Shakespeare was born over 450 years ago in 1564. In this section of the blog we’ve pulled together all of our blog posts that relate to the historic period that Shakespeare lived in, and posts that put Shakespeare and his works in their historical context…
The Shakespeare Ladies Club: The Forgotten Women Who Brought Shakespeare Back to Life
When you think of Shakespeare’s survival through the centuries, chances are you picture dusty scholars in dimly lit libraries, or perhaps famous actors strutting the boards of the Globe. But … Read more
Novels Inspired by Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is one of the most influential writers in history, and his work has been adapted and reinterpreted in countless ways. Novels inspired by Shakespeare’s plays offer a unique … Read more
Shakespeare’s First Folio at 400 Years Old 📖🎂
As we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the popularity of its author is stronger than it has ever been, as his reputation, already at … Read more
Treading Shakespeare’s Boards in Norfolk
Some of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions feature Shakespeare in one way or another –theatres, the town where he grew up, the house where he was born, and so on … Read more
Are You Calling Shakespeare A Thief?
A recent article in the UK’s Guardian was headlined “New evidence suggests Shakespeare may have stolen the plot of Cymbeline.” Well! Using legal language like “evidence” and “stolen,” its author … Read more
Is It Time To Cancel Shakespeare?
Is it really time to cancel Shakespeare? The much-admired English actor, Juliet Stevenson, who has played many of Shakespeare’s main female protagonists, wrote an article in The Sunday Times recently, … Read more
Experiencing a piece of Shakespeare in Egypt
All Shakespeare fans are familiar with the tragedy Antony and Cleopatra, first performed in 1607. But did you know you can quite easily visit one of the very cities it … Read more
Elizabethan Theatre Lives on in Today’s World
There are thousands of writers and actors all around the country who work in groups and make artistic decisions with their fellows. That’s a lot of fun. All player companies … Read more
Shakespeare & The Knock Knock Joke
“Knock knock” jokes are the first jokes kids respond to and laugh at as their reasoning faculties begin to develop. The linguistic trick clicks in and they laugh. The ability … Read more
The ‘Golden Age’ And William Shakespeare
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=”] The name ‘William Shakespeare’ is associated with a golden age in English drama. The term “golden … Read more
Shakespeare Was The Great English Writer… Was He Also The Greatest Plagiarist?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kqxxlrbb’ admin_preview_bg=”] It depends. You decide. In our time a writer who has plagiarised something is considered a serious offender. If … Read more
Banishment in Shakespeare
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=”] What is banishment? Banishment is the state of being exiled or sent away from one’s home. … Read more
William Shakespeare and the Earl of Southampton
Much has been written about the relationship between William Shakespeare and the Earl of Southampton. Well, here is the actual story. When Henry Wriothesley was a child, his parents had … Read more
Just What Does ‘Hugger-Mugger’ Mean?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-krop0jkj’ admin_preview_bg=”] When Elizabethans did something ‘hugger-mugger‘ it meant they were doing it in secret. It’s an archaic expression, and not … Read more
Was Shakespeare Rich?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-3jr47w2e’ admin_preview_bg=”] Today, William Shakespeare is acknowledged as one of the most important writers in the English language, of any era, … Read more
Shakespeare References To Sports & Games
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kijbdsx9′ admin_preview_bg=”] When we talk to each other we make linguistic shortcuts by using metaphors, which we get from the large … Read more
Building The Old Globe Theater: The Full, Strange Story!
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kivutn1w’ admin_preview_bg=”] Shakespeare’s old Globe Theater was built almost exactly 422 years ago! Well, kind of. The building process started on … Read more
The 9 Plot Elements of Shakespearean Tragedies
Thomas Moore is an educator and a professional freelance writer who works for a Write My Essay For Me service. He enjoys writing useful pieces and teaching kids. He is … Read more
12 Questions About Shakespeare You Wanted Answered
Let’s get real: we all have a lot of questions about Shakespeare. His plays can be confusing! That’s why we hosted a Shakespeare homework help session during our Instagram takeover … Read more
Is Othello A Villain?
Othello is not usually a character that pops up in lists of Shakespeare’s villains, but it is possible to make the argument that Othello was a villain. In this article … Read more
Shakespeare’s Language
Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare did not write in Old or Early English. Shakespeare’s language was actually Early Modern English, also known as Elizabethan English – much of which is … Read more
‘Hamlet’, Shakespeare’s Modern Play
[av_testimonials style=’grid’ columns=’1′ grid_style=” font_color=” custom_title=” custom_content=” interval=’5′ alb_description=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kg3xx8ft’ admin_preview_bg=”] [av_testimonial_single src=’1029224′ name=’Written by Moazzam Ali’ subtitle=’Author of ‘Essence of English Intellectual Life’‘ link=’http://’ linktext=” av_uid=’av-6b2o4739′][/av_testimonial_single] [/av_testimonials] … Read more
The Hamlet Skull Scene: Symbolism & Significance
The ‘Hamlet skull scene’ – most commonly known as the ‘gravedigger scene’ appears in William Shakespeare‘s famous tragedy Hamlet. In this article, we’re going explore the significance of this scene … Read more
Edward De Vere: Shakespeare’s True Identity?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kg8dgob0′ admin_preview_bg=”] Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, is a name that evokes curiosity from some and frustration from others. … Read more
Montagues and Capulets: What’s The Story?
Montagues and Capulets appear in the famous love tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The feud between the houses of Montagues and Capulets forms the basis of Shakespeare’s … Read more
Religion & Renaissance Influences On Shakespeare
Religion was extremely important in Shakespearean England. It influenced everyone’s actions and thoughts. Because it had politics behind it, and the Protestant Queen was firm on the change that her … Read more
The Weird Sisters and Demonology: Get Spooky with Macbeth!
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-6m782ue4′ admin_preview_bg=”] The Weird Sisters: these characters elevate the story of Macbeth from typical regicide (you know, casual) to the supernatural. … Read more
The Case For Shakespeare Fathering William D’Avenant
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kfv7jz4b’ admin_preview_bg=”] If you like conspiracy theories, here’s one Shakespeare would probably not have thanked you for. In the years after … Read more
A Tragic Hero: Morally Virtuous or Deliberately Vicious?
The term ‘tragic hero’ is closely associated with the literary genre known as tragedy. A tragedy is a dramatic representation of a story in which the ending is somehow catastrophic … Read more
4 Of Shakespeare’s Underrated Women Go Dating Online
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kgflrk95′ admin_preview_bg=”] We all know the stories of Juliet and Ophelia, but do you know who Paulina is, or Mistress Overdone? … Read more
‘Original Pronunciation’: Understanding Shakespeare’s Pronunciation
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Original pronunciation (also known as “OP” or “Shakespeare’s pronunciation”) is the concept of understanding, performing or listening to Shakespeare’s works as they would have been spoken … Read more
‘Thinking Like Shakespeare’, A Book Review
I have come across a book whose title compelled me to open it as it lay on my desk among other new books. Like the book’s contents, the title is … Read more
The Top 5 Shakespearean Betrayals… And How To Avoid Them!
Let’s talk about Shakespeare and betrayal. You know those jaw-dropping moments in reality TV where best friends secretly trash-talk each other, or someone is dating two people at once, or … Read more
6 Tips To Better Analyze Sonnets For Your College Class
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-8v3filud’ admin_preview_bg=”] Students often have to analyze different forms of poetry for their literature and English composition class. It is not … Read more
Six Fun Mystery Novels Involving the Bard
If you love Shakespeare – and Shakespeare books – but are looking for something a little more modern and nail-biting to spice up your reading list, here are six mystery-style … Read more
A Brief Note On Riots And Shakespeare
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Shakespeare’s career was shaped by riots, contemporary as well as historical. Romeo and Juliet and Coriolanus both respond to social upheaval during his lifetime (labor-related for the former; food-related for … Read more
Shakespeare Quotes On The Coronavirus Pandemic
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Although he lived over 400 years ago, Shakespeare has something to say for all times, proven by the quotes from his works below that can be … Read more
16 Must See Places In London for Shakespeare Fans
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Whilst Stratford-upon-Avon is well known as Shakespeare’s home town, London is often overlooked as a travel destination to connect with Shakespeare – other than perhaps taking … Read more
Why Is The Structure of Shakespeare’s ‘The Winter’s Tale’ So Unusual?
[av_textblock] There are Shakespeare scholars who suggest that there are some Shakespeare plays that don’t really work on the stage and should be regarded as works of literature rather than … Read more
What Are ‘Groundlings’? A Definition Plus Some Fun Facts
It is thought that Shakespeare coined the word ‘groundlings’, which became the nickname for those audience members who stood at the theatre. In Elizabethan theatres, the stage was surrounded by … Read more
Shakespeare in Macbeth
[av_textblock] Did Elizabethan audiences at the Globe Theatre ever see Shakespeare in Macbeth, performing on stage? It’s quite possible. As well as being the world’s greatest playwright, Shakespeare was an … Read more
Shakespeare’s Stage Directions
[av_textblock] Reading Shakespeare’s original scripts can sometimes throw up issues around understanding – not just understanding the words of the characters, but also understanding Shakespeare’s stage directions. This article explains … Read more
Shakespearean Puns
A ‘pun’ is usually defined as a play on words, or a play upon words, but it would be more accurate to describe punning as playing with the sound of … Read more
Shakespeare Inspired Novel Titles
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-2fm0f2q3′ admin_preview_bg=”] Phrases from Shakespeare’s works have inspired writers of all nationalities for 400 years. There are thousands of novels, plays, … Read more
Shakespeare & America
Shakespeare and America have had a long love affair. While the early American writers were struggling to find a form and a style that would give the United States a … Read more
Shakespeare Conspiracy Theory
Did you know that there are many scholars who believe in a Shakespeare conspiracy theory stating that Shakespeare didn’t actually write the works attributed to him? This Shakespeare conspiracy theory began … Read more
Juliet’s Balcony, Verona
Shakespeare’s stories are so rooted in real life that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction – just take ‘Juliet’s balcony‘. Although Shakespeare never visited Verona and … Read more
How Was Shakespeare’s Name Spelled?
[av_textblock] Although the name is now a household one, ‘Shakespeare’ is not a particularly common or easy to spell name. Over the years there have been a number of variations … Read more
Suicide in Shakespeare’s Plays
This article discusses suicide in Shakespeare plays, and Elizabethan views on suicide. The society that Shakespeare creates in the world of his plays is recognisable to audiences as a representation … Read more
The Shakespeare Hoax
[av_textblock] There have been many forgers of artworks during the past century. There are undoubtedly some forgeries in major galleries but, for the most part, after careful investigation, forgeries are … Read more
Shakespeare’s Top 20 Metaphors
In Shakespeare’s many works, he reflects and enhances the English language’s reputation as a metaphorical one. So many of our everyday expressions today are in fact Shakespeare metaphors – from … Read more
Shakespeare’s Best Dirty Lines & Innuendos
Elizabethan audiences loved it when the characters they were watching on the stage said something sexually suggestive. The double entendres were often more effective than today as the audiences were … Read more
Romeo & Juliet Balcony Scene
Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet – often referred to as the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene – is a central moment in Shakespeare’s play, and one that … Read more
Famous Last Word From Shakespeare, by Character
We are fascinated with the last words of famous people, and, indeed, some real-life last words are more than interesting in the way they connect with the speakers’ lives. In … Read more
What Are The ‘Ides of March’ & Why Beware The ‘Ides of March’?
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] What Is The Ides of March? The ‘ides’ was the day each month in the Roman calendar when the moon was full. The ides fell on … Read more
Shakespearean Words That Still Hold Up Today
[av_testimonials style=’grid’ columns=’1′ grid_style=” font_color=” custom_title=” custom_content=” interval=’5′ alb_description=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kg6mr1gz’ admin_preview_bg=”] [av_testimonial_single src=’1025837′ name=’Written by Frank Richardson’ subtitle=’Frank Richardson is a passionate writer and blogger who tries to … Read more
50 Shakespeare Words That Have Evolved To Mean Something Very Different
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] The English language is changing all the time, or perhaps it is better to say it is developing. At any rate, it is moving. If you … Read more
Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare!
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kfgxzosh’ admin_preview_bg=”] William Shakespeare turns 456 on 23rd of April 2020. His birthday is celebrated in thousands of places around the … Read more
Shakespeare’s Kings
No writer created as many kings as Shakespeare did. Some were based on real historical kings and others were fictional or drawn from mythology. One was even from the fairy … Read more
Is There Really A Hidden Meaning Behind Shakespeare’s Poems?
The anterior mention of Shakespeare’s sonnets refers to 1598, when a Cambridge master, Francis Meres, published a critical work named “Wits’ Treasury”. While giving Shakespeare’s work a very high appreciation, … Read more
7 Things About Shakespeare No One Told You At School
[av_testimonials style=’grid’ columns=’1′ grid_style=” font_color=” custom_title=” custom_content=” interval=’5′ alb_description=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kg6mr1gz’ admin_preview_bg=”] [av_testimonial_single src=’1025837′ name=’Written by Jennifer Lockman’ subtitle=’Jennifer is a passionate, custom essay writer with 5+ years of … Read more
Shakespeare’s Use of Mythology
Shakespeare had little formal education beyond a few years in his local grammar school. In a poem praising him as a great genius, his friend, Ben Jonson, concluded with something … Read more
Was Shakespeare Antisemitic?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-goi5u’ admin_preview_bg=”] The Roman Empire tried to crush the Jewish faith in the region where most Jews lived, now known as … Read more
Bardolatory… What Does It Mean?
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] The word ‘bardolatry’ is formed from the word ‘bard’ – an historic concept referring to a poet who wrote about great national events like war, rebellion, … Read more
Gender Bending in Shakespeare
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Regarding the social position of women, the 21st Century is a very long way from Elizabethan England. Whereas there are now few things in the way … Read more
Shakespearean…What Exactly Is Shakespearean?
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] We often hear terms such as ‘Platonic’ and ‘Aristotelian’ and ‘Einsteinean’, but what does it mean when we talk about ‘Shakespearean?’ At its most basic level, … Read more
How Did Shakespeare Get Started As A Playwright?
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Almost everyone in the English speaking world, and further, has held a copy of a Shakespeare text in his/her hands at some time. But how often … Read more
Adapting Shakespeare Through The Ages
[av_textblock] Adaptating Shakespeare’s texts is almost as old as Shakespeare himself, dating back four hundred years to versions of texts where the dialogue was transcribed by members of the audience … Read more
Shakespeare In Other Art Forms
[av_textblock] After the legendary actor-manager David Garrick introduced bardolatory to mid-18th-century England, artists quickly followed his lead by painting scenes from Shakespeare’s plays as well as portraits of prominent actors … Read more
Shakespeare’s Top 10 Love Scenes
Shakespeare is renowned for creating some of the world’s top lovers. In this post, we take a look at Shakespeare’s top love scenes across all of his plays. So, in … Read more
How Did Shakespeare Write?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-1q25fcu’ admin_preview_bg=”] We think of Shakespeare as one of the greatest modern Western writers, and perhaps the greatest playwright ever. We … Read more
How Shakespeare Created Historical Characters
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-17wjr2u’ admin_preview_bg=”] Whatever else we know about William Shakespeare, he was a voracious reader. When we think about how he brought … Read more
Shakespeare The Collaborator
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=”] Three years after his marriage to Anne Hathaway William Shakespeare went to London. He went there … Read more
Shakeseare For Father’s Day
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kfpjrbhe’ admin_preview_bg=”] Shakespeare was just nineteen years old when he first became a father: his daughter, Susanna, was born in 1583. … Read more
Shakespeare Lost & Found: Double Falsehood
The eighteenth century theatre impresario, playwright and Shakespeare scholar, Lewis Theobald, staged a performance of a play titled Double Falsehood at the Drury Lane Theatre on December 13, 1727. Theobald … Read more
Shakespeare’s Longest Play: Hamlet
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] When the curtain goes up for a performance of Romeo and Juliet Chorus steps on to the stage. He tells the audience the whole plot and says that … Read more
Shakespeare & The Ancient Game Of Real Tennis
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Although Shakespeare was very familiar with tennis, if he had gone to Wimbledon as a spectator he would not have recognised the game. He would have … Read more
Shakespeare & The Beautiful Game of Football
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-2b618a’ admin_preview_bg=”] When William Shakespeare was a teenager he probably played football with the other village boys in Stratford, even though … Read more
Did Shakespeare Take Drugs?
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Did Shakespeare take drugs? In 2001 analysis of pipe fragments from William Shakespeare’s house showed traces of cannabis, cocaine and hallucinogenic nutmeg extracts. It’s not known whether … Read more
What Exactly Is Early Modern English?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-3teen8′ admin_preview_bg=”] When we talk in English or write anything in English we do not say that we are using ‘modern’ … Read more
Shakespeare’s Christmas Play: Twelfth Night
This post discusses Elizabethan play naming conventions…and Shakespeare’s Christmas play, Twelfth Night. The Elizabethan and Jacobean playwrights, in heavy competition with each other, and pressurized by the need to fill the theatres, wrote … Read more
Thomas Bowdler: Bowdlerizing Shakespeare
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=”] Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825) was an old school English Georgian gent, physician and philanthropist, but forever remembered for … Read more
Why Did Shakespeare Set So Many Of His Plays Abroad?
[av_textblock] We recently mapped the locations of all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays. The most interesting thing about looking at the map is just how broadly Shakespeare cast his creative web … Read more
Where Did Shakespeare Live In London?
This post explores the many places in London that we know Shakespeare lived, and includes an interactive map at the bottom of the page. Whilst Stratford-upon-Avon is the one-industry Shakespeare town, … Read more
Shakespeare’s Words…That Didn’t Catch On
[av_textblock] Much has been talked about Shakespeare’s innovation with words – particularly his creation of thousands of words and phrases now in common usage as part of the English language. … Read more
Thee and Thou – What Does It All Mean?
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-4vk7r8′ admin_preview_bg=”] One thing that puts people off Shakespeare is the effort needed to understand the language – particularly trying to understand … Read more
William Shakespeare & Robert Johnson – The Musical Collaboration
I’m grateful to Ed Kliman, one of our readers, for drawing my attention to the composer, Robert Johnson, the son of John Johnson, lutenist to Elizabeth I , who had … Read more
Shakespeare & Winter Imagery
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-4vdz9o’ admin_preview_bg=”] We are in the middle of a harsh winter, one that has gripped the northern hemisphere more firmly than … Read more
Shakespeare and Venice
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] It’s almost certain that Shakespeare never left the shores of England but every year thousands of his contemporaries, wealthy young men, embarked on the ‘grand tour’ … Read more
Shakespeare’s King Richard III vs Reality
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] The English kings of Shakespeare’s history plays are so convincingly portrayed – particularly Shakespeare’s take on King Richard III – that they have become a historical reality … Read more
Spooky Shakespeare: The Shakespeare Halloween Edition!
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Shakespeare really was a man for all occasions, and Halloween is no exception. From witches, potions and haunted castles to severed hands, tongues cut from mouths … Read more
Who Wrote Shakespeare? The Authorship Candidates
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-3nsm78′ admin_preview_bg=”] The conspiracy that Shakespeare didn’t write his plays exists in some circles, which leads to the question who wrote … Read more
23 Things You Never Knew About Shakespeare
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-kf2ckc7s’ admin_preview_bg=”] Though rumors (and conspiracy theories!) abound, not too many concrete facts are known about Shakespeare. We have a page … Read more
How Did Shakespeare Get into Acting?
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] The Life Of An Elizabethan Actor The acting ‘profession’ is one of the oldest. We refer to it as a profession these days but paid actors … Read more
Working Life in Shakespeare’s England
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-4rfva0′ admin_preview_bg=”] When the young William Shakespeare went to London, almost a hundred miles away from his hometown of Stratford Upon … Read more
Shakespeare & Elizabethan Stage Sets
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-4ifkoq’ admin_preview_bg=”] At a time when all of Shakespeare’s plays are being staged in different places on different kinds of stage … Read more
Shakespeare’s Coat of Arms
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av_uid=’av-4qq4su’] Did you know that Shakespeare had his own coat of arms? Sometime after William Shakespeare’s father John Shakespeare applied unsuccessfully to become a gentleman William … Read more
Shakespeare & Racism
[av_textblock] A common mistake we’re to make when trying to transpose any Shakespearean expression from Renaissance English to contemporary modern English is to ignore its context and see it in … Read more
Shakespeare & The Evolution of Christmas
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-g79g9′ admin_preview_bg=”] In all of his works, Shakespeare uses the word ‘Christmas’ only three times: “At Christmas I no more desire a … Read more
Shakespeare’s Twelve Days of Christmas
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-inlzr’ admin_preview_bg=”] Full festive marks to the American Shakespeare Centre for their inspirational “Twelve Days of Christmas” with a Shakespeare twist! … Read more
Take a Tour Of Shakespeare’s London!
London has been a world-leading city for many centuries. During the late 16th and early 17th century when Shakespeare was a resident, London was recognised around the known world as … Read more
Shakespeare’s Theatrical Props
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] Last week I went to the theatre to see a contemporary play set in an English stately home. When the stage lights came up the audience … Read more
Mozart, Shakespeare and Quentin Tarantino
Emotions around the current, revived debate about the Shakespeare authorship are raging. Shakespeare scholars are ‘infuriated,’ ‘outraged,’ ‘angry’ about the implications of the film Anonymous, that de Vere wrote the … Read more
Shakespeare Furnishes His House
[av_textblock size=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” font_color=” color=” id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-dzaf8′ admin_preview_bg=”] As we are products of our time and our culture, when we think about furnishing our house or our … Read more
William Shakespeare, Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth and all
[av_textblock] It’s interesting to reflect on how deeply and broadly Shakespeare infiltrates our culture. He is everywhere in history in some context or other – something we discussed in our … Read more
Social Control & Clothing Laws in Shakespeare’s Time
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] When we go to the theatre we expect the costumes to be appropriate to the period in which the play is set, and the different characters … Read more
Shakespeare The Travelling Marathon Man
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”] It’s quite common for Londoners to attend the theatre in Stratford upon Avon and also, most Americans visiting London make the journey to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. … Read more
Blog Categories
Authorship Debate | Historic Shakespeare | Random Fun Stuff | Shakespeare Today | Shakespeare’s Works
