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67 pages 2 hours read

Gary L. Blackwood

The Shakespeare Stealer

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1998

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Before Reading

Reading Context

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What was life like for the average person in England during the late 1500s?

Teaching Suggestion: The Shakespeare Stealer is set at the end of the 1500s, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the last Tudor monarch. Students do not need in-depth historical knowledge to appreciate the text, but some insight into how the average person’s lifestyle differed from modern lifestyles will increase their empathy for the book’s protagonist, Widge, and their understanding of the book’s plot and themes. If students struggle to give preliminary answers to this prompt without additional background knowledge, you might offer the resources below before they answer the question and then use their answers to gauge their understanding.

  • This page from DK findout! offers interactive information about life in Tudor England that is easily accessible to younger readers.
  • This 9-minute video offers a glimpse into the daily lives of people within various socioeconomic classes during the 1500s.

2. Who is William Shakespeare, and why are his works still read today?

Teaching Suggestion: Much of the book’s plot centers on Widge’s interactions with Shakespeare’s theater company. Students are likely aware of Shakespeare, in a general sense, but a deeper understanding of his cultural significance will increase their investment in the book. You might ask students to give preliminary answers to this prompt question and then, after offering them the resources listed below, ask them to revise their answers according to what they have learned.

  • This 4-minute video from The New York Times explores the lasting impact of Shakespeare on Western culture.
  • This biography of William Shakespeare from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust provides information about the playwright’s family life, career, works, and home.
  • This 8-minute video introduces the physical and cultural contexts in which Shakespeare lived and wrote.
  • This 7-minute video describes the theater of Shakespeare’s time. Note that this video makes a brief reference to forms of animal cruelty common during this time.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

What is a modern movie, television show, book, comic, song, or video game that you believe will continue to influence culture long into the future? What do you enjoy about this work? What makes it influential?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt asks students to consider how today’s media might have lasting cultural impact and gives them the opportunity to share ideas about media they personally respond to. Students may enjoy discussing this prompt aloud and hearing their peers’ ideas on this subject. You might extend the discussion and tie it more explicitly to what students have learned about Shakespeare by asking students to compare and contrast their chosen work with what they have learned about Shakespeare’s works and the reasons for Shakespeare’s continued popularity.

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