William Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest writer in the English language in history. During his life he composed plays, sonnets and other poems, many of which are still studied in schools today. Shakespeare is renowned for his expansive vocabulary (many of the words he used were his own creations) and for the artistry of his writing, since his plays were often written in iambic pentameter and sometimes rhymed. His work can be difficult to read on its own, but with these resources you may begin to understand the works of the Bard.
Shakespeare at eNotes
Study Shakespeare with study guides, essays and criticism, or read his biography and chronology. Also, read his 100 most famous quotes.
Shakespeare Online
This site could not be more comprehensive; you can read the full text of Shakespeare's plays and poems, with analyses and essays. Click on the links at the bottom of the page for more obscure articles and information, from a directory of all of the characters in the plays to the revenge plot of Hamlet.
Complete Works of William Shakespeare
This is the Web's first edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Click on the links to an entire script of each play, divided by comedy, history and tragedy.
Absolute Shakespeare
This site includes a biography and complete texts, as well as sonnets, pictures and facts about the Bard. Also, read play summaries, quotes and the story behind the famous Globe Theatre. Check out the timeline to see which plays were written when, and read about the fascinating controversy of Shakespeare's authorship. Is it possible that these works were not written by Shakespeare, but by Sir Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe or even Queen Elizabeth?
Shakespeare Resource Center
Read a summary overview of the four periods of Shakespeare's works, or improve your comprehension of his sonnets and plays with a guide to the Bard's English. You can even read Shakespeare's will and see links to other relevant reference pages.