University of Ladybug

Learn More Shakespeare

Take a look at how we ranked the top ten and then check out our honorable mentions. Enjoy!

We have scoured the internet to find the best online resources for those of you looking for a more enriched experience of the world-famous bard. We reviewed dozens of websites and selected the ones that are entirely about Shakespeare, include all of Shakespeare’s works, and offer digital content that is accessible around the world.

[rating stars=”5.0″]

Wide Variety of Formats to Download

You can download the complete work of Shakespeare in seven different formats. This is the only site where we found the TEISimple XML format that is annotated for part-of-speech analysis for those wanting to do more analytical research.

Gorgeous Place to Visit

The Folger Shakespeare Library is not just online. They will reopen their grounds later this year. It’s an Elizabethan monument located on Capitol Hill that is nationally recognized as a historic place and is absolutely stunning. They even display rare finds for those doing research.

Lovely Community

They provide courses for educators, resources for kids, support for researchers, blogs, and even a podcast. There are so many ways for you to interact and be involved in learning more about Shakespeare. Plus, if you are ever in the D.C. area, you can view live performances that are inspired by Shakespeare.

[rating stars=”4.8″]

Clearest Explanations

This site has the best explanations in modern English that you can find online. This is a superb resource for anyone studying Shakespeare. They even have e-book versions of Shakespeare’s plays in modern English for affordable pricing. Plus, they have e-books for kids so youngsters can enjoy the playwright’s best work.

Super Blog

If you are looking for reviews of Shakespeare performances, look no further. You can also find interesting editorials about Shakespeare’s historical impact as well as his relevance in contemporary literature. Best of all, they seem to capture every modern use of Shakespeare. Did you know that Hamlet performed in Grand Theft Auto?

Comprehensive Pedigree Details

This website is better than Wikipedia. They have the most exhaustive assortment of biographical details like what he was like as a teenager and how he spent his final years. You can learn about his ancestry, family tree, and shotgun wedding to his wife Anne.

[rating stars=”4.5″]

Amazing Insights

What can we glean about Shakespeare based on the canon of work he produced? A whole lot according to this source. Thanks to these lovely experts I have observed that Shakespeare loved a good insult, enjoyed fairy characters, and crafted some of the best villains imaginable.

Countless Topics, Themes, and Essays

These knowledgeable experts really advance the analysis of Shakespeare. There is a highly informative Q & A section for quick snippets of great info. Then, from the supernatural to lethal jealousy to vaunting ambition – they thoroughly discuss a ton of themes and topics that are addressed in the plays and poems.

Most User-Friendly Glossary

Having trouble finding some of the terms in your standard dictionary? You’re not alone and you are in luck. This is the best one-stop-shop for understanding some of the unfamiliar words found in Shakespeare’s plays and poems. Impress your friends by telling them what a neif is.

[rating stars=”4.4″]

Awesome Merchandise

Lots of places have mugs and t-shirts but the Royal Shakespeare Company is the only place I’ve found Shakespeare-themed games. You can also find magnets, coasters, and darling ornaments for decorating. If you want to give your favorite Shakespeare lover a special gift, then is where you need to go.

Grand Theatre

The theatre is located in Stratford-upon-Avon, the same place Shakespeare lived. There are lots of performances of Shakespeare, modern renditions inspired by the world-renowned author, and contemporary works from other creators. Performances happen every day and visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the historic.

Excellent Lesson Plan Materials

Please browse this site if you are an educator looking for new ways to breathe life into the centuries old work of Shakespeare. There are tons of teacher packs and interactive exercises that are designed for the classroom. On top of that, there are tons of videos that guide you through character analyses, key terms, and plots.

[rating stars=”4.1″]

Powerful Transformation

The adult and juvenile prison programs use Shakespeare’s art to transform the inmates from who they were when they committed crimes to who they are at present to who they would like to be. There are plenty of videos online of the inmates performing the plays and they are superlative.

Moving Documentary

This documentary humanizes the inmates. They are more than their misdeeds. They are people who have fallen but have been given a chance to reclaim themselves. This touching film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and can be viewed online for a great price.

Life-changing Social Impact

Did you know that the recidivism rate for inmates in the Shakespeare Behind Bars is 6%, which is one tenth of the national average? This initiative reaches not only those who are incarcerated but also those who have been released from prison and residents in at-risk communities.

[rating stars=”4.0″]

Great Scholarships and Competitions

They offer a scholarship to students pursuing a doctorate degree where they intend to produce original research about Shakespeare which we think is astounding. They also sponsor a short film competition open to everyone. It is beautiful to see an organization reward Shakespeare enthusiasts.

Extraordinary Place to Visit

You can actually go to Shakespeare’s childhood home and learn about his upbringing. Then, you can see where his wife lived, including the very bed she slept in. There is even a tour to the home where he spent his last years. People have loved roaming through the charming gardens and admiring the lovely artwork.

One-of-a-kind Licensing and Publishing

Do you have a book that can encourage more people to appreciate Shakespeare? Perhaps you have a Shakespeare themed product that you’d like to market. This is the only place we found that gives you the opportunity to commercialize your work and take your love of Shakespeare to another level.

[rating stars=”3.9″]

Best Search Options

On this website, you can search for include and exclude words or phrases in your search. You can filter by the name of the work, character, genre, and date range. It is perfect for times when you are searching for a poem or speech when you can only recall a few words.

Only Shakespeare Concordance Online

This concordance is the nerdy gift I never knew I needed. Did you know that trammel has only been used once and only once in all of Shakespeare’s writings?I’ll let you find the work that uses this word. You can spend hours exploring how often Shakespeare used certain words. It’s pretty neat!

User-friendly Experimentation Tool

The author created this shareable database as part of a master’s thesis. There is plenty of documentation to explain the purpose of the tool as well as the methodology used to create the search tool. There are multiple downloading choices for you to choose from if you want to tinker with the data yourself.

[rating stars=”3.7″]

Extensive Catalog of Imagery

You may have seen some pictures of Shakespeare online or on book covers but do you know the rich history behind those images? Surprisingly, much of the imagery is masked in mystery. It is fascinating to read the stories behind the pictures, engravings, statues, and memorials of the famous author.

Broad Perspective of Shakespeare’s World

There is more to know about the prolific bard than his work. He worried about the Black Plague, failed to pay his taxes, and illegally stashed some corn during a food shortage. Nothing diminishes his extraordinary literary talent but let us not forget that he was like an ordinary man in many ways.

In-depth View of Shakespeare’s Time

Shakespeare lived in the Elizabethan era which birthed the Renaissance. It was an age where art was celebrated, the theatre business thrived, and men dominated. Your understanding of Shakespeare will be enriched when you learn more about what life was like for the playwright.

[rating stars=”3.6″]

Abundant Scholarship about Shakespeare

This site has links to over thirty books that date back as far as 200 years ago that give us historical information about Shakespeare. You can learn about Shakespeare’s interest in music, the women in his family, and the English dramatists that might have influenced him.

Detailed Speech Analysis

Once you read the line analysis of some of the most famous speeches from Shakespeare’s plays and marvel at the mechanical composition of his work. There are lots of links to definitions of the technical terms used to describe his work so that you can fully appreciate the meticulous workmanship.

Fun with Shakespeare Ask the Bard!

Technology has given us many gifts and you can find a really good one on this site. They have a page called “Ask the Bard!” where you can enter a question and the response will simulate Shakespeare himself. If you have a light-hearted sense of humor and thirst for merriment, give it a try.

[rating stars=”3.5″]

Objective Discussion of Authorship

We had no idea there was a legion of people throughout history who doubted William Shakespeare’s authorship. You’d be surprised to read the list of famous skeptics. This site will definitely cure your curiosity about the mystery surrounding who really wrote the works of Shakespeare.

Rare Review of Shakespeare and the Law

This is the only online source we found that dealt with Shakespeare’s legal language. They even discovered a connection between how Shakespeare deals with the law and the authorship controversy. Best of all, articles authored by jurisprudence experts are included.

Jam-Packed Conferences and Symposiums

It is time for Shakespeare enthusiasts to come out and play! There are plenty of enlightening presentations, an outstanding selection of new books, and even a jazz dinner cruise on the Mississippi river in New Orleans for those who want to attend this year.

There is no way we could have stopped at just ten websites. The internet is overflowing with fantastic content about Shakespeare that we are sure you will love. There is something so special about these online treasure troves that we wanted to call attention to them.

American Shakespeare Center

Watch Shakespeare matinees

Learn More →

William Shakespeare

Learn the mystery of the “Lost Years”

Learn More →

Get actor training

Learn More →

Heart of America Shakespeare Festival

Attend internships and summer camps

Learn More →

African-American Shakespeare Company

Engage in school partnership programs

Learn More →

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Start reading Shakespeare online

Learn More →