The Development of Shakespeare "The theater was clearly his chosen environment, and when we direct our attention to Shakespeare the playwright, we have come to the essential man" (Bentley 121). In the United States, Shakespeare is the most well known author of the Elizabethan era, but how did he achieve this magnificent status? Where did he get the ideas for the masterpieces that he produced? What went through his mind when he wrote characters like Hamlet, Julius Caesar, or even Bottom from A Midsummer Night's Dream? There were many factors that contributed to the works of art he produced, but a few do stand out above the rest: his use of words, his audience, cast, and