Shakespeares English

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His father, John Shakespeare, was a store owner and a farmer, and at one point, also served as the town's mayor. William was the third of eight children. He was married to Anne Hathaway who was eight years older than himself. They had three children Susanna (1583), and twins - Hamnet and Judith (1585). Shakespeare wrote 36 plays, 154 Sonnets and two narrative poems. He died on April 23, 1616 and was buried at Trinity Church in Stratford, England.

Power, tragedy and hubris are played out in this quartet, all of which are set in the febrile political atmosphere of ancient Rome. Performed by an incredible array of the 20th century’s greatest actors, Marlowe alumni including Ian McKellen, Prunella Scales, Patrick Wymark and William Devlin can be heard in these recordings.

The Life and Death of King John was probably written in the 1590s but not published until the First Folio in 1623. Of Shakespeare's 11 history plays, King John is the one which deals with the story of a monarch most removed from Shakespeare's time. The historical remoteness of this ruler, and also the fact that he had no genealogical links with the Tudor dynasty, enabled Shakespeare to present him in a warts and allà fashion.

Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston star in Shakespeare's tragedy of love and power. As part of BBC Radio 3's celebration of the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare, Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston star in this brand-new production. Lovers, politicians, superstars... Antony & Cleopatra is Shakespeare’s late and epic tragedy of mature love, and the catastrophic fall from grace and power that it brings about.

Between the comedy of a gaggle of men running around wildly to attempt to wed Bianca and the over-the-top portrayal of Katherina’s “taming”, The Taming of the Shrew is a humorous play that offers a fascinating look at the 16th century’s views on women, marriage, and domesticity.

William Shakespeare is arguably the most pivotal and widely read figure in the history of English literature. This comprehensive collection highlights some of the bard’s best works, adapted to be more easily digestible for children. Featured within are some of the bard’s most famous and compelling works, including: The Comedy of Errors, Hamlet, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and many more.

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about two young Italian star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed plays. Today, the title characters are regarded as archetypal young lovers.

Former police detective, Francesco Marchese, is called in to help the local police department figure out what ties these women together, and to help stop the ruthless killer before he claims his next victim. What Marchese doesn’t know is that he is being being drawn into an international conspiracy, one that takes him all the way to New York City. He finds himself collaborating with British Intelligence to protect the secret that the British Crown and the Vatican have been covering up for centuries.

Experience Dickens’ classic tale in iambic pentameter! Ebenezer Scrooge is a wealthy theater owner with a stingy heart, until he’s visited by his old partner, Marlowe. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future become Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Falstaff (the Henry V plays), and the ghost of King Hamlet.

Jack and Annie are whisked back to Elizabethan England where they meet the Bard of Avon himself, William Shakespeare, and luckily for them, he is desperate for two small actors for his latest play! An exciting adventure and a wonderful introduction to Shakespeare.

Drawing on her knowledge as director, actor, and teacher, Packer traces the chronological evolution of Shakespeare's female characters and examines Shakespeare's own journey and growth as a writer from feckless misogynist in his youth to committed lover in his middle years to unrepentant feminist in his final years.

There is no finer way to welcome young people (or adults!) to the pleasures of Shakespeare than with these four masterful retellings of the Bard's most beloved plays. Ranging from the pure magic of A Midsummer Night's Dream to the heartbreak of young love in Romeo and Juliet, featuring the spine-tingling tragedy of Macbeth (complete with ghost and witches) and culminating in the laugh-out-loud hijinks of Twelfth Night.

Julius Caesar is at the height of his power. He has just defeated his top rival and is basking in the glory of his triumph. Some believe that he is abusing his power, though, and behind his back, a conspiracy is developing to assassinate him. Even his close advisor Brutus is swayed to participate in the murder plot. Once Caesar is murdered, the conspirators are forced to explain themselves to Rome’s citizens and explain their intentions and attempt to convince them that this murder was necessary to create peace.

Jake Mishkin's seemingly innocent job as an intellectual property lawyer has put him at the center of a deadly conspiracy and a chase to find a priceless treasure involving William Shakespeare. As he awaits a killer (or killers) unknown, Jake writes an account of the events that led to this deadly endgame, a frantic chase that began when a fire in an antiquarian bookstore revealed the hiding place of letters containing a shocking secret, concealed for 400 years.

Embark on a magical journey into the heart of Denmark with "Hamlet," adapted from the legendary William Shakespeare's masterpiece by Jeanette Vigon. This book breathes new life into the classic tale, making it accessible and captivating for young listeners. Dive into a world where castles hold whispered secrets, jesters offer riddles that spark the imagination, and young Prince Hamlet confronts mysteries that will test his courage and reveal the essence of true friendship.

William Shakespeare, the "Bard of Avon", is the most famous of all English writers. Though he lived and died over 400 years ago, his works remain loved and treasured to this day. Even after all this time, they have lost none of their power nor their beauty: His stories still excite, his words still move, and his characters still seem real and deep and true.

The tragic poem, dominated by the themes of lust, crime, and revenge, tells the story of soldiers Tarquin and Collatine, and Collatine's wife Lucrece. It is believed to have been written in 1594. It is set just prior to the establishment of the Roman Republic. It is a poem with some similarity to Shakespeare's tragic revenge play, Titus Andronicus, and features aspects of other great Shakespearian works.

In 1612, Shakespeare gave evidence at the Court of Requests in Westminster - providing us with the only surviving record of his spoken words. The case seems routine - a dispute over an unpaid marriage-dowry - but it opens up an unexpected window into the dramatist's famously obscure life-story. Charles Nicholl applies a powerful biographical magnifying glass to this fascinating but neglected episode in Shakespeare's life.

There is no general consensus about how Shakespeare "should" be played. There are no rules. But, while the Bard created superhuman characters and placed them in situations that stretches the imagination to its limits, he also provided his actors with the keys to playing them.

The story revolves around its two central characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, and his unfaithful ensign, Iago. This is one of the most prolific Shakespeare works, featuring themes of passion, jealousy, love, betrayal, revenge and repentance. This edition of Othello is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work. Read in English, unabridged.