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   Shakespeare's Characters
A comprehensive list of every Shakespeare character and the play in which he or she appears, including a spelled pronunciation guide.
 
   Sonnet 73
An analysis of Shakespeare's inspired sonnet, hailed as one of the best poems in English. Included is a paraphrase of the poem in contemporary English.
 
   Shakespeare's Biography
Our detailed biography of Shakespeare covering his ancestry, parents, childhood in Stratford, siblings, marriage, children, career as an actor, contemporaries, and much more!
 
   Themes in Romeo and Juliet
Our examination of the pervasive themes of light, time, and destiny in William Shakespeare's beloved tale of "star-cross'd lovers."
 
   Quick Quote
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
- Hamlet (1.4.90), Marcellus to Horatio

This line spoken by Marcellus (and not Hamlet as is commonly believed) is one of the most recognizable lines in all of Shakespeare's works. Despite its fame, the line is left out of some productions of the play. Find out more...

 
   Why Study Shakespeare?
Ben Jonson anticipated Shakespeare’s dazzling future when he declared, "He was not of an age, but for all time!" in the preface to the First Folio. While most people know that Shakespeare is the most popular dramatist and poet the Western world has ever produced, students new to his work often wonder why this is so. The following are the top reasons why Shakespeare has stood the test of time.
 

Elizabethan Fashion Faux Pas
We have the Elizabethans to thank for many of the jewels of Western literature. But they were also responsible for some of the worst fashion disasters the world has ever seen. With ruffs so large that ladies had to eat soup with a two foot spoon and men's hose so stuffed with bran that they popped and spilled onto the floor, the Elizabethans showed no fashion shame. Find out more about Clothing in Elizabethan England.
 
·  Julius Caesar Study Guide
·  Shakespeare's Audience
·  Guide to Sonnet 130
·  Shakespeare's Globe
·  King Lear Study Guide
·  Hamlet Character Analysis
·  Essays on A Midsummer Night's Dream
·  Othello as Tragic Hero
·  Shakespeare's Blank Verse
·  A Guide to the Witches' Chants
·  Macbeth Study Quiz
·  Shakespeare's Boss
·  First Folio Facts
·  Macbeth Character Analysis
·  Shakespeare's Death
·  Violence in Shakespeare
·  Portraits of the Bard
·  Shakespeare's Birth


 
Even More...
·  All About Et tu, Brute?
·  Shakespeare's Lost Years
·  The Revenge Plot of Hamlet
·  Play Chronology
·  King John: Plot Summary
·  Entertainment in Shakespeare's England
·  Top 10 Shakespeare Plays

·  Shakespeare on Fate
·  Going to a Play in Shakespeare's London
·  Shakespeare's Contemporaries
·  Romeo and Juliet: Teacher's Notes
·  Shakespeare's Kings and Queens
·  What makes Henry V a great ruler?
·  Plutarch and Shakespeare

What Did Shakespeare Drink?

Ale (beer made with a top fermenting yeast) was the drink of choice in Shakespeare's day. Everyone from the poorest farmer to the Queen herself drank the brew made from malt, and a mini brewery was an essential part of every household. Shakespeare's own father was an official ale taster in Stratford. Read on...
featured this week
 ·  Shakespeare's Inspirations
 ·  The second best bed: Shakespeare's Last Will and Testament
 ·  Was Shakespeare Italian?
 ·  Shakespeare's Insults
 ·  All About Foul deeds will rise
 ·  How to Analyze a Sonnet
 ·  Shakespeare's Influence
 ·  Shakespeare's Impact on Other Writers
 ·  Shakespeare's Greatest Love Poem
today's question
 ·  What is Hamlet's first line?
essentials
 ·  Top Questions About Shakespeare
 ·  Shakespeare's Children
 ·  Hamlet's Soliloquies Explained
 ·  Macbeth's Soliloquies Explained
 ·  Detailed Shakespeare Timeline
 ·  Shakespeare Quotations, By Play and Theme
 ·  How to Study Shakespeare
 ·  Annotations for The Balcony Scene (2.2) from Romeo and Juliet
favorites
 ·  Hamlet Study Quiz (with detailed answers)
 ·  Deception in Hamlet
 ·  Forgiveness in The Tempest
 ·  Top Shakespearean Villains
 ·  Shakespeare Wedding Readings
suggested links
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