BBC History Magazine

BBC History Magazine aims to shed new light on the past to help you make more sense of the world today. Fascinating stories from contributors are the leading experts in their fields, so whether they're exploring Ancient Egypt, Tudor England or the Second World War, you'll be reading the latest, most thought-provoking historical research. BBC History Magazine brings history to life with informative, lively and entertaining features written by the world's leading historians and journalists and is a captivating read for anyone who's interested in the past.

BBC History Magazine

WELCOME

SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE & LEGACY • Trace the playwright’s amazing journey -from humble origins as a provincial glovemaker’s son to commercial success in London and posthumous global celebrity

Is this what genius looks like? • Did Shakespeare grow tired of his wife? Why was he so wealthy? And which portraits of him can we trust? Paul Edmondson asks some of the most pressing questions about his life

HISTORY EXPLORER The young Shakespeare • Paul Edmondson and Charlotte Hodgman visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace in Warwickshire to examine the early life of one of Britain’s most enigmatic writers and find out how he is remembered today

SHAKESPEARE: FIVE MORE PLACES TO EXPLORE

The Shakespeare family saga • The story of the Shakespeares was one of social advancement, says Sir Stanley Wells, reflected in dwellings that rose from rural farmstead to manorial splendour. Along the way were some family upsets: pregnant brides, lawsuits and excommunication

The world's play wright • In the four centuries since his death, Shakespeare’s plays have been performed ever more widely. Michael Dobson asks why his work has such universal and enduring appeal, and explores its impact on world culture

SHAKESPEARE THE HISTORIANS' VIEW • When did the actor, playwright and poet find fame? Was his marriage happy? How did he learn, write and die? And is there really any doubt that he was the author of the ‘Shakespeare’ plays? A panel of experts tackles the big questions about the life and work of England’s best-known scribe

SHAKESPEARE'S TIME • Explore the environment that shaped the writer’s work: discover prevailing beliefs, delve into Jacobethan London and meet his fellow actors and writers

Shakespeare's life and times • Tracy Borman chronicles the playwright’s life and career, alongside key events that defined the era

Inside Shakespeare's psyche • Shakespeare’s era was subtly but powerfully different from our own. Phil Withington explores six key themes to reveal a world view that, to our eyes, can seem at once deeply foreign and oddly familiar

Life in Shakespeare's LONDON • By 1592, Shakespeare was established as a successful actor and writer living in London. Leaving his family behind in Stratford, he immersed himself in the life and thriving theatre world of the capital. Stephen Porter takes a look at the colourful and chaotic city in which the playwright – and the audience for whom he wrote – lived, worked and played

"A mighty city of business" • London was one of the biggest, most diverse cities in Europe

What they said about London…

At the playhouse • Shakespeare’s writing career coincided with a renaissance in English drama – a period when a performance at one of London’s new playhouses was the hottest of tickets. Andrew Dickson recreates the experience of watching one of Shakespeare’s plays at the turn of the 17th century

The Curtain (1577–1625) • The pioneering playhouse that spanned two monarchs’ reigns

The Swan (1595–1628) • Revealing the anatomy of an Elizabethan London playhouse

The Blackfriars (1596–1642) • An intimate indoor venue for more discerning...