Fortinbras is the Prince of Norway in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. He serves as a narrative foil to Prince Hamlet. While Hamlet struggles with inaction and internal conflict, Fortinbras is characterized by his decisive action and military ambition, eventually arriving in Denmark to claim the throne at the end of the play.

The handkerchief is a central plot device in Shakespeare's 'Othello'. It was given to Desdemona by Othello as a gift, representing their love and fidelity. Iago later manipulates this object, stealing it and planting it in Cassio's possession to convince Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful, ultimately leading to the tragic climax of the play.

William Hazlitt’s interpretation of Hamlet emphasizes the prince's internal struggle and melancholy. Hazlitt views Hamlet not as a villain or a madman, but as a deeply thoughtful and sensitive individual whose inaction stems from his profound philosophical nature and emotional burden. Hazlitt highlights Hamlet's inherent goodness and his reluctance to engage in the violence forced upon him by his circumstances.

Throughout the play, the Three Witches are consistently referred to as the 'Weird Sisters.' The term 'weird' is derived from the Old English word 'wyrd,' which signifies fate or destiny. This title underscores their supernatural role as agents who influence the course of events and the tragic destiny of Macbeth, rather than being mere common witches.

In the final scene of 'Hamlet', Queen Gertrude inadvertently drinks from the poisoned cup that Claudius had prepared for Hamlet. Despite Claudius's attempt to stop her, she consumes the wine and dies shortly thereafter, serving as a tragic turning point in the play's climax.

Sonnet 153, along with Sonnet 154, is one of two sonnets in Shakespeare's sequence that focus on the mythological figure Cupid. These poems explore the theme of love, specifically the power and heat of love, using classical imagery to depict Cupid's torch and the healing waters of a fountain. They are fundamentally concerned with the nature of romantic desire.

Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain, delivers this famous speech to his son Laertes as he prepares to depart for France. The line 'Neither a borrower nor a lender be' is part of a larger set of moral precepts intended to guide Laertes' conduct. This scene highlights Polonius's role as a pedantic, albeit well-meaning, father figure whose advice is often ironic given his own duplicitous nature.

A tragedy in Shakespeare's works is a play that ends in sorrow or catastrophe, often due to the protagonist's flaws. These plays usually evoke feelings of pity and fear in the audience. Coriolanus, Timon of Athens, and Titus Andronicus are considered tragedies as they contain elements of suffering and downfall.

In William Shakespeare's tragedy 'King Lear', the protagonist has three daughters: Goneril, the eldest; Regan, the middle daughter; and Cordelia, the youngest. The play centers on the tragic consequences of Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among them based on their professions of love, leading to his downfall and the eventual suffering of his family.

Tales from Shakespeare is a famous collection of prose adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, written by siblings Charles and Mary Lamb. Published in 1807, the work was intended to make the plots of Shakespeare's complex dramas accessible to younger readers, while retaining the essence of the original narratives.