It has been 454 years since the world's most famous and well-respected playwright was born and to mark the anniversary there’s an abundance of celebrations and commemorations of Shakespeare and his work.
To honour this event, we've compiled a fantastic range of free resources on his plays, sonnets and more. In addition to this, The Open University has been involved in many different co-productions with the BBC on his life, work and legacy. To get started and 'cheer thyself a little' you can check out the FREE resources below.
See how Shakespeare is perceived across the globe
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Living Shakespeare: Dr John Kani on South Africa and Othello
Shakespeare's 'Othello' still makes people uncomfortable because it tackles racism, so what was it like for John Kani who played the play's lead role at the peak of Apartheid in South Africa?
Watch nowLiving Shakespeare: Dr John Kani on South Africa and OthelloLevel: 1 Introductory
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Living Shakespeare: Kalki Koechlin on India's women and Ophelia
Ophelia's situation in Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' bears a lot of parallels with Indian women and their place in society. Bollywood actor, Kalki Koechlin, explores her tragic story.
Watch nowLiving Shakespeare: Kalki Koechlin on India's women and OpheliaLevel: 1 Introductory
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Living Shakespeare: Dame Evelyn Glennie on the UK and The Tempest.
The United Kingdom's Dame Evelyn Glennie talks us through her unique way of hearing and interpreting Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Watch nowLiving Shakespeare: Dame Evelyn Glennie on the UK and The Tempest.Level: 1 Introductory
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Living Shakespeare: Hong Ying on China and the sonnets
Shakespeare's sonnets were once banned in China and are now popular with the gay community. Hong Ying, author of ‘Daughter of the River’ looks at Shakespeare’s sonnets as they relate to sexuality and love in China.
Watch nowLiving Shakespeare: Hong Ying on China and the sonnetsLevel: 1 Introductory
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Living Shakespeare: Alissar Caracalla on Lebanon and A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Choreographer Alissar Caracalla reimagines A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the mountains of Lebanon.
Watch nowLiving Shakespeare: Alissar Caracalla on Lebanon and A Midsummer Night’s DreamLevel: 1 Introductory
Read up on what Shakespeare's life was like
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Shakespeare's family
Peter Thomson describes Shakespeare's family life.
Read nowShakespeare's familyLevel: 1 Introductory
Dig into the details of Shakespeare's work
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Shakespeare: A critical analysis
Is Shakespeare still relevant today? How does his work influence pop culture today? Do the themes of his plays continue to resonate with modern audiences or as a result of his legacy has he become a caricature of himself? Stephen Regan, accompanied by experts from the world Shakespeare congress examine Shakespeare ‘s work from a critical perspective, putting his plays in historical and social context as well as making a critical analysis of the broader questions of performance and audience interaction throughout history.
Listen nowShakespeare: A critical analysisLevel: 1 Introductory
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Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It
Do you enjoy watching Shakespeare's plays and like the idea of finding out more about them? This free course, Reading Shakespeare's As You Like It, will guide you through some of the most important speeches and scenes from one of Shakespeare's best-loved comedies.
Learn moreReading Shakespeare's As You Like ItLevel: 2 Intermediate
Explore various Shakespearean texts and genres
The The first collected edition of Shakespeare’s works, referred to by critics as the ‘First Folio’, appeared in 1623, seven years after his death. The Folio splits Shakespeare's plays into three categories: comedy, tragedy and history. You can explore each category in more detail in the tabs below. There's an additional tab conveying for Shakespeare’s notorious love poems, the sonnets (and for poetry in general). We've also provided the free eBook An Introduction to Shakespeare's First Folio to give you the low-down on the background to this amazing book.
Select a tab to begin...
The Comedies
Shakespeare was a master of comedy and audiences across the globe today still laugh out loud at the double-entendres, wit and confusion between characters that light up works such as The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It and Twelfth Night. It’s not all hilarity, however. Even Shakespeare’s sunniest comedies have their darker side, addressing topics that still worry us today: alienation; loneliness; sexual identity; madness; lust.
The rich and mysterious ‘late plays’ that Shakespeare wrote towards the end of his life, like The Tempest and The Winter’s Tale, are often described as ‘romances’ rather than as ‘comedies’. They are full of magic and special effects, taking full advantage of the sophisticated staging possible in the new indoor theatres of the period.
Use the resources below to explore the way Shakespeare used comedy in his plays and find out more about the genre of comedy itself. You can also discover the complexity of romance and marriage in Shakespearean comedy by listening to our podcast Midsummer Nights Dream: Love and Feminism and rediscover The Taming of the Shrew, the play that became a template for all the “battle of the sexes” comedies to follow.
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Outside the book: Comedy
Find out how making fun of society and social mishaps allowed writers like Shakespeare to produce great comedy.
Watch nowOutside the book: ComedyLevel: 1 Introductory
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From the Sumerians to Shakespeare to Twain: why fart jokes never get old
How have fart jokes survived the times? Even the great William Shakespeare, used a flatulence pun in his play The Comedy of Errors...
Read nowFrom the Sumerians to Shakespeare to Twain: why fart jokes never get oldLevel: 1 Introductory
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The Birth of Comedy
Take the topical satire of Have I Got News For You and mix thoroughly with the adolescent humour of The Inbetweeners, add in a healthy dose of Monty Python-esque absurdity and finish off with lashings of songs and dances. Then serve it all up to a baying crowd in an atmosphere more like a football match than a theatre stage. Welcome to the world of Aristophanes, ‘the father of comedy’. The rise of democracy in ancient Greece produced one of the greatest ever flowerings of culture and gave birth to history, philosophy, science … and fart gags. Theatre first appeared in Athens 2,500 years ago to educate and entertain the growing audience of citizens. However Greek theatre wasn’t a quiet entertainment but a rowdy, competitive sport involving teams of performers battling each other for prizes.
Listen nowThe Birth of ComedyLevel: 1 Introductory
The Tragedies
Murder, war, adultery, revenge, suicide, revolution, ghosts and witches: this is the dizzying fabric of everyday life in Shakespeare's tragedies —iconic monuments of world culture such as Hamlet, Macbeth and Julius Caesar. These are plays that conjure up complex and shifting in audiences, as their attitudes to the characters on stage shift unpredictably from one character to another. Some, like Romeo and Juliet, have been reworked innumerable times over the years in films, ballets, books and many other forms.
Explore Shakespeare's tragedies in more detail in the free learning tools below. We also have links to Joseph Fiennes' take on the ultimate tragic love story Romeo and Juliet and to Kim Cattrall's revisiting of the role of the great Queen of Egypt in Antony and Cleopatra. Our podcast Shakespeare & Performance looks at the impact of different staging of his plays including Hamlet and King Lear.
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Julius Caesar: From stage to screen
Watch this exclusive video about the making of the BBC film version of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Julius Caesar
Watch nowJulius Caesar: From stage to screenLevel: 1 Introductory
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Julius Caesar on stage and page
The histories of people reading, performing and witnessing Julius Caesar are surprisingly diverse. In this article, The Open University's Edmund King explains more
Read nowJulius Caesar on stage and pageLevel: 1 Introductory
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Hamlet: "To be or not to be..."
Alex Jennings performs one of the most famous soliloquies from Shakespeare; Act 3, scene I: To be, or not to be: that is the question.
Listen nowHamlet: "To be or not to be..."Level: 1 Introductory
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Hamlet: Introducing the characters
Tony Hill of the Royal Shakespeare Company introduces the characters and plot of Hamlet to a group of New York high school students.
Watch nowHamlet: Introducing the charactersLevel: 1 Introductory
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Outside the book: Tragedy
Discover how renaissance tragedies such as Hamlet and The Duchess of Malfi emit strong moral and political messages.
Watch nowOutside the book: TragedyLevel: 1 Introductory
The Histories
Shakespeare addressed some of the hottest political topics of his time in his vivid dramatisations of English history. In a sequence of eight plays, he charted the turbulent years leading up to the arrival of the Tudor dynasty, introducing audiences to a dazzling variety of characters—from the impetuous Hotspur and the villainous hunchback Richard III to the subversive man-mountain Sir John Falstaff, one of world literature’s most memorable comic creations.
In the resources below you can get to grips with the details of Henry V in our free course Approaching Plays and look at the roles of dogs in the play. Or, you can watch the animation on the phrase 'I'll send him packing' from Henry IV part 1. We also have an animation on the well-known expression 'as dead as a doornail' from Henry VI part 2 in another Shakespeare Speaks video.
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English monsters
Dr Tim Hammond takes a look at dogs and the poor on the English Renaissance stage, particularly in Shakespeare's history plays.
Read nowEnglish monstersLevel: 1 Introductory
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Approaching plays
Do you want to get more out of drama? This free course, Approaching plays, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary plays. You will learn about dialogue, stage directions, blank verse, dramatic structure and conventions and aspects of performance.
Learn moreApproaching playsLevel: 2 Intermediate
The Sonnets
In 1609 a book appeared with the simple title ‘Shakespeare’s Sonnets’. Inside, accompanied by no introductions or explanations, were 154 powerful love poems: 126 to an unidentified young man and 28 to a woman, the notorious ‘dark lady’. For whom were these poems written? What relationship do they have to Shakespeare’s life? The biographical mystery behind the sonnets is fascinating, but the poems themselves are more extraordinary still: by turns romantic, cynical, ecstatic, guilt-ridden and vulnerable.
Find out more about Shakespeare's sonnets and about poetry in general with the learning tools below and listen to, perhaps, his most well-known sonnet (sonnet number 18). You can hear how the sonnets would have been pronounced in Shakespeare's day with the podcast Shakespeare: Original pronunciation.
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Shakespeare's sonnets
Katherine Duncan-Jones outlines the mystery behind Shakespeare's sonnets.
Read nowShakespeare's sonnetsLevel: 1 Introductory
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How a centuries-old poem hints at Shakespeare’s herbal ‘muse’
Evidence from a poem and sonnett suggest that William Shakespeare drew at least some of his inspiration from cannabis.
Read nowHow a centuries-old poem hints at Shakespeare’s herbal ‘muse’Level: 1 Introductory
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Writing Poetry
Poetry is a delicate and intricate art form, practised by many people but rarely mastered. In this album, poets Jackie Kay, Paul Muldoon, W.N. Herbert and Jean Breeze talk about their respective approaches and attitudes to poetry. They explore many aspects of their craft, from the initial spark of inspiration and rewriting to more technical matters such as rhyme, using real speech and narrative poetry. This material forms part of the course A175, Writing poetry.
Listen nowWriting PoetryLevel: 1 Introductory
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Approaching poetry
Do you want to get more out of your reading of poetry? This free course, Approaching poetry, is designed to develop the analytical skills you need for a more in-depth study of literary texts. You will learn about rhythm, alliteration, rhyme, poetic inversion, voice and line lengths and endings. You will examine poems that do not rhyme and learn how to compare and contrast poetry.
Learn moreApproaching poetryLevel: 2 Intermediate
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What is poetry?
Have you always wanted to try to write poetry but never quite managed to start? This free course, What is poetry?, is designed to illustrate the techniques behind both the traditional forms of poetry and free verse. You will learn how you can use your own experiences to develop ideas and how to harness your imagination.
Learn moreWhat is poetry?Level: 1 Introductory
Gauge what society was like during Shakespeare's life
Hamlet and Elizabethan England
Dr Hannah Lavery, Associate Lecturer at The Open University, guides us through the historical context of Hamlet in Elizabethan England.
Read now ❯Hamlet and Elizabethan England
Tremors - The Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I
One of the great figures of British history: Elizabeth I - The Virgin Queen
Read now ❯Tremors - The Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I
Tremors - James VI / I and the Union of Crowns
James Stuart moved two nations closer together through the Union of the Crowns
Read now ❯Tremors - James VI / I and the Union of CrownsDiscover the original pronunciation of Shakespeare & his impact on the English language
Shakespeare wrote "All the world’s a stage" - but how did the "players" pronounce the Bard's words on stage 400 years ago? Find out in the video below then use the links further down to discover how Shakespeare'swords, phrases and idioms changed the English language.
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The evolution of English: From Romans to Shakespeare
Part one: The history of colonialism was a major factor in the development of English. Follow the global spread of English starting with the Roman invasion.
Take part nowThe evolution of English: From Romans to Shakespeare -
The History of English in Ten Minutes
Where did the phrase ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’ come from? And when did scientists finally get round to naming sexual body parts? Voiced by Clive Anderson, this entertaining romp through 'The History of English' squeezes 1600 years of history into 10 one-minute bites, uncovering the sources of English words and phrases from Shakespeare and the King James Bible to America and the Internet. Bursting with fascinating facts, the series looks at how English grew from a small tongue into a major global language before reflecting on the future of English in the 21st century.
Watch nowThe History of English in Ten MinutesLevel: 1 Introductory
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Getting to grips with Shakespearian language
Tony Hill of the Royal Shakespeare Company assists young people in accessing Shakespearian language by working through lines from Hamlet and understanding the meaning behind the text.
Watch nowGetting to grips with Shakespearian languageLevel: 1 Introductory
Discover the reception to Shakespeare's work after his death
Over the past 400 years, Shakespeare’s works have been rewritten, adapted, parodied, translated and distorted in innumerable different ways. They have been turned into novels, musicals, ballets, films and advertisements, and been used to support diametrically opposed political views. Explore some of this rich variety of response to the world’s greatest dramatist using the links below.
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Shakespeare: Our contemporary?
Gill Stoker considers to what extent Shakespeare would be at home in our contemporary world.
Read nowShakespeare: Our contemporary?Level: 1 Introductory
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Imagining the Bard: William Boyd Interview
Acclaimed novelist and screenwriter William Boyd wrote a drama about William Shakespeare entitled "A Waste of Shame". His drama is based on academic research and clues in the sonnets. It brings to life the inner thoughts of the world’s greatest wordsmith, presenting Shakespeare to us as a man rather than a myth.
Read nowImagining the Bard: William Boyd InterviewLevel: 1 Introductory
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Fakespeare: Rewriting the bard
Rewrite Shakespeare’s best bits for the 21st Century and reveal your inner wordsmith.
Take part nowFakespeare: Rewriting the bardLevel: 1 Introductory
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Othello and apartheid
Can a play written in the seventeenth century protest against contemporary issues? Is it possible to use a Shakespearian tragedy draw attention to political injustice? Apartheid was a system of enforced legal racial segregation in South Africa that was imposed on the country's majority non white inhabitants by the minority white population. In 1988 actress and director Janet Suzman took the decision to defy the racist apartheid regime by staging Othello in Johannesburg with a mixed cast of both white and black actors. In these three films we explore the way in which one of Shakespeare’s plays was used to make provocative statements on the political situation in South Africa the late eighties. This material forms part of The Open University course A230 Reading and studying literature.
Watch nowOthello and apartheidLevel: 1 Introductory
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Collecting Shakespeare: Crowd funding and rediscovered plays
A benefit gig, a rediscovered lost play and a beef with Alexander Pope: Lewis Theobald's 18th Century edition of Shakespeare plays could have fitted comfortable in the social media age.
Read nowCollecting Shakespeare: Crowd funding and rediscovered playsLevel: 1 Introductory
Check out our more recent co-productions on Shakespeare
Shakespeare Live! From The RSC
To mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, David Tennant and Catherine Tate host a live TV event celebrating Shakespeare’s work across many different art forms including theatre, dance, opera and music.
Learn more ❯Shakespeare Live! From The RSC
Shakespeare Speaks
Explore the English language through the phrases, plays and personality of William Shakespeare.
Read more ❯Shakespeare Speaks
Living Shakespeare
Why is Shakespeare so widely acclaimed across the globe? Our new series with the BBC takes us on a worldwide journey to discover people's personal experiences with the Bard's works.
Learn more ❯Living ShakespeareLook back on previous Shakespeare small screen series
OU on Sky Arts: My Shakespeare
The series that highlights the stories that make the man from Stratford-upon-Avon the greatest writer who ever lived.
Read now ❯OU on Sky Arts: My Shakespeare
OU on the BBC: Hamlet
David Tennant brings his Hamlet to the TV - but how do you bring new life to a 400 year-old character?
Read now ❯OU on the BBC: Hamlet
OU on the BBC: Julius Caesar
Friends, Romans, OpenLearners, lend me your ears for a brand new BBC production of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Read now ❯OU on the BBC: Julius CaesarDiscover our exhibition: Shakespeare at the OU
Head over to our exhibition in our digital archive that celebrated the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth in 2014. OU Associate Lecturer Brendan Jackson selected a collection of clips that illustrate the way in which The Open University has been able to use visual media to teach Shakespeare. Twenty-one video clips have been selected around six themes, spanning forty-three years of archived OU study materials.
Take it further with The Open University
You can study Shakespeare as part of an Open University qualification in English Literature, as well as a wide range of related subjects, from History to Creative Writing. Find out exactly what we offer by using the links below.
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BA (Honours) English Literature
English literature is a broad and accessible subject that is important in its own right and offers connections to a wide range of other kinds of cultural enquiry. This wide-ranging, fascinating degree course draws on a rich variety of texts and approaches, helping to reveal the extraordinary scope of English Literature and its importance in today’s world. You’ll encounter texts from different historical and cultural settings – including translations – in genres from poetry to fiction to film scripts. At Level 1 your studies will be framed within interdisciplinary themes; later, more specialised modules will help you consolidate your understanding of literary history and critical approaches to all the major literary genres. You can also choose creative writing and English language modules as part of your English literature degree. As you progress, you’ll become a more self-aware reader of all kinds of writing, and acquire advanced skills in analysis, evaluation and communication.
Learn moreBA (Honours) English Literature
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