Little Willy!

Little Willy!

The Complete Works of Shakespeare in Limerick Form

By Alexander Williams

Shakespeare is widely recognised as one of the world's greatest writers, having penned 37 plays, 154 sonnets and a cluster of narrative poems, all of which are still read, performed and enjoyed today. But what happens when you reduce each of those plays and poems into a tasty bite-sized chunk? 

This book, of course! 

LITTLE WILLY! takes Shakespeare's Complete Works and transforms each one into a pithy limerick perfect for bardolators of all ages! 

The limericks are arrange alphabetically by genre, moving from Tragedy and Comedy through to History and Poetry. Because I love you, I've included all of the Tragedy limericks below! I hope you enjoy them, and if you do, please consider buying a copy for your shelf or as a gift for a friend.

Tragedy

 

Anthony and Cleopatra

 

Mark Anthony finds himself keen

On the beautiful Egyptian queen.

He falls on his sword

When he hears that she’s floored

And her suicide ends this sad scene.

 

Coriolanus

 

A hero of valour and pride

His contempt puts the rabble off-side.

He marched on great Rome

Till his mum called him home

But his enemies chased till he died.

 

Hamlet

 

Denmark’s prince smelt the rot at a mile

After which he would not crack a smile.

He went round pretending

His logic was ending

Till Ophelia copied his style!

 

Julius Caesar

 

Brutus and Cassius lead

The conspirators’ plotting and deed.

With the emperor dead

It’s what Anthony said

That then leads to a war being decreed.

 

King Lear

 

King Lear let his vanity reign

When dividing his kingdom in twain.

He soon lost his wits

Screaming tantrums and fits

When he couldn’t reclaim it again.

 

Macbeth

 

His vaulting ambition grew steadily,

Set him off on a murderous medley.

To the witches the seed,

To his own hand the deed,

But his wife had the tongue that was deadly!

 

Othello

 

Othello and Dezzy were wed

But he doubted her loyalty in bed.

Iago betrayed her

Said Cassio laid her

By Janus, they all end up dead!

 

Romeo and Juliet

 

In Verona two families’ hate

Seals our teenage romancers’ poor fate.

If they can’t live as one

Then with living they’re done,

What a shame that the letter was late!

 

Timon of Athens

 

Timon was a man of great wealth

But lacking both reason and stealth.

When his friends made him poor

He was kicked from his door

Which was harmful to his mental health!

 

Titus Andronicus

 

Such bloodshed and gore there’s not been

Since Thyestes was last on the scene.

Mutilation and rape

Human meat ‘neath the grape

It’s enough to turn any cheek green!