View The Shakespeare College welcome letter 2023-24

‘Be great in act, as you have been in thought.’

William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and is regarded by many as the greatest writer in the history of English Literature. He published around 37 plays and over 150 poems in his life. He also created over 1700 new words which are still used today in the English language. His influence stretched around the world and his works have been translated, studied and performed in every major language.

He was an extremely knowledgeable man and fellow writers looked up to him as a role model. He was a risk-taker in his writing, creative comedies, tragedies and historical plays. He was a gifted communicator and his plays are regularly studied by studies as part of the GCSE course. His influence across all forms of media are easy to see from stage productions in London theatres and performances in the Globe Theatre on South Bank to Hollywood film versions of some of his greatest work including Romeo and Juliet. He was also a shrewd businessman, creating a large, successful open air theatre. 

His writing is the second most quoted work in history after the bible.  We are proud to be represented by such an inspirational writer whose influence and creativity have had such an impact on society hundreds of years after his death.

‘If music be the food of love, play on’