Students investigate Shakespeare's history as a man, actor, poet and playwright. Then, they identify, analyze and discuss common elements of his comedies, including iambic pentameter, five act structure, supernatural occurrences, stock characters, and harmonious union. Additionally, students identify, analyze, and discuss common themes, such as the importance of love, the power of language, the difference between appearance and reality, and the power of dreams and illusions. Students review and discuss excerpts from Shakespeare's comedies and review summaries of these works.