Shakespeare was England's leading dramatist, and he had the support of queen Elizabeth I and king James I, who succeeded her. Besides plays, he wrote many famous sonnets, became a rich man and finally left London and returned to Stratford in 1611, where he died in 1616. One of the giants of English literature, Shakespeare is recognized the world over not only as a great dramatist but also as a poet of extraordinary sensibility and linguistic gifts. Tales from Shakespeare has reduced the archaic English and complicated Storyline of Shakespeare to a simple level that children can read and comprehend. The following plays have been selected and adapted into tales for the young reader as an introduction to the study of Shakespeare: The Tempest, as you Like It, All's well that ends well, The Taming of the Shrew, the comedy of errors, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, prince of Denmark.