The List of the Great Shakespeare Essay Topics

If you are asked to write a paper about Shakespeare’s sonnets, poems, and other extant works, then be sure you require all your efforts to reach a good result. He is called the Bard of Avon, and it is quite hard to analyze his art. But you have help from high-quality Shakespeare essay topics. Use this list to find the best subject for your paper. All topics are divided into categories so you’ll easily find Shakespeare’s work you are interested in. 

A Small Overview of Shakespeare’s Essays Examples

First of all, it may be very useful for you to read several successful essays on different topics. Take a look at the following examples to clear up the perfect structure and other particularities of your future text. Here are several things that you can use:

• Shakespeare Hamlet. Use this essay and pay attention to the great structure and transition sentences. 
• The Symbolism in Richard II. If you adore evaluating the meaning of metaphors, descriptions, allegories, and other literary tools, then you’ll enjoy this example. 
• Sonnets’ analysis. This is one of the most creative examples that shows the wide meaning of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
• King Henry Leadership. You can use this template as a perfect paper that discovers the personal features of King Henry V. 
• Othello’s Character Analysis. If you plan to write an essay about the detailed analysis of the exact hero, then this paper may be your guide. 

Also, before you start to write your essay, you need to find out the following requirements from your professor:

• Shakespeare’s essay topics to choose from;
• type of the essay (it could be informative, argumentative, compare and contrast, etc.);
• main rules in formatting (academic style);
• the number of pages or words;
• the deadline. 

So, let’s find out the best of Shakespeare’s essay topics for your paper. Feel free to choose any and change it according to your taste.

Shakespeare Essay Topics for Midsummer Night’s Dream

1. Explain all types of love which were portrayed in the play.
2. How does the author describe love depending on gender? 
3. What are the main gender issues Shakespeare has portrayed? 
4. The main reason for men and women act the exact way in this work.
5. The head conflict of the Midsummer Night’s Dream.
6. The most significant development of characters in this play.
7. Who is the main protagonist, and why? 
8. The comparison of several characters’ perception of love.
9. The role of fantastic characters in this play.
10. How does the author describe the norms of society via his play? 
11. The main common and different things of the play and the movie.
12. The hidden morality of the play.
13. The direct meaning of the play.
14. Reasons why the work is called the Midsummer Night’s Dream.
15. Answer the critical comments to the content.
16. The role of comedy in the scenario.

Shakespeare Essay Topics for Julius Caesar

1. The factors that help Caesar to reach power.
2. Main factors that cause Caesar’s failure .
3. The role of politics during the time when Caesar lived.
4. The cultural values of the Roman Republic that are opened in the play.
5. How Julius Caesar play show the role of women in the Roman Republic?
6. How the author explains the superstitions.
7. The analysis of Brutus and Caesar’s relationship.
8. The tactics of Anthony and Brutus to change the image of Caesar in the eyes of the people .
9. The explanation of the fate in the play.
10. Compare Caesar’s and other political leader’s assassination. 
11. The comparison of Caesar and Homer from Odyssey. 
12. The comparison of how Shakespeare and Plutarch had described Caesar.
13. Is it fair to call Brutus a traitor of the Roman Republic? 
14. What if Caesar hadn’t died? 
15. How Caesar’s death had influenced the country? 
16. Could Brutus let Caesar live? 

Shakespeare Essay Topics for King Lear

1. The main morality of this work.
2. Does the author use the characters’ age to explain their behavior? 
3. The role of a subplot in the play.
4. Does King Lear’s portrait suit the tragic character? 
5. What hero in this play had evaluated the most? 
6. The role of the Fool in the work.
7. The comparison of King Lear and Oedipus Rex.
8. What character has attracted the most of readers’ attention? 
9. Explain the way the author created tension in the plag.
10. How did Shakespeare use Machiavelli’s principles in the play? 
11. Find similar characters to King Lear in other works of Shakespeare.
12. The particularities of relationships between parents and kids in the play.

Shakespeare Essay Topics for Macbeth

1. Why did Macbeth’s personality change during the play? 
2. What do 3 witches symbolize? 
3. The symbolism of witches’ prophecies. 
4. How the author describes people’s power and ambition?
5. Do you consider Macbeth a misogynistic? 
6. The signs of tyranny in the play.
7. The meaning of the blood.
8. Explain the symbolism of weather in the play.
9. The examples of the gender issues in this work.
10. The main common and different features of Macbeth and Malcolm.
11. Who is responsible for Duncan’s death, and why? 
12. The best minor character in the Macbeth play

Shakespeare Essay Topics for Othello

1. The signs of jealous behavior of Othello.
2. How the author describes revenge in the play.
3. The way other people in the play describe Othello.
4. The why Othello describes himself. 
5. Is it fair to call Othello a tragic character? 
6. The comprehensive analysis of Othello. 
7. The comprehensive analysis of Desdemona.
8. Why did Shakespeare use irony in this tragedy? 
9. The analysis of Desdemona from the position of feminism. 
10. The main particularity of Iago’s plan.
11. The power of loyalty in the play.
12. Is it fair to say that Othello and Desdemona’s relationships were meant to fail since the beginning? 

Shakespeare Essay Topics for Romeo and Juliet

1. Whom do you blame in the death of Romeo and Juliet? 
2. Can we call Romeo and Juliet’s story to be fate? 
3. Is it possible for such a tragic scenario to be repeated in the modern world? 
4. The role of destiny in the play.
5. Can we name Juliet a feminist? 
6. The typical portrait of a man in the play.
7. The typical portrait of a woman in this tragedy. 
8. The comprehensive analysis of Romeo and Mercutio.
9. How Mercutio changed the fate of Romeo? 
10. The development of Juliet during the story.
11. The morality of family values in this play.
12. The idea of death and suicide in modern society. 
13. Did Romeo really love Juliet? 
14. Did Juliet feel true love toward Romeo? 
15. Could Romeo and Juliet survive? 
16. The common features of the Montague and Capulet families. 

Shakespeare Essay Topics for the Merchant of Venice

1. The most complex female character in the play.
2. Explain the causes and effects of radical feminism in The Merchant of Venice. 
3. Analyze the examples of discrimination in this play.
4. The particularities of Portia character.
5. The role of Bassanio and Antonio friendship. 
6. How Shakespeare combines comedy and tragedy in this play? 
7. Can Portia be called a radical feminist? 
8. The strength and weakness of Shylock character.
9. The role of Jessica and Shylock relationship.
10. How does the author explain the Shylock’s reasons for revenge? 
11. What character is your favorite in the play? 

William Shakespeare’s Story

Usually, students know the author’s works but don’t know much about the personality of the writer. This information will be very helpful for describing his characters and making conclusions about poems and sonnets. So let’s find out the main facts about Shakespeare’s life.

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Early Biography

There is no exact date of Shakespeare’s birthday. Usually, it is said he was born on 23th or 26th of April in 1564. William was a poet, an author, and an actor. When Shakespeare was 18 years old, he married Anne Hathaway. They had 3 kids though one boy died because of unknown reasons.

Success and Fame

Shakespeare had written numerous poems and sonnets. Thanks to such a successful experience, William found partners and opened his own theatre called Globe. Unfortunately, he died at the age of 52, but the fame of his art will live forever! Thanks to this list of the best essay topics, you will be able to share your opinion about the author and his works.