Time to learn about the three kinds of lines - parallel, perpendicular and squiggly. Well, okay - squiggly lines are a little advanced, so we'll ge...

Figurative language: for when you want to say something without actually, literally saying what you mean. A favorite of Jewish mothers and passive-...

It shouldn't be too hard. It is a poem about you, after all. Who else knows more about you than you? This video is about writing an autobiographica...

We're know you love your Shakespeare, but be glad you weren't around to meet the guy. Let's just say that toothpaste and deodorant probably weren't...

Want even more deets on How to Use a Freakin' Comma? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.

This video explains how to scan and diagram a poem or other work of literature for meter and line length and identifies the metrical description of...

Who knew every book ever written could be slotted into one of seven plot types? Christopher Booker, that's who. J.R.R. Tolkien probably has a few t...

Want to know more about the history of information and communication? Check out this sophisticated video that features monkeys throwing poop at eac...

The Tempest is all about disruptions of everything from weather to power and political systems. Like most weather events in literature, this storm...

Careful, kids-- we're about to get into some grade A literary scandalousness.

Careful, kids-- we're about to get into some grade A literary scandalousness.

Today we'll give you some tips on reading a nonfiction speech. Of course, we don't mean the literal reading part. You should probably have that dow...

Bookkeepers and accountants work together to keep a company going. Find out more in this fun video.