What made Italy the land of numerous plays by Shakespeare? Approximately one-third of his plays take place on the peninsula. Shakespeare’s work is immortalized, and his expressive writing has had a noteworthy influence on the English language, but what caused him to write about this foreign land?

Numerous theories exist about Shakespeare’s life and works, especially regarding Italy. Many note that his plays set in Italy are so adequately described they indicate first-hand knowledge. Documentation about Shakespeare is somewhat limited, but it is accepted that he was born in England in 1564.