Shakespeare’s World

We view Shakespeare's works through the perspectives of our personal experiences, which are shaped by our cultures and histories, but how did his contemporaries view him? From the evidence that survives, he made his mark early and his stature grew as he matured over the more than two decades that he worked.

Contemporary Reviews

Robert Greene, 1592, Groatsworth of Wit
Richard Carew, 1605, The English Tongue
Frances Meres, 1598, Palladis Tamia
Ben Jonson, 1623, Memory of My Beloved
Ben Jonson, 1630, De Shakespeare Nostrat
John Milton, 1632, Admirable Dramaticke Poet

Theaters of London 1567-1642

Shakespeare Timeline Overview 1533-1625

The Shakespeare Timeline Pt. 3, 1603 – 1625
The Shakespeare Timeline Pt. 2, 1564 – 1603
The Shakespeare Timeline Pt. 1, 1533 – 1564