Topic 20 · William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare. Part 1: Life and Times.

playwright

poet

Elizabethan

England

Stratford-upon-Avon

Globe Theatre

audience

company

perform

century

Jacobean

a tragic hero

a king

poison

Richard III

Useful phrases.

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor.

He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564.

He worked in London and wrote plays for the theater.

His company performed at the Globe Theatre.

William Shakespeare. Part 2: Works and Literary Forms.

tragedy

comedy

history play

sonnet

poem

title

author

masterpiece

theme

power

a soliloquy

fate

a queen

a feud

Useful phrases.

Shakespeare wrote comedies, tragedies, and history plays.

Romeo and Juliet is one of his best known tragedies.

Many of his works deal with love, power, and conflict.

He also wrote a large number of sonnets.

William Shakespeare. Part 3: Drama Story and Characters.

character

main character

hero

villain

plot

scene

act

dialogue

conflict

secret

betrayal

ending

blank verse

revenge

a fool

a jester

Julius Caesar

Useful phrases.

The main character has to make a difficult decision.

The plot becomes more dramatic in the final act.

There is a strong conflict between the two families.

The dialogue tells us a lot about the characters.

William Shakespeare. Part 4: Famous Plays.

Romeo and Juliet

Hamlet

Macbeth

Othello

King Lear

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Much Ado About Nothing

The Tempest

merchant

witch

ghost

royal family

a couplet

a throne

a disguise

Twelfth Night

Useful phrases.

Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two young lovers.

Hamlet is about a prince who wants to discover the truth.

Macbeth shows how ambition can destroy a person.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy with magic and confusion.

William Shakespeare. Part 5: Shakespeare Today.

adaptation

modern version

translation

quote

universal

relevant

relationship

ambition

jealousy

performance

recommend

a stage

a crown

mistaken identity

The Merchant of Venice

Useful phrases.

Shakespeare's stories are still relevant today.

Modern adaptations can make old plays easier to understand.

His characters often face problems that people still know today.

I would recommend seeing a live performance before reading the full text.