Research & Reference
- William Shakespeare: Credo Reference1564–1616, English dramatist and poet, b. Stratford-upon-Avon. He is widely considered the greatest playwright who ever lived.
- Shakespeare: A Dove, A Hawk, or Simply a Humanist?For readers whose first introduction to Shakespeare was through the widely seen film Henry Vby Laurence Olivier, it is not surprising that Shakespeare was regarded as a patriotic, nationalistic and militaristic, rather pro-war playwright.' Olivier's Henry V, as Ton Hoenselaars points out in his "Out-Ranting the Enemy Leader": Henry V and/as World War II Propaganda, was entrenched in the British propaganda effort even before the thought of the film version of the war epic had occurred.
- William Shakespeare: Columbia Electronic EncyclopediaShakespeare, William, 1564–1616, English dramatist and poet, b. Stratford-upon-Avon. He is widely considered the greatest playwright who ever lived.
Internet Resources
- William ShakespeareWhile William Shakespeare’s reputation is based primarily on his plays, he became famous first as a poet. With the partial exception of the Sonnets (1609), quarried since the early 19th century for autobiographical secrets allegedly encoded in them, the nondramatic writings have traditionally been pushed to the margins of the Shakespeare industry. Yet the study of his nondramatic poetry can illuminate Shakespeare’s activities as a poet emphatically of his own age, especially in the period of extraordinary literary ferment in the last ten or twelve years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
- William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare is often thought of as one of the greatest writers in the English language. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are performed more often than any other playwright. Shakespeare’s writing also affected the way the English language evolved, and several words and phrases, such as ‘all’s well that ends well’, ‘with bated breath’ and ‘a foregone conclusion’ have moved into everyday use.
- William Shakespeare BiographyWilliam Shakespeare was a renowned English poet, playwright, and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April (see When was Shakespeare born), which is also believed to be the date he died in 1616.
Cracking the Shakespeare Code
Follow code-breaker Petter Amundsen and historian Dr. Robert Crumpton as they investigate the secrets buried in Shakespeare's first folio and decipher a coded map that may lead to one of history's greatest treasures.
Source: Kanopy
William Shakespeare - Playright
William Shakespeare (baptized on April 26, 1564 to April 23, 1616) was an English playwright, actor and poet also known as the “Bard of Avon” and often called England’s national poet. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, he was an important member of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men company of theatrical players from roughly 1594 onward. Written records give little indication of the way in which Shakespeare’s professional life molded his artistry. All that can be deduced is that, in his 20 years as a playwright, Shakespeare wrote plays that capture the complete range of human emotion and conflict.
Perspectives
Will in the World
Stephen Greenblatt, the charismatic Harvard professor who "knows more about Shakespeare than Ben Jonson or the Dark Lady did" (John Leonard, Harper's), has written a biography that enables us to see, hear, and feel how an acutely sensitive and talented boy, surrounded by the rich tapestry of Elizabethan life; full of drama and pageantry, and also cruelty and danger; could have become the world's greatest playwright. A young man from the provinces--a man without wealth, connections, or university education--moves to London. In a remarkably short time he becomes the greatest playwright not just of his age but of all time. His works appeal to urban sophisticates and first-time theatergoers; he turns politics into poetry; he recklessly mingles vulgar clowning and philosophical subtlety. How is such an achievement to be explained?Will in the World interweaves a searching account of Elizabethan England with a vivid narrative of the playwright's life. We see Shakespeare learning his craft, starting a family, and forging a career for himself in the wildly competitive London theater world, while at the same time grappling with dangerous religious and political forces that took less-agile figures to the scaffold. Above all, we never lose sight of the great works--A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and more--that continue after four hundred years to delight and haunt audiences everywhere. The basic biographical facts of Shakespeare's life have been known for over a century, but now Stephen Greenblatt shows how this particular life history gave rise to the world's greatest writer. Bringing together little-known historical facts and little-noticed elements of Shakespeare's plays, Greenblatt makes inspired connections between the life and the works and deliver "a dazzling and subtle biography" (Richard Lacayo, Time). Readers will experience Shakespeare's vital plays again as if for the first time, but with greater understanding and appreciation of their extraordinary depth and humanity.A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2004; Time magazine's #1 Best Nonfiction Book; A Washington Post Book World Rave ; An Economist Best Book ; A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book; A Christian Science Monitor Best Book; A Chicago Tribune Best Book; A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Best Book ; NPR's Maureen Corrigan's Best.
Shakespeare Unbound
At last--a key that unlocks the secrets of Shakespeare's life Intimacies with Southampton and Marlowe, entanglements in London with the elusive dark lady, the probable fathering of an illegitimate son--these are among the mysteries of Shakespeare's rich and turbulent life that have proven tantalizingly obscure. Despite an avalanche of recent scholarship, René Weis, an acknowledged authority on the Elizabethan period, believes the links between the bard's life and the poems and plays have been largely ignored. Armed with a wealth of new archival research and his own highly regarded interpretations of the literature, the author finds provocative parallels between Shakespeare's early experiences in the bustling market town of Stratford--including a dangerous poaching incident and contacts with underground Catholics--and the plays. Breaking with tradition, Weis reveals that it is the plays and poems themselves that contain the richest seam of clues about the details of Shakespeare's personal life, at home in Stratford and in the shadowy precincts of theatrical London--details of a code unbroken for four hundred years.
William Shakespeare
Each Volume Includes: - User's guide- Essay by Harold Bloom on "The Work in the Person"- Volume introduction by Harold Bloom- Biography of the writer and chronology of his or her life- An in-depth critical analysis of the writer, detailing style, important symbols, themes, and ideas in his or her major works- Supporting critical essays from some of the world's leading critics- A complete bibliography of the writer's works- A list of critical works about the writer and his or her work- An index of themes and ideas in the writer's work
William Shakespeare
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This program tells the story of Shakespeare and his works. Featuring delightful dramatized extracts from some of Shakespeare’s best-known plays, the program also includes memorable depictions of life in Elizabethan times. The program also features expert commentary and critical analysis by Stanley Wells, Director of the Shakespeare Institute, and Robert Smallwood, Deputy Director of the Shakespeare Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The well-regarded Shakespearean actor Brian Blessed also makes a special appearance in this program. (46 minutes)
Source: Films on Demand
William Shakespeare
2000 documentary examining Shakespeare's extraordinary understanding of the human condition with contributions from Glenda Jackson, Germaine Greer, Jonathan Miller, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Baz Luhrmann and many other theatrical notables.