Discover published sets by community

Characters often grapple with their sense of self and embark on journeys of self-discovery. 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde satirizes the importance of social conventions in the quest for personal identity, while 'The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams shows characters struggling to escape their reality and find themselves.

Classic plays often include elements of the supernatural to explore themes of mystery and morality. 'Macbeth' by Shakespeare uses witches and prophecies to examine ambition and guilt, whereas 'The Tempest', also by Shakespeare, employs magic and spirits to discuss power, redemption, and art.

This theme explores the tension between characters' control over their own destinies and the forces beyond their control. Example plays include 'Oedipus Rex' by Sophocles, where Oedipus can't escape his prophesied fate, and 'Macbeth' by Shakespeare, where Macbeth's actions seem to be both free and predetermined.

Love is portrayed as a driving force that can lead to both triumph and tragedy. For example, 'Romeo and Juliet' by Shakespeare presents love as overpowering and destructive, while 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' features love as a cause of comical misunderstandings.

This theme examines the clash between the ideas and values of younger and older generations. 'Long Day's Journey Into Night' by Eugene O'Neill portrays a family's generational conflict and dysfunction, and 'All My Sons' by Arthur Miller also depicts familial and generational tension.

Plays can emphasize the irony of existence and the illogical nature of the universe. 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett and 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' by Tom Stoppard both illustrate characters caught in puzzling, absurd situations that defy conventional logic.

Classic plays frequently delve into existential questions and the complexities of human nature. 'Hamlet' by Shakespeare explores themes of life, death, and the search for truth, while 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett reflects on the absurdity and ennui of human existence.

Dramas often portray the struggle between upholding traditional values and embracing change. 'Fiddler on the Roof', based on stories by Sholem Aleichem, shows a Jewish father coping with his daughters' modern attitudes, while 'The Cherry Orchard' by Anton Chekhov deals with an aristocratic family facing social change in Russia.

The corrosive effect of power and the decay it brings to individuals and societies is a common theme. Shakespeare's 'King Lear' examines how power can corrupt and blind, while 'Julius Caesar' showcases the deadly consequences of political power struggles.

Challenging perceptions of what is real versus what is an illusion is a key theme in theatre. 'The Glass Menagerie' by Tennessee Williams shows characters retreating into their own world of illusions, while 'A Streetcar Named Desire' blurs the lines between truth and fantasy.

Plays often tackle issues of unfairness and inequality in society. Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' challenges gender roles and societal expectations, while Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' examines the consequences of mass hysteria and false accusations.

The pursuit of justice and the desire for revenge are driving forces in many plays, exploring the line between justice and vigilantism. 'The Oresteia' by Aeschylus follows a cycle of vengeance within a family, while 'Hamlet' shows the titular character's struggle to avenge his father's murder.

The tensions between different social classes can be the focal point of dramatic conflict. George Bernard Shaw's 'Pygmalion' discusses issues of class distinction and social mobility, while 'Les Misérables' by Victor Hugo (though not originally a play) has been adapted into a musical focusing on class struggle and revolution in 19th-century France.

Characters' quests to find purpose in life are central to existential drama. 'Our Town' by Thornton Wilder asks what it means to live a meaningful life, and 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' by Luigi Pirandello breaks the fourth wall, exploring the relationship between characters and their creators.