As you may already have discovered studying Shakespeare for yourself can be very rewarding. Perhaps you are following an adult education course, or perhaps you simply enjoy curling up with a book or visting the theatre. Either way you are free to explore what Shakespeare can offer you. We have put together some pages here, aimed at both the Shakespeare Novice and the Shakespeare Lover. Take a look and find out something new.

If you are a Shakespeare novice, perhaps you are wondering what all the fuss is over this one, let's face it, rather old playwright? You may have bad memories of studying Shakespeare at school, but none the less, you may have a nagging doubt that Shakespeare might just have something to offer if only you could find it! Shakespeare does indeed have much to offer. His works and words have struck a chord throughout history and if you explore his works you will soon find something that strikes a chord with you. Perhaps you are young and in love (or have fond memories of being so) - why not take a look at Romeo and Juliet? Perhaps you have a difficult meeting with the boss, or perhaps you are the boss about to face a rowdy crowd of employees - why not take a look at the speeches in Julius Caesar and pick up a few tips on how to sway your audience? Perhaps you are feeling the pain of love and longing - why not flip through the sonnets and wallow in identification?

The plays can be read from beginning to end as engrossing stories, or they can be dipped into for a few words of wisdom. If you prefer a more visual aproach, then why not take a trip to the theatre and see a play? Or, you could even look through a volume of fine paintings inspired by Shakespeare. If you have not done a lot of play going and you are lucky enough to live near Stratford-upon-Avon then you could see something at the RSC.

Why not look at our public programme and see if you can fit in one of our introductory evenbts? These are an excellent start tofinding out more about Shakespeare and are very informal and relaxed. Our play pages here aim to give you an entry point, provide something to start from and then set you free to enjoy exploring Shakespeare.

Witches and Other Wonders in Macbeth

Soliloquies for the Soul

Perhaps you are a Shakespeare lover, whose long association with Shakespeare's texts provides a plethora of happy memories. Perhaps you have favourite sections in the plays, you may even know a few key speeches by heart and impress your friends with your ability to quote Shakespeare from memory. Happily for you there is always something new to discover about Shakespeare, a nugget of information you had not heard before or a fresh perspective which had never occured to you before. If you doubt this, just think about all the many many books we have in our library (all of which you can come in and consult if you like) each of which might provide a fresh look at an old subject.

If you are not already a member you should consider joining the Friends of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, to receive quaterly updates about Shakespeare and the Trust. You should also consider attending one of our courses, have a look at our Public Programme  and see the range of issues we cover. Our courses aim to provide you with a fresh outlook in a friendly and welcoming atmospheare.

Meanwhile, the pages we have designed here aim to give you something to think about. The first page takes a new look at Shakespeare's Sonnets, the second is a fun piece by Nick who wondered 'What if shakespare were alive today' - his flights of fancy might give you a few pauses for thought! Have fun exploring what's on offer.

Questioning the Sonnets

What if...