Shakespearian Lore

Some elements from William Shakespeare's plays appear in Castlevania.

= William Shakespeare = William Shakespeare (baptised April 26, 1564 – died April 23, 1616)[1] was an English poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language, as well as one of the greatest in Western literature, and the world's preeminent dramatist.[2] He wrote about 38 plays and 154 sonnets, as well as a variety of other poems. Shakespeare was mainly heralded as an actor during his time, an after his death his plays ran out of circulation. However, his work was eventually recognized and he became a prominent fixture in Western literature.[3] In addition, Shakespeare is the most quoted writer in the literature and history of the English-speaking world.[4] He is often considered to be England's national poet[5] and is sometimes referred to as the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard")[6] or the "Swan of Avon".[7]

Shakespeare is believed to have produced most of his work between 1586 and 1616, although the exact dates and chronology of the plays attributed to him are often uncertain. He is counted among the very few playwrights who have excelled in both tragedy and comedy, and his plays combine popular appeal with complex characterisation, poetic grandeur and philosophical depth.

Shakespeare's works have been translated into every major living language, and his plays are continually performed all around the world. In addition, many quotations and neologisms from his plays have passed into everyday usage in English and other languages. Over the years, many people have speculated about Shakespeare's life, raising questions about his sexuality, religious affiliation, and the authorship of his works.

= Works = Some of Shakespear's works include:

Comedies

 * The Tempest*
 * The Two Gentlemen of Verona
 * The Merry Wives of Windsor
 * Measure for Measure
 * The Comedy of Errors
 * Much Ado About Nothing
 * Love's Labour's Lost
 * A Midsummer Night's Dream
 * The Merchant of Venice
 * As You Like It
 * Taming of the Shrew
 * All's Well That Ends Well
 * Twelfth Night or What You Will
 * The Winter's Tale*
 * Pericles, Prince of Tyre* (not included in the First Folio)
 * The Two Noble Kinsmen* (not included in the First Folio)
 * Cymbeline*

Histories

 * King John
 * Richard II
 * Henry IV, part 1
 * Henry IV, part 2
 * Henry V
 * Henry VI, part 1
 * Henry VI, part 2
 * Henry VI, part 3
 * Richard III
 * Henry VIII

Tragedies

 * Romeo and Juliet
 * Coriolanus
 * Titus Andronicus
 * Timon of Athens
 * Julius Caesar
 * Macbeth
 * Hamlet
 * Troilus and Cressida
 * King Lear
 * Othello
 * Antony and Cleopatra

= Elements in Castlevania = Several elements from Shakespears plays were introduced in the English translations only of Castlevania games. These include the Firebrand (which is described as the Fire Sword of Oberon and the Fire Sword of Agni in Japanese) and Yorick (as in "Alas, poor Yorick", known as "Soccar Boy" in Japanese).