In the third and penultimate part of his series commemorating the life and ideas of the Bard, Alan Woods looks at the central role of politics, plots, and intrigues in Shakespeare’s plays, and – in particular – his attitude towards the idea of social revolution.

We publish here the second of a four-part series by Alan Woods, commemorating the life and ideas of the Bard, 400 years since his death. In this part, Alan discusses the role of religion in Shakespeare’s plays and examines the transitory social conditions of the time in England, which had such a profound impact on this literary giant.

Shakespeare transformed English literature, reaching heights that before were unheard of and which have not been reached subsequently. His impact on world literature was arguably greater than any other writer. In the first of a four-part series, Alan Woods commemorates the life and ideas of the Bard, 400 years since his death.