Teeming with experts in manipulation – from Machiavellian villains like Iago and Richard III, to more playful tricksters like Puck and Viola – William Shakespeare’s plays offer a surprising and fresh perspective on the art of social engineering. Via a deep analysis of the language and actions of these characters, we will explore Shakespeare’s skill in pretexting, spearphishing and baiting. With his mastery of the English language and appreciation of human psychology, there’s still a lot to learn from Shakespeare.