William Shakespeare (1564–1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and made his career as an actor and playwright in London during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. He wrote about 39 plays and 154 sonnets and is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His company, the King's Men, performed at the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the Thames.
Further reading: an editorial guide on this topic opens in a new window for additional context.
His plays — Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, King Lear, Henry V — are still staged across the world. Many phrases that are now everyday English ("a foregone conclusion", "in a pickle", "all of a sudden") come from his work. The reconstructed Globe Theatre in London opened in 1997.
You may be asked where Shakespeare was born (Stratford-upon-Avon), or which theatre he wrote for (the Globe).
Test yourself on this topic
These questions from the official-format question bank cover the same material. Tap any question to see the correct answer and a short explanation.
Keep going
- Read the full study notes for British History.
- Try a practice test on this chapter.
- Sit a full 24-question timed mock.
- Browse the complete library of topic explainers.
Related topic explainers
The Partition of Ireland (1921)
Why the island of Ireland was divided into the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland.
The Vikings in Britain
Raiders, traders and settlers from Scandinavia, the Danelaw, and the long struggle that ended in 1066.
Nineteenth-Century Cultural Figures
Charles Dickens, Charles Darwin, Thomas Hardy and the Brontë sisters — Britain's great Victorian writers and thinkers.
The Kingdom of England Before 1707
A short overview of England as a separate kingdom from 927 to the Act of Union with Scotland.