Why is Shakespeare so famous?

• Shakespeare's life

1. When was he born? Find a photo of him.

- He was born in 1564.

2. Where was he born? Include a map with the place.

- He was born in England, Stratford.

3. What was his family?

- His father was a dealer.

4. Who was his wife? Include her photo

- Anne Hathaway.

5. Did he have children?

- Yes. He had one son and two twins.

6. How old was he when he died?

- He was 52 years old.

• Shakespeare's time

7. Who was the Queen and King during Shakespeare's life? Include photos.

- Queen Elisabeth the first.

What country was a great rival of England during this time?

- Spain.

What happened with the Spanish Armada?

- An attempt by Philip II of Spai to invade England with the Spanish Armada in 1588 was famously defeated.

Why was the Elisabethan era described as golden?

- It was the period of the flowering of English poetry, Elizabethan theatre, music and literature. It was also an age of exploration and expansion. It was also the end of the period when England was a separate realm before its royal union with Scotland.

• Shakespeare's career

How many plays did he write?

- He wrote 38 plays.

How many poems did he write? Find the title in English and Catalan/Spanish of one comedy, one tragedy and one poem.

- He wrote 6 poems.

Comedy: The winter's tale - La cua de l'hivern - La cola del invierno.
Tragedy: Hamlet - Hamlet - Hamlet.
Poem: Venus and Adonis - Venus i Adonis - Venus y Adonis.

What is the Globe? Find a picture.

- The glove was Shakespeare's theatre.

Where is the Globe? Find and copy a map of its location.

- In London.

What plays are performed in the Globe this month?

- KINGS & ROGUES

23 April - 3 October 2010.

When was the Globe first built?

- In 1598.

How long did Shakespeare work there in the Globe?

- Since 1599 to 1613.

What was the name of his theatre company?

- Lord Chamberlain's Men.

What happened to the Globe in 1644?

- The new theatre, before the first, closed.

Who built the Globe again and when?

- Peter Street built it, and it's name is "Shakespeare's Globe", opened in 1997.

• Shakespeare's fame

His words are used today around the world. How many words did he supposedly invent in the English language?

- A lot.

In which play did he say "To be or not to be. That is the question"?

- Hamlet.

Look for another famous word/quotation invented by Shakespeare and translate it into Catalan/Spanish.

- A rose can have any name. It always smells sweet. - Romeo and Juliet
Una rosa pot tenir tots els noms, sempre és dolça.

- My love's more richer than my tongue. - King Lear.
El meu amor és mes ric que la meva llengua.

- Nothing will come of nothing. - King Lear.
Res vindrà de res.

• Curiosities

Who died on the same day as Shakespeare?

- Miguel de Cervantes.

What was Shakespeare's nick?

- Bard of Avon.

How many films have been adapted from his work?

- About 2000 adaptions.

• After reading the play, watching the two films and answering these questions, why do you think Shakespeare is still so famous?

- Because he wrote a lot of the best stories of the world. And now, we recognized his work, and his art. When a man tells his stories so many times, that he becomes the stories. They live on after him, and in that way, he becomes immortal.