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The facts to know
Where was William Shakespeare born?
Stratford-upon-Avon.
Shakespeare's dates, 1564 to 1616, place him squarely in the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, not London, though London is where his plays were performed. He was both a playwright and an actor, so he knew the stage from both sides of the curtain.
Why it matters: Birthplace is the single most common Shakespeare question, and 'London' is the standard wrong answer.
Memory hook: Shakespeare's Stratford: S for Shakespeare, S for Stratford-upon-Avon.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
Which of these is one of Shakespeare's most famous plays?
Macbeth.
The handbook names four plays: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. Learn all four: a question can offer any one of them, or ask you to spot a title that is not Shakespeare's at all. Notice that Henry V and As You Like It appear only in the list of famous lines; those count too.
Why it matters: Play titles are a staple Shakespeare question, and the handbook's four are the safest set to memorise.
Memory hook: MHMR: Midsummer, Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo. Shakespeare's big four.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
Which of these is true of Shakespeare's plays?
He portrayed ordinary Englishmen and women.
Shakespeare wrote about great events from history, but the handbook stresses something else: he did not stick to royalty. He was one of the first writers to put ordinary English men and women on the stage, and that is part of why his work still feels alive.
Why it matters: A true/false favourite: 'Shakespeare wrote only about kings and queens' is false.
Memory hook: Kings and commoners: Shakespeare gave ordinary folk a voice on stage.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
What influence did Shakespeare have on the English language?
He invented many words still in use.
Shakespeare did not just use English brilliantly; he added to it. Many words he invented are still in everyday use four centuries later. That is why the handbook calls his influence on the language 'great'. Beware the wrong answer about the Bible: the English Bible of this period is the King James Version, not Shakespeare's work.
Why it matters: 'Invented many words' turns up as a true or false statement.
Memory hook: Shakespeare, word-maker: he coined the words, not just the lines.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
From which Shakespeare play does the line 'To be or not to be' come?
Hamlet.
This is probably the most quoted line in English drama, and the handbook wants you to attach it to the right play: Hamlet. The handbook lists five famous lines and their sources, so it pays to learn each pairing rather than just recognising the words. Hamlet is also one of the four famous plays named.
Why it matters: Quote-to-play matching is a recurring question type, and this is the most famous pairing.
Memory hook: Hamlet hesitates: 'To be or not to be' is the question he cannot answer.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
1 more fact on William Shakespeare is in the Complete Study Guide.
Try 2 practice questions
Question 1
Which of these statements is correct?
The line 'To be or not to be' comes from Shakespeare's play Macbeth.
The line 'To be or not to be' comes from Shakespeare's play Hamlet.
Show the answer
Answer: The line 'To be or not to be' comes from Shakespeare's play Hamlet.
This is probably the most quoted line in English drama, and the handbook wants you to attach it to the right play: Hamlet. The handbook lists five famous lines and their sources, so it pays to learn each pairing rather than just recognising the words. Hamlet is also one of the four famous plays named.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
Question 2
Which of these statements is correct?
The line 'Once more unto the breach' comes from Shakespeare's play Henry V.
The line 'Once more unto the breach' comes from Shakespeare's play Hamlet.
Show the answer
Answer: The line 'Once more unto the breach' comes from Shakespeare's play Henry V.
'Once more unto the breach' is a battle cry, and it belongs to Henry V. A breach is a gap in a wall, and the line urges soldiers back through it. Henry V is not one of the four plays the handbook names as most famous, so this pairing is easy to overlook; learn it separately.
Official handbook: Chapter 3, section 3.6, page 36
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