As you know our topic this term is the Shakespeare Project!
But who is William Shakespeare, the author of our tale The Tempest?
Here is a short biography about the life of William Shakespeare:
William Shakespeare was born 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. His father John was a leather merchant while his mother Mary was the daughter of wealthy farmer. William had two older sisters and three younger brothers.
William went to the local grammar school where he studied history, Greek and Latin. At 18, he married Anne Hathaway (aged 26) and the couple went on to have three children together – Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sadly their son Hamnet died, aged 11.
After the twins were born, William went to London to work as an actor, leaving the family behind. He joined an acting group called Lord Chamberlain’s Men. William also wrote plays for the group, which became very popular. Some of these early plays include The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. William wrote different types of plays – comedies (funny), tragedies (sad) and histories (about real people’s lives). Women weren’t allowed to act at the time, so men or young boys played the female roles!
Lord Chamberlain’s Men performed at a theatre built on land owned by Giles Allen. Although the group owned the theatre, when the land’s lease expired in 1597, Giles refused to let them perform and wanted to tear the theatre down. When negotiations failed, some of the actors devised a plan to dismantle the theatre and move it across the River Thames. They built a new theatre called the Globe, which could accommodate up to 3,000 people and became very popular. At the time, many people couldn’t read or write, so the Globe Theatre hung a flag outside to show what type of play was being performed – a comedy (white flag), a tragedy (black or dark flag), or a history (red flag).
In 1603, when James I became king, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men changed their name to the King’s Men and King James became the group’s patron. Many people think that some of William’s best plays were written during these years, many of them tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. William wrote nearly 40 plays as well as poetry, and poems called sonnets. His work combined with his property and land investments made him very wealthy. He bought a large house in Stratford-upon-Avon for his family, where he retired, aged 49.
In 1613, the Globe Theatre burned down when the thatched roof caught fire during a performance of Henry VIII. It was rebuilt the following year with a tiled roof, but was later demolished during the Puritan era (when all theatres were closed) to make room for housing. Some 350 years later, a modern version was built, opening in 1997 on the banks of the River Thames.
William died in 1616, but his legacy lives on. In fact, many of his words and phrases have become part of our everyday lives. Have you ever talked about ‘being in a pickle’ (being in trouble), going on a ‘wild goose chase’ (a search for something that isn’t there), having a ‘heart of gold’ (being kind) or trying to ‘break the ice’ (to strike up conversation with a stranger)? Then you are using the words and phrases of this great playwright!
Your Task:
Imagine that you are William Shakespeare. You have travelled into the future to 2020 just for one day and see a new Globe Theatre, people reading and acting your plays and children learning about you in school.
Write a letter to your wife Anne Hathaway, describing how you feel seeing that your plays are still famous today all these years after you wrote them.
You can write your letter on paper or in your home learning book and send in a picture or your can type it on the blog, it is up to you!
I look forward to reading your work!
From Miss Lee
Dear my beautiful wife, Anne Hathaway,
I have travelled back in time to the amazing year 2020. It is a wonderful sight. Loads of technology and landmarks. I went to my own theatre the globe.
When I went inside, I was loads of children and adults in rows. Some of the children were lining up and some of them were on the stage. They were playing the play a tempest. I also saw some smaller children with a pen and paper in there hand. They were looking at a picture of me! ?
I am really happy that after all these years my work and art is still going on today.
From your very happy husband, William Shakespeare.
???
A great letter Holly well done! I am sure William Shakespeare would be very happy indeed to see his plays are still loved by people of all ages today!
21st April 1604
Dear Anne,
I’m sorry if you don’t know where I am. I walked through a dressing room door marked “2020”. What I didn’t know was that it actually meant the year 2020 {I thought it meant dressing room 2020}. This place is quite queer and complicating. They have things called jeans that they wear on their legs, and women can vote!!! Isn’t that odd? They also have devices called phones, you can use them to take photos {paintings, but they aren’t used with paint} and watch things called movies, which are plays, but you can watch them over and over again. But here is the great bit, my plays are still famous and very popular at a new Globe Theatre in London! I indeed feel proud of myself {and glad I didn’t work at father’s glove shop}. People are also learning about me at school. I had a little visit to a school called St.Vincent’s and told the year 4 class all about my life so far. Then they told me that I die on the 23rd April 1616 and you die in 1616 too. So I’m coming home tomorrow. I hope you and the whole of Stratford-upon-Avon are doing fine.
Yours Truly,
William Shakespeare
A fantastic letter Lucy! I like how you thought about the other things that would seem different and strange to Shakespeare if he travelled to 2020! Well done!
Dear Anne
This is me William Shakespeare I’ve traveled into the far far future to the year 2020! I’ve gone there to see the brand new beautiful globe theatre, we’re I performed at when I was an actor.
I met some children in some classrooms they were all learning about me.when I was walking to the school I saw some very high technology.lots of people were carrying them I’m not to sure what it was.
I finally got to the wonderful looking globe. When I entered the doorway I saw lots of people watching my acts , I wrote hundreds of years ago. I whisked you were here with me. From William Shakespeare
A great letter Albert! I bet Shakespeare would have loved seeing his plays being performed in a new Globe Theatre if he travelled to the year 2020!
Dear Anna Hatheay,
I have travelled back in time to 2020.It is very nice there is lots of kids playing in the playground.And there is even brand new technology that was not even created in1564! I am really happy that after all these years my work and art is still going on today.
From your wonderful husband William Shakespeare
Good work Karter! I am sure Shakespeare would have been extremely happy to see his work still being enjoyed all these years later!
Dear Anne,
Today I travelled into the future to 2020, it is amazing and there is a thing called technology in the future. Then I went to my theatre, the globe and there were so many people there! There were some children who were holding a pen and paper looking at a picture of me, I was so happy because throughout all the years I have been popular. I saw some children on the stage acting something out and I knew exactly what they were acting, The Tempest! That is the one I acted with my group, remember? I’m looking forward to seeing you again Anne.
From your husband, William.
Well done Raimundo, a super letter! I bet William Shakespeare would feel very proud to see children learning about his plays all these years into the future!
Dear Anne,
I have just walked into the Globe Theatre in 2020 and I saw a production of A Midsummer Nights Dream.
There was a crowd of people watching my play. There was also a group of school children listening to the play. Afterwards they learned about me and my life. I felt really proud and I was shocked that my plays are still around and are still famous.
From William
A great letter William! I am sure Shakespeare would have been very shocked to see his plays still being performed!
Dear Anne,
I have travelled forwards in time to 2020 (There are a lot of fantastic inventions here!)
I thought that maybe I could go to my theatre (the Globe) while I am here, just to see what has become of it.I decided to travel there in an interesting new invention called a ‘taxi’.
When I arrived the first thing I noticed was that the new version was much more modern than the original.I stepped inside and I saw that there were rows of people watching a play that looked suspiciously familiar.Then I saw a pile of leaflets and I walked over to them and I saw something that surprised me the most…
on the front of the leaflet there was a picture of me!
I am delighted that even in 2020 after all these years my plays are still famous!
From William Shakespeare
A great letter Clara, well done! Good thinking that Shakespeare would not know what a taxi is! I wonder what he would think if he could really ride in one?
Dear Anne,
I suddenly traveled to the future in 2020: this place called London is different from our London!
I went to this old theatre of mine, and it looks brand new, it is called The Globe, but they still perform my plays. I must be famous, can you imagine that after all these centuries? There were children there performing some of my plays, some others were watching.
They have things we did not have in our times, like mobile phones – I will bring two back to our time so we can talk to each other at distance. They do not have candles but they had strange lights during the play, and they had these magnificent clothes with also some girls performing!
Everything is different here, and I like it very much: next time I will take you with me!
Much love,
William
Tuesday 21st April 2020
Dear Anne,
Today, I found a cupboard with the words “Into 2020″. I went into it and somehow walked inside the gates of my beloved theatre! I was so confused! I wondered if my eyes were playing a trick on me. But not at all as I soon found myself stepping on one of my scripts, The Tempest!
I walked into my theatre to see millions and millions of people sitting in rows, watching the play” A Midsummers Night Dream!” Stepping into my theatre again was magnificent!!!!! I was so happy.
I skipped outside to see in front of me, something magnificent. A BUS!? I travelled back again to where I found the cupboard. I jumped into it and found myself back into the busy roads of Germany.
Miss you a lot,
William Shakespeare
A great letter Sophie!
I think you’re right, Shakespeare would be very happy to see people watching his play all these years after he first wrote it!
To my dearest wife Anne,
I have experienced something quite unforgettable. You see, loads of people have been using my plays, and yet till now I’m so shocked to see that my legacy has become so popular and famous its just incredible! I saw new theaters and when I peeked through one of them (the global theatre 2020), through the window I saw my plays being presented and performed! Around that time I thought that why not see a school? I heard teachers teaching children my story/history and I thought, goodness there is alot going around! Soon, I spotted a library. I then spotted a collection of my books in a box! Don’t you see how famous I am? After all I’ve been through, I was expecting a regular day but no, turned out to be the opposite. Alot of things have impressed me today and I’m so blessed for my history to continue. Hopefully it will.
Lots of love,
William Shakespeare
A great letter Clare! I am sure Shakespeare would be very shocked to see his plays reprinted in books and being performed so many years after he wrote them!
London, 21/04/2020
My dear Anne,
I am next to the River Thames in the future in 2020. I am shocked to see the Globe Theatre and next to it there is a board where we can read a schedule with my plays that means the people remember me. I’m still famous. That is completely incredible. I’m so proud.
I’m looking forward to seeing you my miracle
William
Great work using your geography skills to explain that the Globe Theatre is near to the River Thames! I agree, Shakespeare would be very proud to see he is still famous!
Dear Ann,
I am very happy ? because I went in 2020 . There is a new modern globe where lots of actors are performing my plays. Girls could act ,that made me delighted. Now they have tiles on the roof.
I went inside and I saw the play “hamelet”. Remember my play ,now I thought we did it better our days.? I think you would like to come, it is really interesting how the world has changed.
Wow Shakespeare has even learnt how to use emojis in your letter!
Well done for describing what is different to the Globe that Shakespeare saw many years ago and the new Globe which is standing today!
Dear Anne,
I have traveled forward in time to 2020, I visited my globe theatre there before my eyes. I wanted to head back but I thought if I could just look around a bit more then I’d come back. I walked inside ,just in time to see a performance of one my plays! It turned out that I was famous,there were
rows of people crowding towards the stage. There were even girls performing! I hid in the crowd, until I wanted to go. I slipped outside and realised that there was a new globe! Things really changed in the future
Love ,William Shakespeare
A great letter Emilie! Well done for remembering that women were not allowed to perform when Shakespeare was alive so that would have been another thing that would seem different to him if he travelled to 2020!
Dear Anne,
I’m so surprised ?! After I walked through that door ? labelled
“time machine “ , I found myself in a very peculiar place. Everyone was carrying these magical devices they called “ phones “ ?.
They could make people’s faces appear on its surface and could take perfect paintings ? in a millisecond ! They even gave me one!
Even more crazy was that I was famous for my plays! Even schools are studying me! How are you? Are the children behaving?
Lots of love,
William
A great letter Vincent! I am sure he would have been very confused by technology today!
Hi Miss Lee ✋
Dear Anne,
If you are wondering where I am, I’d say I am somewhere in the future. Well that l’ll explain everything OK? So it was in the morning when I ate breakfast, brushed my teeth and got changed but I fell in the cupboard, when I came out I found myself on the street watching people on these things that they call phones and small and big things called cars, taxis, buses and trains. I also see that some people performing in the plays I have been in. I also see a theatre, where people doing MY plays! ? And I hear people saying ‘Shakespeare is still very famous today’. I am very surprised.
I miss you very dearly. I still can’t find out where I am.
From
William Shakespeare
P.s. I am getting worried about you.
Hello Mayowa! A good letter well done! You’re right, I think Shakespeare would be very surprised to hear he is still famous!