Join Greg Jenner in 16th century England to meet the bard himself, one of England's greatest writers, William Shakespeare. How did he go from the son of a glove maker in Stratford Upon Avon to a famed theatre owner, actor and writer in London? What was life really like in a Shakespearean theatre? And which Disney film was influenced by his work hundreds of years later? Produced by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4
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Hello and welcome to Homeschool History.
I'm Greg Jenner, the historian behind tv's horrible histories and the host of the BBC podcast you're dead to me, though that one's mostly for the grown ups.
I'm here to deliver a snappy history lesson to entertain and educate the whole family.
Who says that homeschooling can't be fun?
Today we are journeying back to 16th century England to explore the life of one of the greatest ever writers.
Some people call him England's napkin national poet, others the bard.
But most people know him as William Shakespeare, because, you know, that was his name.
Or was it?
Hmm.
More on that later.
You may have seen films inspired by Shakespeare plays such as Gnomeo and Juliet, based on Romeo and Juliet.
Even Lord of the Rings contains references to Macbeth or the Lion King, based roughly on Hamlet.
But this extraordinary writer came from a surprisingly ordinary background.
William was born to John and Mary Shakespeare in April 1564 in a town called Stratford upon Avon in the West Midlands.
His family wasnt poor, but they certainly werent rich either.
Dad John worked a few different jobs as a glovemaker, a trader of leather and wool, and even a beer taster.
Ordinary jobs for an ordinary dad.
William was the third child of eight, but his two older sisters died tragically young, making him the oldest.
A home shared with five younger siblings would have been quite cramped.