1 English Across the Curriculum
William Shakespeare
Match the names of the characters with the plays they are in !
A Tybalt C Taming of the Shrew
B Shylock F All’s Well That Ends Well
E Brutus I Macbeth
F Helena MH Othello
G Claudius K E Julius Caesar
I Malcolm MH Othello
J Bassanio E K Julius Caesar
K Mark Anthony D Merry Wives of Windsor
L Ophelia J B Merchant of Venice
M Desdemona G L Hamlet 2 English Across the Curriculum
William Shakespeare
True or false ?
T F William Shakespeare was born and died in Stratford-upon Avon. X
He went to London because he had his family there. X
The Globe was an acting company in London. X
During the Black Death Shakespeare wrote sonnets and poems. X
His mother was mayor of Stratford. X
Poor people were not allowed to go to performances. X
Sometimes Shakespeare and his fellow actors wrote plays for kings and queens X
Shakespeare and other actors owned their own costumes and scripts. X
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays. X
He worked in London until he died in 1616. X
At that time many people thought Shakespeare was the greatest playwright in history. X
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy that is set in Verona. X
The Merchant of Venice is a story about a noble Black Moor. X
Brutus was Caesar’s best friend. X
Prince Hamlet killed his own father. X
Othello married a girl who was much younger than he was. X
Macbeth is a story about a man who does everything to become king. X
Lady Macbeth is behind the murder of King Duncan. X
All’s Well That Ends Well is a tragedy about a young doctor. X 3 English Across the Curriculum
William Shakespeare
Shakespeare Vocabulary—Match the words on the left with the definitions on the right !
A comedy C leader of a town or city
B Black Death N to tell something that will happen in the future
C mayor G if you become angry very easily
D own A funny play that has a happy ending most of the time
a secret plan by a group of people to do something that is E downfall K against the law
F successful I a large group of people who get together for something
G bad tempered E the end of someone— a person’s ruin or defeat
H flesh M to love another man or woman
I crowd D if something belongs to you
J flee L a sport where you fight with a long thin sword
K plot J to leave a place very quickly because it is dangerous
L fencing H the soft part of a person between the skin and the bones
M unfaithful B illness that killed millions of people in Europe
N predict O to remove someone from power
O overthrow F to be good at something and earn a lot of money 4 English Across the Curriculum
William Shakespeare
Complete the text by filling in the correct words from the box !
William Shakespeare was one of the world’s greatest playwrights. He lived in England during the second half of the 16th century and the early part of the 17th century. William grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon, a town where his father had been mayor. His family was middle class and young William attended a grammar school in Stratford.
Later on Shakespeare went to London to find a job as an actor and writer. It was very difficult because only the best were able to work there. Between 1592 and 1594, Shakespeare wrote mainly sonnets and poems . All theatres were closed because of the Black Death, which killed millions of people.
When theatres opened up again he became a member of Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the best acting company in the country. The plays were performed in the Globe, a round theatre without a roof. The actors and writers owned the theatre. They bought the costumes and wrote their own scripts. They also shared their profits.
Plays started in the early afternoon. People who didn’t have money to buy a seat were allowed to stand in the front. Sometimes there were special performances for kings and queens.
Shakespeare wrote three types of plays. Tragedies show the downfall of one of the characters. Comedies are funny plays that have happy endings and historical plays are dramas about the lives of famous English kings.
In 1610 William retired from the theatre and went back to his home town Stratford. He died there in 1616.
actor endings playwrights
attended job profits
Black Death lives retired
century mayor seat
comedies member scripts
company middle class sonnets
costumes performed tragedies 5 English Across the Curriculum
William Shakespeare
Crossword
1 M 2 3 F A L S T A F F A 4 D M C 5 I P D B S H E E 6 G I S E N A T E 7 U P T D H 8 I L H A M L E T 9 S T A G E M 10 11 E Y A P O I S O N W T N T 12 R R S T A B H 13 I E W V E R O N A G O L 14 H R S H Y L O C K 15 W I T C H D O 6 English Across the Curriculum
William Shakespeare
Word Search—Find 12 words (ðò÷ø) that have something to do with Shakespeare’s world .
U Q C G H O T I H Y S O X U C W Q A O T H E L L O P L A Y W R I G H T D D I M E R C H A N T H D T X T A O M D L S T N A D R I V M A C B E T H F K A A O E D I M W I N D S O R G O D D G L T Y C M N B R E G R H T L J H M F A O B D H A U H V O E Z I P R G Y K E J M S B R Q U H K C H A M L E T Y U V X E Y U S E K D S G S S F M L