William Shakespeare was an English poet and a playwright. He wrote thirty eight plays and one hundred fifty four sonnets. Shakespeare is considered to be the greatest writer in the English language. His work included tragedy, comedy, and historical works. Some of his most famous plays are Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. William Shakespeare was a legendary man, we do not know much about his life. But, we know enough.
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, 23rd April, 1564 (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). His father was a successful businessman and his mother was the daughter of a landowner (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).When William Shakespeare was just eighteen years old he married Anne Hathaway. Their marriage was a little strange because Shakespeare spent most of his time in London. They had three children; Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. Hamnet died at the age of eleven and inspired the play Hamlet (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).
He first made his appearance in London, where his plays would be written and performed (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). It is believed that by 1592 Shakespeare was well known enough to get critiqued by critics and already considered to be an established playwright (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). After the year 1594 William Shakespeare’s plays were only acted out by the company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men. After the death of Queen Elizabeth the company was given a royal patent the renamed it, The Kingsmen (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).
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William Shakespeare created his own theatre on the River Thames (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). He named it the Globe Theatre. After that, a record of all his land purchases and investments that Shakespeare made showed that he was a very wealthy man (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). So much so that he bought properties all across London for him and his family, sense he spent most of his time there (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).
Shakespeare continued to work with his company, The Globe Theatre. Until around 1610, when he retired working on the stage (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). But, he still continued to support the Globe Theatre. William Shakespeare would buy apartments for fellow playwrights and actors to live in (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).
In 1594 Shakespeare’s first known quartos of his plays were published. His name became the selling point of his career (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). This led to his success as a playwright and an actor on stage. William Shakespeare’s name was even published on the title page of his plays.
William Shakespeare was known for both his poetry and plays. With both serving different needs. His plays were related to the theatrical fashion that was on trend (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). While his poetry told storytelling in erotic or romantic ways. Shakespeare wanted the people love his work, and most did.
Shakespeare wrote at least thirty-eight plays that scholars know of (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). Most of his plays were labeled comedies, histories, or tragedies (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). The earliest known play by William Shakespeare is King Henry VI with Richard III written between the years of 1589 and 1591 (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). His last known written play was known to be The Two Noble Kinsmen.
From Shakespeare’s written histories in the 1580s and 1590s, he decided to move on to comedies (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). People described them as comic sequences and plots that entwined with each other. William Shakespeare’s best known comedies include; Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, and
Much Ado About Nothing (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). Then, two tragedy plays halted his comedic era. Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar ( “William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).
At the end of his writing career, William Shakespeare focuses more on tragedy plays. This era is acknowledged to be Shakespeare’s best era. He wrote a lot of favorites in this time including; Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Coriolanus, and Macbeth (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). These tragedies are the most played in production in films and on stage.
When looking at a chronology of Shakespeare’s plays, it is clearly seen that Shakespeare changed the subjects of his plays as he grew (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). Then returned to a more serene life. Moving from historical plays to a more playful side, and then, finally, into plays where plots would result in a sense of forgiveness (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). Shakespeare’s change as both a man and a writer is very evident.
Shakespeare retired from public life in 1610 (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). Right after the bubonic plague began to to take over London. William Shakespeare retiring was unusual at that time, but he was not at all less active. In fact, he continued to make frequent trips to London to collaborate with other playwrights, such as John Fletcher (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). He would also spend time with his son-in-law John Hall, who married his oldest daughter, Susanna in 1607 (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”).
William Shakespeare, up until 1613 was an active dramatist and writer when the last of his great works was finished (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). From then on, He spent most of his time in Stratford-upon-Avon, with his family. Not writing anymore plays or sonnets. “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”, a quote from William Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, and was buried at the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). He has a curse written on his tombstone to ward off those who would disturb his bones. He was 52 years old when he died and was survived by his wife, Anna, and their two daughters (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”). There are no direct descendants from Shakespeare’s line, as both daughters had children who did not make it to adulthood (“William Shakespeare, His Life, Works and Influence.”)
William Shakespeare is a legend. In today’s world everyone knows him, not just in Europe, but all over the world. Shakespeare’s work is read in schools, made into movies, and is still acted out on stage. William Shakespeare is legendary.
