Shakespeare of Stratford

Parodies of Shakespeare's Plays The Plays

Background

William Shakespeare has long been considered one of the greatest writers of the English language. His sonnets have been read by students all over the world, as samples of great literature. His 37 plays are still popular, whether performed in the language of his day, revised to fit today's language and concerns, or even recreated in a parody. Some of the most popular include Hamlet, Macbeth, The Taming of the Shrew, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

He was definitely a "man for all seasons." Yet even with the timeless excellence of his writings, he has been the center of controversy as well. One controversy stems from the idea that the William Shakespeare of Stratford and the Shakespeare who authored the plays were in fact two different people.

Biographical information

There are many fascinating legends about Shakespeare of Stratford, but many of them are just conjecture. The web is filled with a plethora of web sites about this incredible writer who has continued to shape our stories and dreams even long after his death.

Through examining this information about his life, and information about the town William Shakespeare lived in, we can get a picture of this man we know as Shakespeare.

The Controversy

What of the controversy? For years, many authors and historians have been upholding an idea that Shakespeare was actually someone else. Debates have ranged from Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, to Francis Bacon, to Christopher Marlowe.

For more on the author debate

Earl of Oxford

Francis Bacon

Honor roll of Skeptics

Additional Information

Actually, at this point, the important thing about Shakespeare isn't his true identity--after all he's been dead for a while, and he probably doesn't really care if anyone ever figures out who he really was. The really important thing is that he was simply one of the of the greatest writers of all time. The people he wrote about still come alive for us 400 years later. The stories and plots of love, betrayal, and the eventual triumph of the truth are still common themes today. His plays are popular in many forms, including topics for the internet.

Parodies

Shakespeare and his works have also been topics of many parodies and interpretations. From Scooby Doo and Dr. Seuss to Star Wars and Star Trek, imaginations have been fired, and new frontiers explored.

The Plays

For the Traditional Shakespeare Fans Find out about Hamlet, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, or Romeo and Juliet

Read some quotes from these plays

See Hamlet with notes and commentary

Additional links

So, whether you are old or young, a fan of traditional Shakespeare or a Shakespeare pioneer, or a supporter of Stratford or other "Shakespeares", there is something for you. Happy surfing!

For more than you ever wanted to know about Shakespeare

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