An Introduction to Shakespeare

William Shakespeare wrote around 39 plays and over 150 sonnets, and his work still shapes English literature and language today. His plays are usually grouped into tragedies (like Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth), comedies (like A Midsummer Night's Dream), and histories.

We look at a short, famous extract and discuss what makes Shakespeare's language distinctive, including his use of iambic pentameter and invented words.