Michele Pennala AP English Literature and Composition Summer Assignment: Free Verse Poems (Shakespeare) Much Ado About

Nothing A pleasant Italian town, soon to be fraught with mischief, Watches as the merry ban of travelers depart from the ship The mighty Prince Don Pedro with his faithful men Fall prey to the sullen Don Jon As love blossoms between Hero and the soldier Claudio As the witty remarks of Beatrice and Benedick turn to deep affection The illegitimate brother prepares to make trouble A trick of the light; a well-placed villain Convinces Claudio of his beloveds infidelity Marriage is a blessed event Yet jilted at the alter, the innocent Hero grieves. The shamed family locks her away and proclaims her death, For what household could love an impure maiden? As the scheming Borachio boasts, His praise reveals his crime; his arrest reveals his devious nature. As the treachery is unveiled, the innocence is restored. Poor Claudio is disgraced and pained, only to be forced to marry another Yet none other then his sweet angel awaits him A marriage is held between two pairs of lovers As a charming Italian town fills with joy and jubilation. Julius Caesar A great man in possession of great power yields suspicion. Bitter and jealous of Caesars adoration, Cassius plots the murder of the worthy leader. Deception overpowers loyalty Brutus involvement provides the killing stroke to the betrayed Caesar

As Antony pledges to avenge his intimates murder, As he assures the crowd of Caesars generous and influential nature, Brutus and Cassius flee the city, sought after by a wronged Republic. Two sides divided, a battle begins A battle to uphold Caesars legacy and a battle for survival. Ghosts and premonitions predict the outcome, yet rarely find a willing listener. Combat ensues, positioning Octavious as the next ruler. Authoritative and mighty, Caesars heir leads the Romans into battle Mistaken sights bring about death and vengeance as Cassius crumbles As Brutus grieves the death of his companions, As he marches his army into a losing battle, He dies alone; alone in his suffering and regret Yet his burial is conducted with honor and respect For a man that serves Rome wholeheartedly is the noblest citizen of all Victory ensured, the legacy of Caesar to persist. A Midsummer Nights Dream Theseus merry marriage requires festivities Trickery is all that transpires A father determined to make a match Neglects the dedication between Hermia and Lysander Chaos and unreturned affections deter the happy couples escape A prince drives a wedge between the fairy nobility While the potion causes great confusion Closed eyes awaken to surprising passion The magic flower promises heartache and hilarity Helena, once forgotten by all Now admired by two Hermia, once bound to her beloved, Now fighting for her lover As the forest erupts in skirmishes and sappy devotion

As the regal Queen falls for an misshapen ass Oberon watches with amusement, calling for an end only after extreme disorder The lovers awake; Titania stirs The magic flowers power turns With music and gaiety a double wedding commences For the lovers united through bewilderment. Othello As the love deepens between the mighty Othello and the lovely Desdemona, As the scorned lover Roderigo wistfully waits for an inkling of passion, The slighted Iago is enveloped by hatred and pain. A victorious voyage to ward off the enemy Masks the deceitful nature of Iago as he plans the demise of his superior. A drunken battle strips the ranking; the revenge has begun. As Othellos lieutenant Cassio entices his bride The planted handkerchief hides, awaiting unveiling and deception. A hushed conversation, A few convincing accusations, Leave the great general certain of his beloveds infidelity. How could one so cherished desire anything more How could one betray their shared passion for an entanglement with one of his own? The anguish consumes Othello, much like vengeance overwhelms Iago. As a duel between Cassio and Roderigo ends in death by anothers hand, Othello smothers his love, much like he smothered her with affection and stories of glory. The final release of life reveals the vindictive intent of the rebuffed The great man fails to kill the scheming soldier, yet deeply mourns the loss of his wife. He remains crushed by guilt and succumbs to grief and despair, Which can only be relieved with the sharp point of his dagger. King Lear A kingdom rests upon the love of three daughters

Only to be ruined by the insolence of the king As the banished offspring marries, her loyalty is revealed. Lear learns of his daughters treachery, Yet cannot overcome their power Turned out of his kingdom, Lears mind crumbles, unable to comprehend his loving daughters deception The unloved Edmund, bitter and jealous of his brother Manipulates his fathers affections and betrays Edgar Gloucesters loyalty leads to blind wanderings The kings daughters supremacy clouding the once great land As the unknowing nobleman is assisted by his worthy son, Edmund entangles himself with the married daughters; An entanglement that erupts in jealously and death. Grief and melancholy encompass the fathers; both suffer from hardship Only to suffer yet again, As the English defeat the French, As the traitorous children are erased, The passing of his loving daughter destroys the Kings spirit. A kingdom devastated by the deception of two daughters.