Shakespeare In Bits - Product | Shakespeare in Bits

Shakespeare, as you like it!

Starting from humble beginnings in 2010 as a single play in CD format, our popular Shakespeare In Bits resource has grown into a broad suite of learning materials that are now available online! Superfast and packed with features, the upgraded application is accessible to anyone on any device with a web connection and a standard browser.

Shakespeare In Bits today is trusted by teachers and parents worldwide as an effective tool for helping students not just to understand but appreciate the timeless fountain of literary flourish, wisdom, wit, philosophy, and human observation that Shakespeare’s works embody. Teachers, students, actors, casual readers, academics... regardless of your profile and requirement, Shakespeare In Bits is ever at your service, just the way you like it!

Play Titles

Five plays are currently available in the series, chosen for being among the most widely studied across the second level education tier.

Romeo and Juliet
Macbeth
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Hamlet
Julius Caesar

Romeo and Juliet

Fall in love with Shakespeare’s timeless story of love, vengeance and tragedy. Shakespeare In Bits: Romeo & Juliet promises to engage the mind and wrench the hearts of all who view, read and listen to it. The ultimate study guide, this is everything you will ever need to understand, teach and appreciate one of the most enduring plays of all time.

For never was a story of more woe
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo

— Act 5 Scene 3

Macbeth

Read, watch and listen to one of Shakespeare's most widely-studied plays as Shakespeare In Bits brings to life the tragic tale of the murderous Macbeth in one complete digital experience. Shakespeare In Bits: Macbeth is the only study guide you will need to understand, teach and appreciate one of the finest works of the famous Bard.

By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes. Open, locks, Whoever knocks!

— Act 4 Scene 1

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Enjoy this magical romp through one of Shakespeare’s most enduringly funny plays where not everything goes quite to plan and magical chaos ensues, resulting in hilarious consequences. Shakespeare In Bits: A Midsummer Night's Dream is the only study guide you will need to understand, teach and appreciate one of the Bard's most intriguing comedies.

The course of true love never did run smooth.

— Act 1 Scene 1

Shakespeare in Bits: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Hamlet

Immerse yourself in one of Shakespeare’s most powerful and influential tragedies as Shakespeare In Bits brings you on a journey of deception, revenge, treachery, indecision and moral decay through the fabled and tragic character of Hamlet. Shakespeare In Bits: Hamlet is the only study guide you will need to teach, understand and appreciate one of Shakespeare's most celebrated works.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

— Act 1 Scene 4

Julius Caesar

Travel back in time to ancient Rome and join the intrigue as a group of disgruntled citizens plot a conspiracy against their illustrious dictator. Shakespeare In Bits: Julius Caesar puts you right at the bloody heart of this tale of loyalty, ambition, power, and betrayal that marked the end of the great republic. This engaging digital study guide will help you get to grips with Shakespeare's foremost political thriller.

There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune

— Act 4 Scene 3

Product Features

Key product features of Shakespeare In Bits — the only study guide you will need to teach, understand and appreciate Shakespeare's most celebrated works.

The Play’s the thing…

Shakespeare’s plays are not merely texts to be read, but scripts for dramas to be seen and heard. Shakespeare In Bits uses modern digital media and communications technology to deliver the plays in an innovative, media-rich format. In addition to the unabridged text with full visuals and audio, each title includes a comprehensive set of features to help users get to grips with the language, plots, characters, themes and the many other engaging attributes of the Bard’s great works.

The basic idea is simple: don’t just read the play, watch it and hear it too, in one integrated package!

Play Text

Study of Shakespeare begins with the texts — the original “source of truth”. Our goal is to deliver Shakespeare in a format that appeals to contemporary learners. But preserving the complete, original text of the plays was the starting point. While the scenes are broken into more manageable “Bits”, they deliver a true and accurate standard text.

Text Support Features

Several features are provided to support the reader of text which, while brilliant, is also archaic, highly stylized, dense, and multilayered by turns. These include on-demand in-line “translations” in modern English, margin notes explaining themes, plots and subplots, historical references, literary devices, puns, and other points of interest.

Analysis

Academics, philosophers, writers, politicians ... Shakespeare’s works enjoy universal appeal — a testament to how much he had to say on any given topic! Shakespeare In Bits contains comprehensive notes explaining and analyzing each segment or “Bit” of each play, to help the reader delve into his abundant ideas, themes, observations, and moral dilemmas.

Lesson Plans

Sample lesson plans are included for teacher and school users as an additional optional source of ideas for ways in which to incorporate the Shakespeare In Bits digital resources into the classroom. We plan to expand on these and several of the other great features in the coming year.

Visualization

A common challenge for newly initiated readers of Shakespeare is the difficulty of visualizing the events unfolding, given the more immediate challenges of his bountiful but often riddlesome text. Shakespeare In Bits provides a full, animated rendering of the action to assist with this.

Synopses and Summaries

Every scene has an easily accessible summary and every “Bit” into which the play is subdivided, has a synopsis. These features ensure that the student is always a single click away from insightful explanations, should they need to look further than the text and its in-line support features.

Essays

To provide overviews on certain key aspects and to facilitate exam preparation, engaging essays are included on themes, imagery, key quotes, and on historical and other aspects of Shakespeare’s work.

Downloadable PDF Texts

In addition to the many resources provided by the digital program, some teachers and students may wish to read or annotate their own copy of the play text as part of their study. To facilitate this, downloadable PDF texts that match the on-screen play text, are included for teacher and school users.

Audio

To fully engage with Shakespeare’s language and the nuances that may be communicated during its delivery, it needs to be spoken and heard. Shakespeare In Bits provides a full professional audio soundtrack featuring the voices of renowned actors including Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen, Fiona Shaw, Anton Lesser, Emma Fielding, Michael Maloney and Stephen Dillane.

Character Bios

Becoming familiar with the play’s cast is key to appreciating the dramatic events unfolding, the motivations of the characters, their traits and personalities, and their roles in advancing the action. Character bios are easily accessible from within the play area, and relationships are also visually represented for quick assimilation.

Quizzes

Comprehensive understanding of the plays is facilitated by knowledge of the characters, plots, terminology, important lines, etc. To assist with this, quizzes are provided that cover the whole play as well as individual acts. School users have options to vary the focus of these quizzes by knowledge domain and by scene.

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More information for educators

Animated visuals, audio and play text in one package