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'''William Shakespeare''' won renown as the greatest poet and playwright in the history of [[England]] and one of the greatest in [[Human]] history. He also had numerous encounters with [[the Doctor]] and was also attracted to [[Martha Jones]] ([[DW]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]''). One of his plays, ''[[Hamlet]]'', was written with help from the Doctor ([[DW]]: ''[[City of Death]]''), and another of his plays, ''Troilus and Cressida'' would, unknown to Shakespeare, be actually based upon the later life of the [[First Doctor]]'s companion, [[Vicki]], who adopted the identity of Cressida. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Myth Makers]]'')
'''William Shakespeare''' won renown as the greatest poet and playwright in the history of [[England]] and one of the greatest in [[Human]] history. He also had numerous encounters with [[the Doctor]] and was also attracted to [[Martha Jones]] ([[DW]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]''). One of his plays, ''[[Hamlet]]'', was written with help from the Doctor ([[DW]]: ''[[City of Death]]''), and another of his plays, ''Troilus and Cressida'' would, unknown to Shakespeare, be actually based upon the later life of the [[First Doctor]]'s companion, [[Vicki]], who adopted the identity of Cressida. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Myth Makers]]'')


==Appearances==
==Encounters with the Doctor==
[[Eighth Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Charley Pollard]] met a young Will Shakespeare who had been taken out of time by [[Viola Learman]] and brought to [[New Britain]] in the early 21st century, Will Shakespeare may have learnt about his own plays from [[Mariah Learman]]'s library. ([[BFA]]: ''[[The Time of the Daleks]]'')
[[1572]] - [[Eighth Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Charley Pollard]] met a young Will Shakespeare who had been taken out of time by [[Viola Learman]] and brought to [[New Britain]] in the early 21st century, Will Shakespeare may have learnt about his own plays from [[Mariah Learman]]'s library. ([[BFA]]: ''[[The Time of the Daleks]]'')


[[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] also shared a drink with an older Shakespeare, he later stowed away in [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] and began to attempt to influence events under the alias of Mr Seyton. ([[BFA]]: ''[[The Kingmaker]]'')
[[1597]] - [[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]] shared a drink with an older Shakespeare; he later stowed away in [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] and began to attempt to influence events under the alias of Mr Seyton. ([[BFA]]: ''[[The Kingmaker]]'')


[[Ninth Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Rose]] encountered Shakespeare.  At the Doctor's request, [[Rose]] agreed to distract Shakespeare "with a hey nonny nonny." He dismissed an attempt by [[Shadeys]] to destroy the Earth as a trick-show, and did not let it interfere with his future career ([[DWM]]: ''[[A Groatsworth of Wit]]).
c. [[1590s]] - [[Ninth Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Rose]] encountered Shakespeare.  At the Doctor's request, [[Rose]] agreed to distract Shakespeare "with a hey nonny nonny." He dismissed an attempt by [[Shadeys]] to destroy the Earth as a trick-show, and did not let it interfere with his future career ([[DWM]]: ''[[A Groatsworth of Wit]]).


[[Tenth Doctor|The Doctor]] encountered Shakespeare in [[1599]] when the [[witch]]-like [[Carrionite]]s wanted the wordsmith to complete the play ''[[Love's Labour's Won]]'' to free the rest of their kind.  
[[1599]] - [[Tenth Doctor|The Doctor]] encountered Shakespeare when the [[witch]]-like [[Carrionite]]s wanted the wordsmith to complete the play ''[[Love's Labour's Won]]'' to free the rest of their kind. With the help of the Doctor and [[Martha Jones]], the three Carrionites and their sisters were banished back into the [[Deep Darkness]]. During this encounter, Shakespeare developed an attraction to the Doctor and particularly Martha, whom he addressed as his "Dark Lady" ([[DW]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]'').


With the help of the Doctor and [[Martha Jones]], the three Carrionites and their sisters were banished back into the [[Deep Darkness]]. During this encounter, Shakespeare developed an attraction to the Doctor and particularly Martha, whom he addressed as his "Dark Lady" ([[DW]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]'').
c. [[1599]] to [[1601]] - Via the [[Time-Space Visualiser]], [[First Doctor|the Doctor]] and his companions watched William Shakespeare in conversation with Queen [[Elizabeth I]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Chase]]'') Within this same period, [[Fourth Doctor|The Doctor]] helped him transcribe ''[[Hamlet]]'' as Shakespeare had sprained his wrist writing sonnets. The Doctor claimed that he had warned Shakespeare that Hamlet's line "to take up arms against a sea of troubles" was a mixed metaphor, but that Shakespeare would not listen. ([[DW]]: ''[[City of Death]]'')


Via the [[Time-Space Visualiser]], [[First Doctor|the Doctor]] and his companions watched William Shakespeare in conversation with Queen [[Elizabeth I]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Chase]]'')
[[1609]] - Shakespeare, acting as an agent of the Crown, encounters [[First Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Irving Braxiatel]], and [[Galileo Galilei]], and is reunited with [[Christopher Marlowe]], whom he thought was dead. The Doctor forcibly made Shakespeare take a [[Retcon]]-like drug to erase his memory of the events he'd witnessed. ([[MA]]: ''[[The Empire of Glass]]'')
:''It is unknown, but possible that this affected Shakespeare's recollection of his other encounters of the Doctor.''


==Notable Characteristics==
==Notable Characteristics==
Shakespeare is notable for being one of the few humans who, without receiving any known sort of psychic training, is not fooled by the Doctor's psychic paper. The Doctor is very impressed by this fact and applauds him, stating it is proof that he is a genius. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]'')
Shakespeare is notable for being one of the few humans who, without receiving any known sort of psychic training, is not fooled by the Doctor's psychic paper. The Doctor is very impressed by this fact and applauds him, stating it is proof that he is a genius. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]'')


==References and mentions==
==Quotations and minor references==
[[Fourth Doctor|The Doctor]] claimed to have known the young Shakespeare, calling him a little boy who never said a word when he didn't need to. The Doctor also recognizes the handwriting in an original draft of Shakespeare's ''[[Hamlet]]'' as being his own, Shakespeare having sprained his wrist writing sonnets. The Doctor also said that he had warned Shakespeare that Hamlet's line "to take up arms against a sea of troubles" was a mixed metaphor, but that Shakespeare would not listen. ([[DW]]: ''[[City of Death]]'')
 
===Quotations and minor references===
*[[Planet of Evil]] (anecdote by the Doctor)
*[[Planet of Evil]] (anecdote by the Doctor)
*[[The Mark of the Rani]] (quoted)
*[[The Mark of the Rani]] (quoted)
*[[The Two Doctors]] (''Hamlet'' quoted)
*[[The Two Doctors]] (''Hamlet'' quoted)
*[[The Ultimate Foe]] (''Hamlet'' quoted)
*[[The Ultimate Foe]] (''Hamlet'' quoted)
*[[The Empire of Glass]] (perhaps?)
*[[Charles Dickens]] used the exclamation, "What the Shakespeare?!" to express alarm. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Unquiet Dead]]'')
*[[Charles Dickens]] used the exclamation, "What the Shakespeare?!" to express alarm. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Unquiet Dead]]'')
::''An obvious play on the expression, "What the dickens?"''
::''An obvious play on the expression, "What the dickens?"''


==Behind the scenes==
==Behind the scenes==
In ''The Shakespeare Code'', the Tenth Doctor acts as though he's never met Shakespeare before, despite the Fourth Doctor indicating in ''City of Death'' that he knew Shakespeare well enough to help him write ''Hamlet''. Reportedly a line of dialogue was written for the later episode to explain this, but the line was cut. Without this line, it can be surmised that, for reasons unknown, the Doctor no longer remembers meeting Shakespeare. Another possibility is that Shakespeare met whichever Doctor helped him write ''Hamlet'' after the events of ''The Shakespeare Code'', in Shakespeare's own personal timeline.
*In ''The Shakespeare Code'', the Tenth Doctor acts as though he's never met Shakespeare before, despite the Fourth Doctor indicating in ''City of Death'' that he knew Shakespeare well enough to help him write ''Hamlet''. Reportedly a line of dialogue was written for the later episode to explain this, but the line was cut.  
: ''Since ''Hamlet'' was believed to be written between 1599 and 1601, Shakespeare likely met whichever Doctor helped him transcribe ''Hamlet'' after the events of ''The Shakespeare Code'', in Shakespeare's own personal timeline.''


During ''The Shakespeare Code'' there is a moment when the Doctor notices Shakespeare is flirting with him after just having done so with Martha, to which he says, "Fifty-seven academics just punched the air." This is a reference to the fact that most of Shakespeare's sonnets, including Sonnet 18, are believed by Shakespearean academics to be addressed to a man, and there is a sizable body of scholarship on Shakespeare's sexuality.  
*During ''The Shakespeare Code'' there is a moment when the Doctor notices Shakespeare is flirting with him after just having done so with Martha, to which he says, "Fifty-seven academics just punched the air." This is a reference to the fact that most of Shakespeare's sonnets, including Sonnet 18, are believed by Shakespearean academics to be addressed to a man, and there is a sizable body of scholarship on Shakespeare's sexuality.  


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Revision as of 09:09, 26 February 2009

William Shakespeare won renown as the greatest poet and playwright in the history of England and one of the greatest in Human history. He also had numerous encounters with the Doctor and was also attracted to Martha Jones (DW: The Shakespeare Code). One of his plays, Hamlet, was written with help from the Doctor (DW: City of Death), and another of his plays, Troilus and Cressida would, unknown to Shakespeare, be actually based upon the later life of the First Doctor's companion, Vicki, who adopted the identity of Cressida. (DW: The Myth Makers)

Encounters with the Doctor

1572 - The Doctor and Charley Pollard met a young Will Shakespeare who had been taken out of time by Viola Learman and brought to New Britain in the early 21st century, Will Shakespeare may have learnt about his own plays from Mariah Learman's library. (BFA: The Time of the Daleks)

1597 - The Doctor shared a drink with an older Shakespeare; he later stowed away in the Doctor's TARDIS and began to attempt to influence events under the alias of Mr Seyton. (BFA: The Kingmaker)

c. 1590s - The Doctor and Rose encountered Shakespeare. At the Doctor's request, Rose agreed to distract Shakespeare "with a hey nonny nonny." He dismissed an attempt by Shadeys to destroy the Earth as a trick-show, and did not let it interfere with his future career (DWM: A Groatsworth of Wit).

1599 - The Doctor encountered Shakespeare when the witch-like Carrionites wanted the wordsmith to complete the play Love's Labour's Won to free the rest of their kind. With the help of the Doctor and Martha Jones, the three Carrionites and their sisters were banished back into the Deep Darkness. During this encounter, Shakespeare developed an attraction to the Doctor and particularly Martha, whom he addressed as his "Dark Lady" (DW: The Shakespeare Code).

c. 1599 to 1601 - Via the Time-Space Visualiser, the Doctor and his companions watched William Shakespeare in conversation with Queen Elizabeth I. (DW: The Chase) Within this same period, The Doctor helped him transcribe Hamlet as Shakespeare had sprained his wrist writing sonnets. The Doctor claimed that he had warned Shakespeare that Hamlet's line "to take up arms against a sea of troubles" was a mixed metaphor, but that Shakespeare would not listen. (DW: City of Death)

1609 - Shakespeare, acting as an agent of the Crown, encounters The Doctor, Irving Braxiatel, and Galileo Galilei, and is reunited with Christopher Marlowe, whom he thought was dead. The Doctor forcibly made Shakespeare take a Retcon-like drug to erase his memory of the events he'd witnessed. (MA: The Empire of Glass)

It is unknown, but possible that this affected Shakespeare's recollection of his other encounters of the Doctor.

Notable Characteristics

Shakespeare is notable for being one of the few humans who, without receiving any known sort of psychic training, is not fooled by the Doctor's psychic paper. The Doctor is very impressed by this fact and applauds him, stating it is proof that he is a genius. (DW: The Shakespeare Code)

Quotations and minor references

An obvious play on the expression, "What the dickens?"

Behind the scenes

  • In The Shakespeare Code, the Tenth Doctor acts as though he's never met Shakespeare before, despite the Fourth Doctor indicating in City of Death that he knew Shakespeare well enough to help him write Hamlet. Reportedly a line of dialogue was written for the later episode to explain this, but the line was cut.
Since Hamlet was believed to be written between 1599 and 1601, Shakespeare likely met whichever Doctor helped him transcribe Hamlet after the events of The Shakespeare Code, in Shakespeare's own personal timeline.
  • During The Shakespeare Code there is a moment when the Doctor notices Shakespeare is flirting with him after just having done so with Martha, to which he says, "Fifty-seven academics just punched the air." This is a reference to the fact that most of Shakespeare's sonnets, including Sonnet 18, are believed by Shakespearean academics to be addressed to a man, and there is a sizable body of scholarship on Shakespeare's sexuality.
William Shakespeare