History Main / WilliamFakespeare

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' of Creator/AAPessimal, the canonical Hwel the Dwarf is credited with [[Theater/{{Macbeth}} The Lancre Play]], which is so unbelievably bad-luck that when even Nobby Nobbs of the Watch mentions it, a long way from any theatre, passing actors are floored by the most improbable million-to-one accidents. Nobby [[ForTheEvulz cannot help but take advantage]]. Elsewhere, a Witch flying over a bleak wasteland is reminded of her schooldays and having to do a half-remembered play, about a [[Theatre/KingLear King who got a bit ''leery'']] and was banished to a blasted heath with only his Fool for company. Which she considers to be cruel and sadistic punishment.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

-->-- '''Kyle "Oancitizen" Kallgren''', ''WebVideo/BrowsHeldHigh'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3uYipLshD4 review]] of ''Film/{{Anonymous}}''

* ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'' gives us William Shamspeare, an untalented [[UsefulNotes/UnitedKingdom British]] writer who takes after Shakespeare's image and rips off several of the Bard's plots.

* In ''Series/GameOfThrones'', the TV adaptation of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the "Bloody Hand" play also features when Arya is in Braavos. However, in this version, Arya is a spectator, not an actor, and the title is about both an in-universe HistoricalVillainUpgrade (but [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain incompetent]]) Ned Stark, as well as an in-universe HistoricalVillainUpgrade Tyrion Lannister. And the playwright here is Izembarro, who is a LargeHam with a very high opinion of himself played by Creator/RichardEGrant, who, in this version, is also a Player King-type lead actor who plays King Robert Baratheon and Tywin Lannister, respectively the "victims" of Ned and Tyrion. The play itself is basically an over-the-top [[StylisticSuck deliberately bad]] CompressedAdaptation of the show's first four seasons, and is used both for TakeThatUs and TakeThatAudience[=/=]TakeThatCritics purposes.

* The Creator/KJParker story "Told By An Idiot" is a rare instance of this being done without a secondary world setting, with the central joke of the story being that Shakespeare is never mentioned, because the narrator can't remember his name, but is lurking in the background throughout. The unnamed narrator is a shady Welsh-born theatre owner (presumably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Evans_(theatre) Henry Evans]] of The Blackfriars Theatre, who is BornLucky and thinks he has a good nose from what sells. The narrator often does business with a struggling hack playwright named Master Allardyce, whose playwrighting attempts mirror successful Shakespeare plays. In-story, Allardyce coined the phrase "All The World's a Stage", and it's mentioned that he sold a bunch of his unfinished comedies to "some hack who worked for the Other Lot, across the river" (i.e. Shakespeare himself). Parker uses the ItWillNeverCatchOn trope for humor, as the narrator rejects Allardye's play about [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} a man who can't make up his mind]], and is also uninterested in a play about Henry II, because he believes audiences [[Theatre/HenryIV aren't]] [[Theatre/HenryVI interested]] in plays about kings named Henry [[OneSteveLimit because they won't be able to tell the different Henries apart]].

* The Creator/KJParker story "Told By An Idiot" is a rare instance of this being done without a secondary world setting, with the central joke of the story being that while never mentioned, Shakespeare is obviously lurking like a ghost throughout. The story is narrated by an unnamed Burbage-like theatre producer in Elizabethan England who is BornLucky and has what he believes is a good nose for what sells. One of the playwrights he buys plays from is a Master Allardyce, whose plays evidently contain a number of Shakespeare quotes and seem to be similar plotwise, even if for instance, they involve different English Kings than those of Shakespeare. In all cases, the narrator has a ItWillNeverCatchOn response to Allardyce's work, especially the [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} play about a man who can't make up his mind]].

* In ''Theatre/RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead'', the eponymous characters have a lot of interaction with the Player (King) that Hamlet hires, and Stoppard's play clearly uses him as part of its overall parody of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' specifically, as well as Shakespeare generally, and in some productions (e.g. the 2017 Old Vic production with Daniel Radcliffe), he looks like a very seedy William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's use of of male actors to play female characters as well as his plays' frequent HoYay is represented by the Player's use of Alfred, a young actor who he frequently sexually harasses. Not only does Alfred function as both MsFanservice and MrFanservice in the Player's plays, but the Player prostitutes him to earn extra funds. Additionally, Stoppard satirizes the violent nature of Shakespeare's tragedies with a quote from the Player about the type of plays his troop performs (despite the fact that Shakespeare wrote a lot of comedies and romances that all had happy endings):

* ''VideoGame/AceAttorney'' gives us Shamspeare, an untalented British writer who takes after Shakespeare's image and rips off several of the Bard's plots.

Creator/WilliamShakespeare is obviously a celebrated and [[SmallReferencePools well-known]] author, leading to a number of references to his writings in countless works. See ReferencedBy.WilliamShakespeare. However, some works, typically MedievalEuropeanFantasy or those in a Renaissance or Baroque analogue, go a step further by having an [[NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed in-universe writer obviously modeled after Shakespeare]]. Besides being referenced/read by characters, characters will also often [[ShowWithinAShow attend or act in one of this writer's plays]], allowing for an AffectionateParody of Shakespeare with lots of StylisticSuck and lampshading of dramatic conventions associated with his works (e.g. [[TalkingIsAFreeAction characters giving long speeches while dying]], men playing female roles, including [[RecursiveCrossDressing female roles disguised as men]], and [[KillEmAll the tendency of tragedies to end with the deaths of nearly the entire cast]]). On occasion, the Shakespeare analogue will even be a character in the story. Because of some evidence that Shakespeare may have acted in some of his own plays, including according to legend, the Player King in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', some Shakespeare expies that appear will likewise be ([[LargeHam invariably hammy]]) lead actors in their own plays.

* In John Hornor Jacobs' novel ''Literature/TheIncorruptibles'', which is set in a fantasy version of the American West which was settled by Romans, Shoe, a dwarf is forced to help the [[TheyLookLikeEveryoneElse seemingly mild-mannered and nondescript but totally despicable]] engineer Beleth torture and experiment on one of TheFairFolk, because Shoe can understand their language. At one point, when Shoe hesitates to translate because of his disgust, Beleth quotes their version of Shakespeare while [[FauxAffablyEvil semi-jokingly]] [[KnifeNut threatening Shoe]] with a ColdIron blade:

Creator/WilliamShakespeare is obviously a celebrated and [[SmallReferencePools well-known]] author, leading to [[ShoutOutToShakespeare a number of references to his writings in countless works]]. However, some works, typically MedievalEuropeanFantasy or those in a Renaissance or Baroque analogue, go a step further by having an [[NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed in-universe writer obviously modeled after Shakespeare]]. Besides being referenced/read by characters, characters will also often [[ShowWithinAShow attend or act in one of this writer's plays]], allowing for an AffectionateParody of Shakespeare with lots of StylisticSuck and lampshading of dramatic conventions associated with his works (e.g. [[TalkingIsAFreeAction characters giving long speeches while dying]], men playing female roles, including [[RecursiveCrossDressing female roles disguised as men]], and [[KillEmAll the tendency of tragedies to end with the deaths of nearly the entire cast]]). On occasion, the Shakespeare analogue will even be a character in the story. Because of some evidence that Shakespeare may have acted in some of his own plays, including according to legend, the Player King in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', some Shakespeare expies that appear will likewise be ([[LargeHam invariably hammy]]) lead actors in their own plays.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', while Arya Stark is in the CityOfCanals, Braavos, she hears of Shakespeare-like plays being performed (unlike the medieval Westeros, which only has bards and mummers, Braavos is in the Renaissance and has playwrights), and later performs in one herself, titled "The Blood Hand", written by Phario Forel, known as the "bloodiest quill of all of Braavos" and performed by the troop of a guy named Izembarro. The play gives an in-universe HistoricalVillainUpgrade to Tyrion Lannister, who is framed as a Theatre/RichardIII-style EvilCripple murderous schemer. [[note]] Besides the opportunity to give a ShoutOutToShakespeare, there's an irony obvious to the audience but not the characters, in that while the play gives an exaggeratedly evil version of Tyrion, especially in terms of the real events it retells, at this same point in time, the actual Tyrion Lannister has started to become a lot like the fake evil version of him, due to a large dose of ThenLetMeBeEvil. [[/note]]

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', the play that the main character is performing at the start of the game, 'I Want to Be Your Canary', is an obvious parallel to Romeo and Juliet. The play is credited to a Lord Avon, as in Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace. Also, one of the minor characters in the game is named [[Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream Puck]]. Additionally, in the original Japanese, the king, played by Baku, was named Theatre/KingLear.

* Detlef Sierck of ''Literature/{{Drachenfels}}'', occasionally mentioned in other ''Warhammer Fantasy'' works. A widely famed poet and playwright, like the Bard, though his name is a reference to Hollywood director Douglas Sirk.

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Literature/WyrdSisters'', one of the characters is the [[SquareRaceRoundClass dwarf playwright]] Hwel (a Welsh name that is pronounced like "Will"), who is hired to put on a [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} Macbeth]]-like play as propaganda by the EvilPrince usurper-to-the-throne. He's also mentioned in two other books that riff on Shakespeare, the ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' flavoured ''Literature/LordsAndLadies (where for some reason, his play based on the events of the book is called ''[[Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew The Taming of the Vole]]'') and the loosely ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' inspired ''Literature/UnseenAcademicals'' (where he's the author of a play called ''Star-Crossed'').

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Literature/WyrdSisters'', one of the characters is the [[SquareRaceRoundClass dwarf playwright]] Hwel (a Welsh name that is pronounced like "Will"), who is hired to put on a [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} Macbeth]]-like play as propaganda by the EvilPrince usurper-to-the-throne.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', the play that the main character is performing at the start of the game, 'I Want to Be Your Canary', is an obvious parallel to Romeo and Juliet The play is credited to a Lord Avon, as in Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace. Also, one of the minor characters in the game is named [[Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream Puck]]. Additionally, in the original Japanese, the king, played by Baku, was named Theatre/KingLear.

* In ''Theatre/RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead'', the eponymous characters have a lot of interaction with the Player (King) that Hamlet hires, and Stoppard's play clearly uses him as part of its overall parody of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' specifically, as well as Shakespeare generally, and in some productions (i.e. the 2017 Old Vic production with Daniel Radcliffe), he looks like a very seedy William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's use of of male actors to play female characters as well as his plays' frequent HoYay is represented by the Player's use of Alfred, a young actor who he frequently sexually harasses. Not only does Alfred function as both MsFanservice and MrFanservice in the Player's plays, but the Player prostitutes him to earn extra funds. Additionally, Stoppard satirizes the violent nature of Shakespeare's tragedies with a quote from the Player about the type of plays his troop performs (despite the fact that Shakespeare wrote a lot of comedies and romances that all had happy endings):

Creator/WilliamShakespeare is obviously a celebrated and [[SmallReferencePools well-known]] author, leading to [[ShoutOutToShakespeare a number of references to his writings in countless works]]. However, some works, typically MedievalEuropeanFantasy or those in a Renaissance or Baroque analogue, go a step further by having an [[NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed in-universe writer obviously modeled after Shakespeare]]. Besides being referenced/read by characters, characters will also often [[ShowWithinAShow attend or act in one of this writer's plays]], allowing for an AffectionateParody of Shakespeare with lots of StylisticSuck and lampshading of dramatic conventions associated with his works (i.e. [[TalkingIsAFreeAction characters giving long speeches while dying]], men playing female roles, including [[RecursiveCrossDressing female roles disguised as men]], and [[KillEmAll the tendency of tragedies to end with the deaths of nearly the entire cast]]). On occasion, the Shakespeare analogue will even be a character in the story. Because of some evidence that Shakespeare may have acted in some of his own plays, including according to legend, the Player King in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', some Shakespeare expies that appear will likewise be ([[LargeHam invariably hammy]]) lead actors in their own plays.

Besides Shakespeare's popularity, one likely reason for the frequent creation of in-universe equivalents is that Shakespeare's own plays often had meta-theatrical elements (i.e. ''Theatre/TheTempest'', ''Theatre/HenryV'', and ''Theatre/AsYouLikeIt''), and also sometimes included play-within-a-play scenes containing SelfParody (i.e. ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew'', ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'', and ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}''). which also likely explains the large number of works involving a play-within-a-play where the characters perform Shakespeare (i.e. ''Theatre/KissMeKate'' and ''Theatre/TheDresser'').

* In ''Theatre/RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead'', the eponymous characters have a lot of interaction with the Player (King) that Hamlet hires, and Stoppard's play clearly uses him as part of its overall parody of ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' specifically, as well as Shakespeare generally, and in some productions (i.e. the 2017 Old Vic production with Daniel Radcliffe), he looks like a very seedy William Shakespeare). Shakespeare's use of of male actors to play female characters as well as his plays' frequent HoYay is represented by the Player's use of Alfred, a young actor who he frequently sexually harasses. Not only does Alfred function as both MsFanservice and MrFanservice in the Player's plays, but the Player prostitutes him to earn extra funds. Additionally, Stoppard satirizes the violent nature of Shakespeare's tragedies with a quote from the Player about the type of plays his troop performs (despite the fact that Shakespeare wrote a lot of comedies and romances that all had happy endings):

* In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel ''Discworld/WyrdSisters'', one of the characters is the [[SquareRaceRoundClass dwarf playwright]] Hwel (a Welsh name that is pronounced like "Will"), who is hired to put on a [[Theatre/{{Macbeth}} Macbeth]]-like play as propaganda by the EvilPrince usurper-to-the-throne.

* In John Hornor Jacobs' novel ''Literature/TheIncorruptibles'', which is set in a fantasy version of the American West which was settled by Romans, Shoe, a dwarf is forced to help the [[TheyLookLikeEveryoneElse seemingly mild-mannered and nondescript but totally despicable]] engineer Beleth torture and experiment on one of TheFairFolk, because Shoe can understand their language. At one point, when Shoe hesitates to translate because of his disgust, Beleth quotes their version of Shakespeare while [[FauxAffablyEvil semi-jokingly]] [[KnifeNut threatening Shoe with a ColdIron blade]]:

* In one scene in John Hornor Jacobs' novel ''Literature/TheIncorruptibles'', which is set in a fantasy version of the American West which was settled by Romans, Shoe, who is a dwarf is forced to help the [[LooksLikeEveryoneElse seemingly mild mannered and nondescript but totally despicable]] engineer Beleth torture and experiment on one of TheFairFolk, because Shoe can understand their language. At one point, when Shoe hesitates to translate because of his disgust, Beleth quotes their version of Shakespeare while [FauxAffablyEvil semi-jokingly]] [[KnifeNut threatening Shoe with a ColdIron blade]]:

* ''Fanfic/TheNorthRemembers'', an OriginalFlavor fanfic of ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', there is a Shakespeare-inspired play in Arya's storyline. It is an anti-Lannister satire targeting HalfIdenticalTwins Cersei and Jaime Lannister and their VillainousIncest. The play starts out as a comedy in the vein of ''Theatre/TwelfthNight'', with HalfIdenticalTwins separated by shipwreck, but then makes a GenreShift to Jacobean revenge tragedy, as the twins engage in adultery and plot murder.[[note]]Actual Jacobean revenge tragedies sometimes involved BrotherSisterIncest (i.e. ''Theatre/TisPityShesAWhore'' and ''Theatre/TheDuchessOfMalfi'').[[/folder]]

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', while Arya Stark is in the CityOfCanals, Braavos, she hears of Shakespeare-like plays being performed (unlike the medieval Westeros, which only has bards and mummers, Braavos is in the Renaissance and has playwrights), and later performs in one herself, titled "The Blood Hand", written by Phario Forel, known as the "bloodiest quill of all of Braavos" and performed by the troop of a guy named Izembarro. The play gives an in-universe HistoricalVillainUpgrade to Tyrion Lannister, who is framed as a Theatre/RichardIII-style EvilCripple murderous schemer. [[note]]Besides the opportunity to give a ShoutOutToShakespeare, there's an irony obvious to the audience but not the characters, in that while the play gives an exaggeratedly evil version of Tyrion, especially in terms of the real events it retells, at this same point in time, the actual Tyrion Lannister has started to become a lot like the fake evil version of him, due to a large dose of ThenLetMeBeEvil.[[/note]]

* In one scene in ''Literature/{{Swordspoint}}'', the main characters attend a Shakespeare-like play (note, I haven't read the book, so don't know if the play or its writer are named), and mock it for features like characters giving long speeches while dying.