Shakespeare Sonnet 116 (275:13)

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This 14-line poem attempts to define love. Shakespeare wrote his plays for the wealthy, powerful, and educated.

Hereditary Power (00:0-16113)

Queen Elizabeth I had absolute power. She was the talented and educated daughter of Henry VIII. Her sister Mary had 283 people executed.

The New Church of England (02:41)

Holy Roman Emperor Charles V abdicated to his son Phillip. There were ongoing wars in which regular people died. John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury, executed Puritans.

Stratford (02:47)

Britain existed in relative peace because it was self-sufficient and not easily invaded.

Stratford on Avon (02:06)

Shakespeare's birthplace was the market town for the surrounding area. Church was the focal point of life. Shakespeare was baptized into modern Christianity.

Religion in Shakespeare's England (03:57)

Christianity prevailed after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire. It splintered into many factions. Henry VIII married six times.

Education in Shakespeare's England (07:04)

Shakespeare attended grammar school, a recent institution. King Edward VI was a protestant who valued education. Cambridge and Oxford educated the sons of the ruling class about Ancient Greece and Rome.

Shakespeare's Early Life in Stratford (06:09)

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. A painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder depicts what life was probably like in Shakespeare's time.

Shakespeare's London (05:51)

By 1592, Shakespeare had become an actor and had written and performed several plays. He joined an acting troupe called Lord Strange's Men, eventually known as The King's Men.

Credits: Shakespeare: Like No Other, Part I (00:29)

Credits: Shakespeare: Like No Other, Part I