Introduction to William Shakespeare: April 2011

Before reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare it is important for you to understand who Shakespeare was, as well as the time and place in which he lived and created his plays. These resources provide a brief introduction to Shakespeare and his times. In groups of five, explore the links and other reference guides provided to discover the world in which Shakespeare lived and wrote his plays.

Keywords

When starting any research topic you should make a list of key words or combinations and categories you might use for looking up the information you need. Think of some synonyms for the main topic or related words that usually go along with your topic. Some key words for your research topic might include, but are not limited to:

Elizabethan England, Shakespeare, Globe Theatre, Renaissance, Shakespearean Tragedies, Queen Elizabeth I, 16th-17th England

Reference and Non-Fiction Materials

Another great way to research your topic is by using reference books. Reference books give you a brief overview of a specific topic. Here’s a list of some reference materials you may find located in the reference section of the library.

Call Number	Title and Author
REF 822.3 SHA	Shakespeare's world and work: an encyclopedia for students / John F. Andrews, editor in chief.
REF 822.3 WEL	A dictionary of Shakespeare Stanley Wells; with the assistance of James Shaw. Wells, Stanley W.
REF 822.3 SHA	Shakespeare for students: critical interpretations of Shakespeare's plays and poetry. Anne Marie Hacht, editor; foreword by Cynthia Burnstein,
REF 822.3 BOY	Shakespeare A to Z: the essential reference to his plays, his poems, his life and times, and more. Boyce, Charles
822.3 DUN	The Essential Shakespeare. Dunton-Downer, Leslie and Riding, Alan
792 NAR	The Globe Theater. Nardo, Don
822.3 FAL	How to enjoy Shakespeare. Fallon, Robert Thomas
822.3 GLE	How to write about William Shakespeare. Gleed, Paul
942.05	Elizabethan England. Ashby, Ruth
822.3 LOM	Shakespeare 101. LoMonico, Michael
822.3 SHA	Shakespeare: a book of quotations.
921 SHA	Shakespeare: his work & his world. Rosen, Michael
942.05	Elizabethan England. Lace, William
822.3 WEI	Shakespeare unbound: decoding a hidden life. Weis, Renbe

Digital Library

Digital Library databases are an excellent resource in looking for good quality information about a topic. These databases are District approved and guaranteed to contain accurate, high quality information.

To access Digital Library Databases you need to:

1. Go to Library portal

2. Click on the Digital Library icon

3. Click on the title of the database that you wish is use

4. Use your power keywords to search the databases for useful information