William Shakespeare's 400th Anniversary
This year mark's the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the English-speaking world's greatest playwright. Around the UK and all across the world celebrations and memorial events are being held to honor his work .
William Shakespeare produced 38 plays and 154 sonnets. His work has been translated into every major language and performed around the world.
The Globe Theatre in London, which Shakespeare once owned, is the center of an interactive event called "The Complete Walk". It lets users stroll along the southern bank of the Thames River, showing short films and exploring scenes of Shakespeare's plays.
Performances will be held by major theatre companies to honor Shakespeare. Some of them are traditional while others will be adapted to a more modern style. The British Library has created an exhibition of manuscripts and original costumes.
William Shakespeare's hometown Stratford-upon-Avon is also hosting events in honor of the town's prominent son. The school Shakespeare attended has opened its doors to show visitors where the poet and dramatist was educated .
The London Underground has released a new map in the year of Shakespeare. It has renamed tube stations after famous Shakespearean characters.
Not only London and the UK are celebrating the bard's anniversary. New websites are popping up and on social media platforms hashtags like #Shakespeare400 are dedicated to the famous British writer.
Related Topics
- William Shakespeare
- Theatre in the Age of Shakespeare
- London
- Elizabeth I -Last Monarch of the Tudors
Words
- adapt = change
- anniversary = day on which an important event happened years ago
- attend = go to, visit
- bank = side of a river
- bard = poet ; here: everything relating to William Shakespeare
- celebration = a special event where you have fun or honor something or someone
- costume = clothes that actors wear during a performance
- dedicate = in honour of
- exhibition = where objects are shown to the public
- explore = find out more about something
- hashtag = symbol used on social media to describe a topic
- honor = to be proud of or respect someone
- host = where something takes place
- interactive = here: where visitors can take active part
- major = very important
- memorial = in honor of a famous person or event
- own = belong to someone
- performance = when you entertain other people by acting, dancing or singing for them
- playwright = person who writes plays
- pop up = come out of nowhere
- prominent = famous
- release = publish, to make public
- rename = give a different name
- sonnet = a poem that has 14 lines and a certain rhythm
- stroll = walk
- traditional = here: as they were performed 400 years ago