Hundreds of years have passed since William Shakespeare's time. He has left behind nearly a million words of text, but his life is still a mystery. This book is an engaging introduction to a subject that students will certainly encounter many times throughout their education-and their lives. Lucid language and dramatic illustrations re-create the Bard's world of kings and queens, fairies and potions, and bloody beheadings. It imparts an amazing amount of vivid, interesting material about place, period and background of Shakespeare. This sweeping account is a biography, a history, and a retelling of some of Shakespeare's most famous plays-all in one approachable volume. Salient Features: - Shakespeare's Early Life - Life as Playwright and Actor - Theatre Companies - Style of Presentation - Last Years of Life - England of Shakespeare's Days - Drama in Shakespeare's Days - Shakespeare's Greatness as a Poet - Shakespeare's Influence - Works of Shakespeare in detail - Principal Facts of Shakespeare's Life