Shakespeare - Topic Guides - English and Language Arts - LibGuides at Pikes Peak Library District

Search Terms

Specific key words or phrases are necessary to find information in databases or the library catalog. We recommend:

William Shakespeare
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Elizabethan England
English Renaissance

Search Strategies

You can use titles of Shakespeare's works and literary devices (like metaphor, simile, and allegory) as search terms in databases.
You can use these search terms to find books in the library catalog and eBooks or eAudiobooks in the eLibrary.
To narrow your search, type two terms into a search bar in this format: "Term 1" AND "Term 2". This search will only provide resources that include both terms. Combine any two search terms from the box into a database search bar to see what you find.
Find more database search tips on the Debate Issues & Paper Topics guide, in the Database Search Tops box.

Standards and Knowledge Building

This guide is connected to the following Colorado Academic Standards

Read a wide range of literary texts to build knowledge and to better understand the human experience.
Understand how language functions in different contexts, command a variety of word-learning strategies to assist comprehension, and make effective choices for meaning or style when writing and speaking.

This guide will support students by building further knowledge in:

Different library resources – what they are and how they can be used to find information by and about William Shakespeare.
How to effectively find information in these sources using search terms.

Contact

Mikaela Fortune

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Welcome to the Shakespeare Topic Guide!

Databases

Databases are subject-specific search engines that provide access to journal articles and other reliable resources. The following PPLD databases are recommended for students studying William Shakespeare.

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
Searches almost 3500 full text academic and scholarly journals.
Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
Includes biographical information on 122,000 authors and literary criticism on their works.
Literary Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Literary Reference Center is a full-text literary database covering all genres and time periods. It includes thousands of synopses, critical essays, book reviews, literary journals and author biographies, plus full-text classic novels, short stories and poems.
Poetry & Short Story Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Poetry & Short Story Reference Center is a full-text database containing thousands of classic and contemporary poems, short stories, biographies, essays, lesson plans and learning guides. It also includes high-quality videos and audio recordings from the Academy of American Poets.
Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
Biography is built on a foundation of more than 600,000 biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study. Providing coverage of the most searched and studied people, Biography includes over 5,000 portal pages on contemporary and historical figures. Reference content is offered alongside videos, audio selections, images, primary sources, and magazine and journal articles from hundreds of major periodicals and newspapers. This resource is continuously updated to ensure users have access to the latest information.

Reference materials are things like encyclopedias and handbooks that provide quick facts and summaries of different subjects. The following encyclopedias and dictionaries in the PPLD catalog support the study of William Shakespeare:

All Things Shakespeare [2 Volumes] by Kirstin Olsen
Call Number: 822.33 GO52A V.1 Reference
ISBN: 0313315035
Publication Date: 2002-10-30
This unique encyclopedia compiles an enormous breadth of information about Shakespeare's world. More than 200 articles, most accompanied by vivid illustrations, combine rich historical detail with informative, insightful descriptions on the form and function of obscure and everyday items found in Shakespeare's works.
Shakespeare's Language by Eugene F. Shewmaker
Call Number: 822.33 GS554S
ISBN: 0816032769
Publication Date: 1996-03-01
A glossary of 15,000 words, including ones Shakespeare seems to have made up.
Shakespeare A to Z by Charles Boyce
Call Number: 822.33 B789S Reference
ISBN: 0816018057
Publication Date: 1990-09-01
Shakespeare A-to-Z comprises almost 3,000 alphabetical entries making this volume the most comprehensive resource on Shakespeare and his world.
Shakespeare for Students by Anne Marie Hacht (Editor); Cynthia Burnstein (Editor)
Call Number: 822.33 DS527 2007 V.1 Reference
ISBN: 9781414412559
Publication Date: 2007-08-06
Shakespeare for Students is an attractive and accessible 3-vol. set of essential criticism to the playwrights most-popularly-studied plays and poetry in secondary schools and undergraduate curricula.
UXL Encyclopedia of World Mythology
ISBN: 9781414430300
Publication Date: 2008-09-23
Shakespeare alludes to many myths throughout his works. This encyclopedia can provide additional context to his works.

Reference materials are things like encyclopedias and handbooks that provide quick facts and summaries of different subjects. The following books in the PPLD catalog support the study of William Shakespeare:

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
ISBN: 9781442381520
Publication Date: February 24, 2015
A fully-dramatized audio production of Julius Caesar from Folger Theatre.
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
ISBN: 9781442374355
Publication Date: 2014-08-05
A fully dramatized audio production of a Midsummer Night's Dream from the Folger Shakespeare Library.
The most excellent and lamentable tragedy of Romeo & Juliet : a play by William Shakespeare / adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds. by William Shakespeare and Gareth Hinds
Call Number: 822.33 ROME
ISBN: 9780605728905
Publication Date: 2016-06-17
A graphic novel retelling of Romeo & Juliet.
No Fear Shakespeare by SparkNotes
ISBN: 9781411479258
Publication Date: 2018-05-30
This No Fear Shakespeare ebook gives you the complete text of Macbeth and an easy-to-understand translation.
No Fear Shakespeare by SparkNotes
ISBN: 9781411479326
Publication Date: 2018-05-30
This No Fear Shakespeare ebook gives you the complete text of Romeo and Juliet and an easy-to-understand translation.
No Fear Shakespeare by SparkNotes
ISBN: 9781411479203
Publication Date: 2018-05-30
This No Fear Shakespeare ebook gives you the complete text of Hamlet and an easy-to-understand translation.
The Shakespeare Book by DK
ISBN: 9780744023657
Publication Date: 2019-12-03
An audio study guide to the complete works of Shakespeare, covering everything from the romantic comedy of Romeo and Juliet to the tragedy Macbeth, alongside his Elizabethan history plays, sonnets, and other poems.
That Way Madness Lies by Dahlia Adler
Call Number: THAT
ISBN: 9781250753854
Publication Date: 2021-03-16
A collection of reimaginings of Shakespeare's plays and poetry by young adult authors.
William Shakespeare: A Very Short Introduction by Stanley Wells
ISBN: 9780191028694
Publication Date: 2017-12-22
In this new offering from Stanley Wells, the pre-eminent Shakespearian scholar, comes a Very Short Introduction to the life and writings of the world's greatest and best-known dramatists: William Shakespeare. Looking at his early life and education, Wells explores Shakespeare's social and intellectual background and the literary traditions on which Shakespeare drew.

Explore (multimedia and recommended websites)

Recommended Websites
Multimedia

You can use trusted, online sources to find information. For more information on reliable, online sources, please visit PPLD’s Debate Issues & Paper Topics guide. PPLD recommends:

Poetry Foundation: William Shakespeare
Information on William Shakespeare from The Poetry Foundation.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
From the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Sparknotes: No Fear Shakespeare
Baffled by the Bard? We're here to help. The full text of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets side-by-side with translations into modern English.
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is the independent charity that cares for the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage sites in Stratford-upon-Avon, and promotes the enjoyment and understanding of his works, life and times all over the world.
Why Shakespeare loved iambic pentameter
Shakespeare sometimes gets a bad rap in high schools for his complex plots and antiquated language. But a quick peek into the rhythm of his words reveals a poet deeply rooted in the way people spoke in his time — and still speak today. Why do Shakespeare’s words have such staying power? David T. Freeman and Gregory Taylor uncover the power of iambic pentameter.

Use these multimedia sources to watch or listen to information on this topic.

The English Renaissance and Not Shakespeare #13
Crash Course Theater #13 talks about the London theater scene and the playwrights that set the stage…ahem…for the main man of English Theater, William Shakespeare.
Free Will, Witches, Murder, and Macbeth: Part 1
Crash Course Literature #409, in which John Green talks about Shakespeare’s Scottish play, Macbeth.
Ghosts, Murder, and More Murder: Hamlet Part 1
Crash Course Literature #203, in which John Green teaches you about Hamlet, William Shakespeare’s longest and most-performed play.
Kanopy
Stream filmed versions of a number of Shakespeare's plays through Kanopy.
Literary Britain: Chaucer and Shakespeare
Great Britain is home to one of the world's great literary traditions - and literature is a terrific way to frame your tour through the island. In this first of four literary lectures, reflect on the work of two of Britain's most-prized poets, Chaucer and Shakespeare. Retrace the pilgrims' path of The Canterbury Tales, visit Shakespeare's Globe Theatre beside the River Thames, and more.
Muse of Fire
This unique feature documentary follows two actors, Giles Terera and Dan Poole, as they travel the world to discover everything they can about tackling the greatest writer of them all. Consulting a host of helpful luminaries along the way, including Ian McKellen, James Earl Jones, Judi Dench, and Tom Hiddleston, their exciting road trip takes them to Denmark with Jude Law, Hollywood with Baz Luhrman, a prison in Berlin and Shakespeare’s home in Stratford-upon-Avon. MUSE OF FIRE is a heartfelt and inspiring film that aims to demystify and illuminate Shakespeare’s work for just about anyone: from actors, directors, theatre-goers, students, to the person on the street. Think Shakespeare is boring? Think again!
Of Pentameter & Bear Baiting: Romeo & Juliet Part 1
In which John Green examines Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare's Sonnets
Crash Course Literature #304 looks at a few of Willy Shakes’s biggest hits, including Sonnet 18, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day,” Sonnet 116, “Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediment,” and Sonnet 130, “My mistresses’s eyes are nothing like the sun.” This video talks about what makes a sonnet, a little bit about their history, and even a little bit about how reading poetry helps us understand how to be human beings.
Shakespeare's Tragedies and an Acting Lesson
Crash Course Theater #15. Shakespeare's tragedies...were tragic. But they had some jokes. They also changed the way tragedies were written. Characters like Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear had tragic outcomes, but they were sympathetic characters in a lot of ways. This was a big change from the way Seneca and the Greeks wrote tragedies, and it caught on.
There Is No Escaping Shakespeare
Shakespeare died 400 years ago, but his influence on language and culture remains.