WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

(1564-1616)

1. LIFE
   He is probably the most famous poet and dramatist of all time. He was born in England in a town called Stratford upon Avon in 1564 – that was the reign of Elizabeth I. He was the youngest child of a glove maker John Shakespeare and his wife Mary. William originally had 6 siblings, but only his sister and brother reached adulthood. Beacause of a good status of his fahther in the town he could attend the local grammar school.

In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway from a nearby village Shottery. She was 8 years older than him and they had two daugters – Susan and Judith. Judith had a twin Hamlet , but sadly he died at the age of 11. Little of Shakespeare’s life is known until 1592 when he came to London and joined a group of actors known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, they were in a patronage of James I. After some time he bought the Globe Theatre. At first he helped to adapt or re-write older plays but later he started to write his own plays and he was very successful. Both the Queen Elizabeth I and than James I liked him very much and personally attended his plays. In 1613 cannon fire during a play of “Henry VIII” caused a fire that burned the Globe Theatre to the ground.

Luckily Shakespeare made enough money so he could buy a new fine house in Stratford. But soon after his sons death he went back to Stratford and lived a quiet life with his family. He died on the same day as he was born ( on 23rd April). The legend say that he died after a loud and noisy birthday celebration with his friends. He is buried at local Trinity Church. There are only two portraits of Shakespeare which are authentic and one of them is the bust in Stratford in the Trinity Church.

1. WORK
   Shakespeare is an author of beautiful sonnets and at least 37 plays - he wrote comedies, history plays and also tragedies. He also participated with some other authors. We can easily recognize his work because of the richness of his language and

Comedies: The Comedy of Effors, The Two Gentleman of Verona, A Midsummer – Nigh’s Dream, Merry Wives of Windsdor…

History plays: Julius Caesar, Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI

Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello.

Romeo and Juliet its about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families

Hamlet Its Shakespeare's longest play. It´s about Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to get his throne and marry Hamlet's mother.

TO BE, OR NOT TO BE – THAT IS THE QUESTION