This is William Shakespeare.
- He is the most famous playwright in the world.
- He wrote plays more than 400 years ago. People still go to theatres to see them performed.
- He also helped build the Globe Theatre in London.
Watch: One of the greatest writers in history
Today we watch stories through TV, computers or on phones. But 450 years ago, people could only watch stories acted in front of them on the streets or in theatres.
People loved watching plays. They were as popular then as TV shows are now and some of the actors became just as famous.
One of these actors was William Shakespeare.
He's still famous today. Not for acting but because he was, and still is, one of the best known writers in the English language.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. He went to school there and learned Latin and Greek. He got married at 18 and had children.
Shakespeare moved to London, and became a rather famous actor there.
He also wrote plays which everyone, rich and poor, even royalty, paid to watch.
Soon Shakespeare was rich enough to help build a new theatre, called ‘The Globe’.
Shakespeare wrote many different types of plays. Sad tragedies like Romeo and Juliet, funny comedies like A Midsummer Night's Dream and important histories about kings like Henry V.
They were fun, scary, exciting and serious!
He also wrote poetry and invented new words like 'eyeball' and 'bedroom'. He truly changed the way we speak English!
William Shakespeare lived over 450 years ago, but his name, plays and poetry are still known all over the world today.
Students learn about him at school and at university. People come from many countries to see where he lived and his plays are just as popular now as when they were first performed all those years ago!
William Shakespeare's life
- William Shakespeare was born in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564.
- His father John had a successful job as a glove maker.
- Historic events happened during his life, including the Gunpowder Plot.
- He married Anne Hathaway when he was eighteen.
- Shakespeare's plays sometimes had magic, witches and strange, far-off places. This was new and exciting for the time.
- One of Shakespeare’s most famous plays is Macbeth, which includes witches and a plot to kill the king.
- Shakespeare wrote famous poetry as well as plays.
Did you know?
- You can visit the actual house in which Shakespeare was born.
- Plays had to be approved by somebody called the Master of the Revels.
- Anything Queen Elizabeth I or King James I didn't like was punishable by death!
- Girls and women were not allowed to perform on stage. Their roles were played by boys or men.
Activity 1 – Sort the events of William Shakespeare's life
Activity 2 – William Shakespeare quiz
