Simon Schama's Shakespeare and Us

Season 1

How much is the personality of England intertwined with the visions of Shakespeare? Acclaimed historian Simon Schama tries to get beneath the skin of the playwright and understand why his stories are so relevant today. Shakespeare knew the importance of not just reflecting the lives of the kings and queens who peppered his plays, but ordinary people too - including thieves, clowns and prostitutes.

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S1 E1 - This England
June 21, 2012
59min
13+
How many 17th-century English playwrights can you name? Chances are there’s just the one. But why has the work of Shakespeare endured? Historian Simon Schama argues that the England he portrayed is the vision of the nation that we still revel in today. Not just monarchs, but ordinary men and women from all walks of life: royalty rub shoulders with rabble-rousers to create a complete world.
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S1 E2 - Hollow Crowns
June 28, 2012
59min
TV-PG
The monarchs of the British Isles were once seen as virtually godlike. But Shakespeare dared to strip away the mask of royalty to reveal the flawed individuals underneath. It was a risky strategy, especially as he drew on the lives of the rulers around him at the time, revealing profound truths not just about royalty but the rest of us, too. Historian Simon Schama explores how he got away with it.
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