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William Shakespeare

4 stars across 504 books

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, and was baptised on 26 April 1564. His father was a glove maker and wool merchant and his mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a well-to-do local land owner. Shakespeare was probably educated in Stratford's grammar school. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, and the couple had a daughter the following year and twins in 1585. Shakespeare's theatrical life seems to have commenced around 1590. We do know that he was part of the Lord Chamberlain's Company, which was renamed the King's Company in 1603 when James I succeeded to the throne. The Company acquired interests in two theatres in the Southwark area of London, near the banks of the Thames - the Globe and the Blackfriars. Shakespeare's poetry was published before his plays, with two poems appearing in 1593 and 1594, dedicated to his patron Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. Most of Shakespeare's sonnets were probably written at this time as well. Records of Shakespeare's plays begin to appear in 1594, and he produced roughly two a year until around 1611. His earliest plays include Henry VI and Titus Andronicus. A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Richard II all date from the mid to late 1590s. Some of his most famous tragedies were written in the early 1600s; these include Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth and Antony & Cleopatra. His late plays, often known as the Romances, date from 1608 onwards and include The Tempest. Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford. The first collected edition of his works was published in 1623 and is known as 'the First Folio'.

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Tales from Shakespeare

1st October 2015

Tales from Shakespeare

Marcia Williams retells fourteen of Shakespeare's best-loved plays in her trademark witty, accessible style.Much-loved a... MoreTales from Shakespeare

(10 reviews) Review

Macbeth

12th February 2010

Macbeth

(5 reviews) Review

A Midsummer Night's Dream

28th November 2013

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular comedies of the legendary playwright, William Shakespeare. The play... MoreA Midsummer Night's Dream

(2 reviews) Review

Julius Caesar

2nd April 2009

Julius Caesar

Rome's greatest general, Julius Caesar, returns to the city celebrating a glorious victory. But among the cheering crowd... MoreJulius Caesar

(2 reviews) Review

The Merchant of Venice: GCSE 9-1 Set Text Student Edition

20th February 2020

The Merchant of Venice: GCSE 9-1 Set Text Student Edition

Exam board: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas Level & Subject: GCSE 9-1 English Literature Next exam: June 2... MoreThe Merchant of Venice: GCSE 9-1 Set Text Student Edition

(2 reviews) Review

The Tempest

14th August 2009

The Tempest

The story of the Tempest, the magical storm that brings a royal party to justice on a savage island, is beautifully re... MoreThe Tempest

(1 review) Review

Oxford Reading Tree TreeTops Greatest Stories: Oxford Level 16: Shakespeare Stories

12th May 2016

Oxford Reading Tree TreeTops Greatest Stories: Oxford Level 16: Shakespeare Stories

Sebastian and Viola cause all sorts of trouble when they switch places in the romantic comedy Twelfth Night. Learn the h... MoreOxford Reading Tree TreeTops Greatest Stories: Oxford Level 16: Shakespeare Stories

(1 review) Review

Othello

23rd January 2014

Othello

An improved, larger-format edition of the Cambridge School Shakespeare plays, extensively rewritten, expanded and produc... MoreOthello

(1 review) Review

King Lear

2nd April 2009

King Lear

Foolish and bad-tempered, King Lear divides the kingdom between his two wicked daughters, disowns his honest youngest da... MoreKing Lear

(1 review) Review

The Merchant of Venice

16th April 2009

The Merchant of Venice

In Venice, the merchant Antonio borrows money so his friend can woo a beautiful lady. He agrees that if he doesn't repay... MoreThe Merchant of Venice

(1 review) Review

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New Book

The Illustrated William Shakespeare: 25 Essential Poems

28th April 2026

(0 reviews)

Coming Soon

Romeo and Juliet

Hardback

25th June 2026

Recent Reviews

Macbeth

by RHSYear7

The Manga version of Macbeth is really clever! I liked the way this classic story was told in a modern format, which made it easy to follow and brough...
Shakespeare's First Folio: All The Plays: A Children's Edition

by Toppa

Gorgeous, lavishly illustrated collection of Shakespear's plays. This special children's edition celebrates the 400th anniversary of the First Folio. ...
Macbeth

by Saachi

I love Macbeth!!We are reading it in school and its so sigma!!! cant wait to find out what his next plot will be! I rate it 5 skibidi stars!...