William Shakespeare, surely the world's most performed and admired playwright, was born in April, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, about 100 miles northwest of London. He was to become one of the most famous playwriters at that time, and one of Great Britain's most treasured heritage. During his youth, he worked as an actor in a small acting group hired by queen Elizabeth 1st and her staff. They often acted the plays written by the young William Shakespeare. His plays called for attention because they were very good, and later literature researchers claim that Shakespeare used a pseudonym because it was impossible that such a genious lacked higher education. This statement is not credible though. Some of the most acted plays in the world are written by Shakespeare. Shakespeare died 52 years later on April 23, and, most significantly--since April 23 is St. George's day, the patron saint of England, it has become traditional to assign the birth day of England's most famous poet to April 23. 
Shakespeare's parents were John and Mary Shakespeare, who lived in Henley Street, Stratford. John, the son of Richard Shakespeare, was a whittawer (a maker, worker and seller of leather goods such as purses, belts and gloves) and a dealer in agricultural commodities. He was a solid, middle class citizen at the time of William's birth. Mary, the daughter of Robert Arden, had in all eight children with John Shakespeare. William was the third child and the first son. He was educated at the local grammar school, and married Anne Hathaway, from a local farming family, in 1582. She bore him a daughter, Susanna, in 1583, and twins, Hamnet and Judith, in 1585. - The Classical plays: his first works which were heavily influenced by the classical examples he had learned as a student. The plays The Comedy of Errors, and Titus Andronicus are examples of such plays. Not very good examples compared with Shakespeare's later work, but better than most plays being performed on the English stage at the time.
- The History plays: where Shakespeare took the rough materials he found in certain early chronicle plays, and virtually invented a new genre called the history play. His early works in this genre, of course, were the three Henry VI plays (the first part probably composed after parts 2 and 3) and Richard III.
- The Narrative Poems and Sonnets: his favourite author Ovid served as the model for Venus and Adonis and the Rape of Lucrece, both dedicated to Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton. The sonnets were probably composed over a number of years, but were probably completed by 1597.
- Experiments in comedy: The Taming of the Shrew, based on Italian comedy, Two Gentlemen of Verona, an experiment with plot and character, and the more mature Love's Labour's Lost, probably all belong to this period.
- Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, King Lear and Julius Caesar are the most famous works in this genre.
Romeo & Juliet
Hamlet
Macbeth
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Julius Caesar
Othello
As You Like It
Much Ado About Nothing
This play was to become the probably most exhibited play ever. Through centuries people have been moved by this love story from Verona in Italy. Even today, about 400 years after Shakespeare's death, Romeo and Juliet is played all over the world, and numerous films and musicals are influenced by these two lovers who had to die for their strong love. Every year thousands of tourists all over the world visit Juliet's house and tomb in Italy, probably because the tragic love story is recognizable for everybody..... 
Juliet's tomb is visited by thousands of people, and many people hope to get help in love questions by putting love letters and wishes into the grave...... 
Roald Dahl was born in Llanddaff, Wales on September 13. 1916. His parents were Norwegian, and he was the only son in a second marriage. His father and sister died when Roald was only three years old. His childhood was filled with books and stories, and the young Roald was told stories about trolls and mythical Norwegian creatures by his mother. His childhood was actually very much influenced by his mother, and a lot of his works are characterized by this close relationship. When he attended Llandaff Cathedral School from the age of seven to nine, his trips to the sweet shop were quite frequent. The seeds of the novels Boy, and Charlie and the chocolate factory can be traced back to this period of his life. His later school experiences were not easy for Roald. His teachers were not especially fond of children, and some the characters in his books for children (read: Miss Truchbull) came from this period of his life. His career as a book author includes material both for children and for adults. Maybe his ability to reach all ages and both genders is the brilliance in his writing?
His Works: He started writing for grown-ups, and the first stories were first published in magazines such as New Yorker, Harpers and Atlantic Monthly. One of the most famous short stories “lamb to the slaughter” has often been found in the Norwegian curriculum in the secondary school. Some of his most famous works are: Boy, Witches, Matilda, Charlie and the chocolate factory, The BFG, among numerous of short stories an other works. Roald Dahl got to be very famous; and he experienced a lot of success. But his life was not entirely easy however; he also had to endure tragedies and sadness. He lost his oldest daughter due to sickness, and his son was brain damaged after a road accident. In 1990 he got a rare blood disease, and he died on Nov. 23 rd 1990, at the age of 74. People all over the world grieved over him. His popularity maintained after his death, and his books are still read and sold in large numbers.
The group that more than anything is linked to Great Britain and British pop music, has to be - the Beatles. The four young men: John Lennon (1940–1980), Paul McCartney (1942), George Harrison (1943–2001), and Ringo Starr (1940) from Liverpool, founded the extremely successful group in 1960, and they were active until 1970. The group shattered many sales records, and the concerts they held were described as almost madness. People screamed and fainted, and the band members needed protection from life guards in order to get safely on and off stage. The British press called the phenomenon "Beatlemania" The memebers of The Beatles were one of the first musicians who composed most of their own material, and their evolving repertoire spanned many genres such as ballads, psychedelic music, blues and country music. In addition to this, they introduced a new look. The fringe, and the not excactly neat appearance, made them trendsetters throughout the decade. Although the parents sceptical view, they had to accept that the young chaps clothes, hairstyles and choice of musical instruments made a difference. Also their growing social awareness, which reflected in the development of their music, made their influence extend far beyond the music scene, into the social and cultural area in society. Although the group disbanded in 1970 due to much disagreement, the band member experienced much success on their own apart from The Beatles. The fans kept on hoping for reunion, but it was dashed when Lennon was murdered December 8 1980. In 2005, the famous magazine Variety named them the most iconic entertainers of the 20th century. Some of the most famous lyrics by The Beatles are: "Help", "Norwegian Wood " "Michelle", "And i love her" "She loves you" "A hard day`s night The Scots are also well known for their humour: This one combines the Scots characteristics of reticence and understatement:
Two brothers worked a croft together. One day the youngest brother went out into the world. After twelve years he was back again. The elder brother asked: "Whar are thoo been?" His brother answered: "Oot!"
Scots are a very generous nation but like to portray themselves as mean...
- A Scotsman, an Englishman and an Australian were in a bar and had just started on a new round of drinks when a fly landed in each glass of beer. The Englishman took his out on the blade of his Swiss Army knife. The Australian blew his away in a cloud of froth. The Scotsman lifted his one up carefully by the wings and held it above his glass. "Go on, spit it oot, ye wee devil" he growled.
-The Scots have an infallible cure for sea-sickness. They lean over the side of the ship with a ten pence coin in their teeth.
-In some Scottish restaurants they heat the knives so you can't use too much butter.
-It is now generally accepted that golf did not originate in Scotland. No Scotsman would invent a game in which it was possible to lose a ball.
-McTavish broke the habit of a lifetime and bought two tickets for a raffle. One of his tickets won a 1,000 pound prize. He was asked how he felt about his big win. "Disappointed" said McTavish. "My other ticket????
Donald MacDonald from the Isle of Skye (or maybe it was Neil McNeil from Barra, but anyway..) went to study at an English university and was living in the hall of residence with all the other students there. After he had been there a month, his mother came to visit him (no doubt carrying reinforcements of tatties, salt herring, oatmeal and whisky). "And how do you find the English students, Donald?" she asked."Mother," he replied, "they're such terrible, noisy people. The one on that side keeps banging his head on the wall and won't stop. The one on the other side screams and screams all night." "Oh Donald! How do you manage to put up with these awful noisy English neighbours?"
"Mother, I do nothing. I just ignore them. I just stay here quietly, playing my bagpipes."
Sports is an important part of the British culture. All over the world - and especially in the former British Empire - you can find that sports is a strongliving remains of the British. The fact that cricket is a popular sport in India and rugby in Australia can not be explained in other ways than the presence of the British.
It is also strongly rooted in the identity, going to the pub for a pint and then to a football match is regarded as typical British.
. It is said that rugby started when Webb Elliot picked up the ball and ran with it in a soccer game in the early 1800's. Each public school and university had their own playing rules until the 1860's when they all started to follow the rules practised at Rugby School. In the 1890's rugby was divided into two, Rugby League and Rugby Union. Rugby league as the sports for the working class and rugby union mostly played by the upper class students at private schools and universities. The number of players and the rules are slightly different in the two variants. Rugby has spread throughout the world with Australia, New Zealand, France, South Africa, Wales and England as the most dominating countries
There are found traces of activities similar to cricket as early as in the 1300's. The game is played between two teams with eleven players on each. It's played with a bat and ball. The aim is to score as many runs as possible. A match can last for many hours - even many days! Cricket is most popular in the Commonwealth, in countries as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, England and Wales.
Claimed to be the most popular sport in the world and also strongly connected to the United Kingdom. The most known and loved league througout the world is the English Premier League, where high profiled teams Manchester United and Liverpool compete about the premiership. Scotland has its own league with Celtic and Rangers as the most known teams. When these two teams meet the issue at stake is much more than football. The supporters also belong to different religions, Protestants and Catholics and there have been many fights off the field in connection with these meetings. Playing in Premier League is the dream of many a young footballer. Nowhere else in the world can a fotballplayer gain as much fame - and fortune - as in English football. A good example of this is David Beckham. His fame was first connected to the fact that he was a very good footballer, but now more of the focus is on his familylife and the products he promote. All over the world people follow "their" team and take part in the team's ups and downs. It is also a very popular reason for foreigners to visit the United Kingdom.