The legendary William Shakespeare was an ingenious dramatist, but most of his plays were actually based on existing material, such as old stories and historical events. Shakespeare would significantly restructure stories and add characters. His brilliant stage adaptations based on actual history helped to make him a literary icon. Some of these are derived from the biographies of historical figures who were obviously real people, such as Richard III, while others are derived from folklore that has been largely accepted as fact-based. From Hamlet to King Lear, these are 10 Shakespearian plays based on real-life events.
Related: Top 10 Weird Things That Happen in English Renaissance Plays
10 Hamlet
Shakespeare frequently wrote about royalty, but not everyone is aware that Hamlet was based on a Viking prince, believed by many to have actually existed. He is featured in the chronicle of Denmark’s kings by historian Saxo Grammaticus titled Deeds of the Danes, written around 1200, roughly 400 years before Shakespeare penned The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, between 1599 and 1601. The timeless and enormously popular play follows the struggles of the young prince compelled by the ghost of his father to avenge his murder. Hamlet learns that the killer was his uncle, Claudius, who married Hamlet’s mother and has become the new king.
The basic story of the real prince, whose name was Amleth, is very similar to the play; however, Amleth did not die the same way as Hamlet. In reality, he set fire to his uncle’s hall and succeeded him as king. He was later killed in battle by his successor to the throne. The story was originally passed down through oral tradition in various cultures. However, Shakespeare likely drew his inspiration from a previous play on stage in England around the time.[1]
9 Richard III
While the actual existence of some kings and queens that William Shakespeare wrote about may be questioned, we know that the title character of Richard III, penned between 1592 and 1593, was a real 15th-century British monarch. However, there can be very different versions of historical events, especially when political agendas are involved.
The real-life Richard III has a reputation for being a ruthlessly ambitious fiend who likely had his own nephews killed so that he could seize the throne. Many people have argued that he has been characterized this way due to propaganda spread by his enemies at the time, especially those loyal to Henry Tudor, who succeeded him as king when he defeated and killed Richard in battle.
However, the effectiveness of the biographical play Richard III in shaping this image of him over the centuries should not be underestimated. Shakespeare tended to write about the Tudor dynasty in a very sympathetic light, presumably because one of them, Queen Elizabeth I, was a big supporter of his work, and her grandfather was Henry Tudor.
Today, there are still plenty of people who believe Richard was a villain who committed unthinkable crimes, but others, like members of the outspoken Richard III Society, reject this depiction of him. The 2022 film The Lost King, about the discovery of Richard III’s remains after more than 500 years, presents the Shakespearian portrait of the king and the opposing viewpoint of his supporters.[2]
8 Macbeth
First known as The Tragedy of Macbeth, this thrilling Scottish play filled with treachery, drama, suspense, and, of course, the supernatural was written between 1606 and 1607. It depicts real historical figures but is also an example of how Shakespeare sometimes took significant liberties with history. One of the most glaring differences between history and the play is that in real life, Macbeth killed King Duncan on the battlefield instead of the assassination, aided by Lady Macbeth, at the castle of Dunsinane as in Shakespeare’s version.
In the play, Macbeth is prompted to do away with the current monarch based on a prophecy by three witches that he, himself, is destined to be king. As the Royal Shakespeare Company says, “madness born of ambition sets in, and he and his wife seize power by all possible means, leading to murderous consequences.” The historical Macbeth, whose reign lasted notably longer than that of his fictional counterpart, also had a much stronger claim to the throne.[3]
7 Timon of Athens
Probably written between 1606 and 1608, Timon of Athens is a satiric tragedy that is based on a true story from antiquity that centers on a wealthy nobleman who is known for his contempt of mankind. In this play, possibly co-written by Thomas Middleton, Timon starts out as an extremely generous character who becomes disillusioned with humanity after he goes into debt due to spending lavishly on others. He then sees the companions he thought were his friends turn their backs on him.
Timon reacts by holding a banquet for these insincere people, during which he serves only hot water and stones. After cursing Athens, he leaves society behind, retreating to the wilderness. Later, when Athens is about to be invaded, Timon gives some of the gold that he has discovered to the enemies of the city. Timon was represented in the works of many famous writers, including the historian Plutarch.[4]
6 Antony and Cleopatra
As with the other real-life people he wrote about, William Shakespeare helped to make tragic lovers Antony and Cleopatra famous with his theatrical adaptation of their story. The passionate love affair between Julius Caesar’s prominent general, Marc Antony, and Caesar’s mistress, Egyptian queen Cleopatra, offers plenty of romance and drama, making it well suited for the stage.
Shakespeare based his play on Plutarch’s The Life of Antony. Though it seems clear that Plutarch was trying to be fair in this biography, his extremely negative portrait of Cleopatra indicates bias. According to Rebecca King of the Washington University in St. Louis podcast Hold That Thought, Plutarch’s depiction “betrays his Roman sensibilities.”
Shakespeare played up the romanticism of Cleopatra’s suicide, which heightens the emotional impact on the audience. While Cleopatra did believe that she would be reunited with Marc Antony in the afterlife, it was the indignities she faced as a high-profile prisoner that appear to be Cleopatra’s biggest motivation for wanting to kill herself.[5]
5 King Lear
The five-act Shakespearian tragedy King Lear, written between 1605 and 1606, is a family saga that concerns the rivalry of an aging monarch’s daughters, competing for their father’s favor as he is dividing his kingdom among them. Since the size of the bequests depends on how much love each has for Lear, Regan and Goneril both make a great show of affection for him through moving but insincere speeches. Cordelia, the only daughter who truly loves him, refuses to play this game but does remain loyal, while her sisters turn against Lear, who subsequently goes mad.
With King Lear’s intrigue and high drama, the tale may seem like the product of a colorful imagination, but it is based on the story of an ancient British king. Sometimes known as Leir of Britain, his biography has been recounted in various historical texts, including the second edition of The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande by Raphael Holinshed, which seems to have been a major source for Shakespeare. While there is disagreement on how much of the story is true, numerous scholars believe it is rooted in fact. Parts of the play that Shakespeare invented included the king’s madness and the character of his faithful court jester.[6]
4 Henry VIII
Henry VIII is one of Shakespeare’s lesser works, and part of the problem may have been a conflict of interest while writing this play about the family of Elizabeth I. His characterization of Elizabeth’s mother, Anne Boleyn (Anne Bullen in the play), who was often vilified, was actually very sympathetic in this version of the story, which is also filled with political intrigue. Though Elizabeth had been dead for 10 years when William Shakespeare collaborated on this project with John Fletcher in 1613, he probably still felt indebted to her for supporting his career so much.
The play follows the eventful courtship between Anne and Henry VIII and what would turn out to be their famously ill-fated marriage after he divorced his first wife. At the end of the play, “Anne gives birth to Princess Elizabeth who the Archbishop prophecies will become great.”[7]
3 Coriolanus
In addition to being amazingly talented, Shakespeare was also surprisingly diverse in his subject matter, working in a wide range of genres. Though his romantic plays and melodramas may be the most celebrated today, he also wrote about war, particularly in Coriolanus, which is sometimes labeled “Shakespeare’s war play.” According to Roman tradition, there was a distinguished military leader-turned-Roman politician, Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus, who historian Plutarch wrote about in Parallel Lives.
Coriolanus, noted for its gritty battleground scenes, is set during the forging of Rome’s republic, a time of deep division between the upper and lower classes. In the play, we see the aristocratic Coriolanus lose his bid for the highest elected office when he cannot hide his contempt for the ordinary people. He is subsequently banished from the city. Though he plans revenge, Coriolanus ultimately decides to spare the city and ushers in a time of peace, but like many of the historical figures Shakespeare chose to write about, he met with a tragic fate.[8]
2 Cymbeline
Set in ancient Britain, prior to the Roman conquest, Shakespeare’s play Cymbeline is taken from the story of a real historical figure, King Cunobeline. He was a powerful Celtic ruler whose domain included part of Essex and later Kent. Cunobeline reigned during a prosperous time in Britain and was on very good terms with the Roman Empire, even choosing to pay tribute to Rome, though he could have avoided it.
According to Raphael Holinshed’s 1587 Chronicles, the king’s oldest son, Guiderius, ceased this practice of paying tribute to Rome, which sparked the wrath of Emperor Claudius, leading him to invade Britain. In Shakespeare’s version, written between 1608 and 1610, which is a big departure from the historical tale, it is Cymbeline himself who refuses to pay tribute.
Cymbeline was also inspired by a story by Giovanni Boccaccio called Decameron, about a man who bets on his wife’s fidelity. In Shakespeare’s play, this plotline involves Cymbeline’s daughter, Imogen, and her husband, Postumus. After their secret wedding, Cymbeline banishes Postumus to Rome, where he accepts a wager on Imogen’s fidelity to him. The man he bets against is Giacomo, who intends to seduce her himself. This Shakespearian play actually has a happy ending for the romantic couple and for the kingdom.[9]
1 Othello
With its compelling exploration of such topics as love, jealousy, revenge, and interracial marriage, it’s no wonder the five-act tragedy Othello, written in 1603, remains one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. Following the controversial elopement of Venetian lady Desdemona to Othello, a military commander of Moorish heritage, the soldier, lago, plots revenge against Othello when he is passed over for the promotion of lieutenant in favor of Cassio. Lago’s evil plan is to convince Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. When he comes to believe his bride has been unfaithful, Othello goes mad and smothers her to death. Later, learning about the lie, he kills himself.
For a long time, it was assumed that the plot of Othello was taken from a novel by Italian author Giraldi Cinthio. However, in the late 19th century, a thrilling discovery was made that this passionate crime drama was based on a true story.
According to an 1898 article in the Ann Arbor Argus, Shakespeare was thought to have used information that he received from the Venetian embassy in London as inspiration for his play. One major difference between truth and fiction is that the real Othello didn’t actually murder Desdemona (whose real name was Palma), but he did brutally beat her.[10]