Biography of William Shakespeare
‘’Some were born great, some achieve greatness, and some have
greatness thrust upon them.’’ great words by the greatest dramatist of all time the
‘swan of Avon’ William Shakespeare. During his lifespan he crafted numerous
amounts of plays and poems which are studied and reinterpreted today. His witty
characters and plots give an insight to life in Elizabethan times in England.
He possessed a poetic power that went unnoticed until the 19th
century.
William
Shakespeare was born on the 23rd of April 1564 to parents John
Shakespeare, leather merchant, and Mary Arden, a local landed heiress in
Stratford-Avon, United Kingdom. He was the third child for his parents; he had
two older sisters and three younger brothers. It is believed that he attended
the King’s New School after gaining a scholarship. There he learned reading,
writing and the classics.
Shakespeare
met his wife when she was 26 and him only 18 and still under the age of consent
which was 21. Anne Hathaway, his wife, came from Shottery, a small village a
mile west of Stratford. Anne became
pregnant before the marriage. Therefore the wedding was rushed. They got married on November 28, 1582, in
Worcester. Six months later Anne gave birth to their daughter Susanna. On
February 2, 1585 Anne gave birth to twins Hamnet and Judith unfortunately Hamnet
died at the age of 11.
The next
seven years of Shakespeare’s life is called the ‘lost years’ due to the fact
that they are no records of his life during this period. They are different theories about what might
have happened between this time frame. These include that he was helping his
father in the family business, he took a job as a law clerk, he worked as a
schoolmaster, he worked as a scrivener, he travelled to Italy or he was serving
as a soldier or a sailor for his country which was being threatened by Spain.
It is
speculated that Shakespeare left Stratford for London between 1585 and 1592
with a troupe of actors that regularly visited Stratford. There began his work
as an actor and playwright.
‘’… There is an
upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his tigers heart wrapped
in a players hide, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as
the best of you: and being an absolute Johannes Factotum, is in his only
conceit the only Shake-scene in a country,” article by Robert Greene in The September 20, 1592 edition of the Stationer’s Registration.
Shakespeare
became a managing partner of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men in the 1590s it later
was renamed the King’s Men in 1603 after King James 1 came to the throne. The
company became very popular. It was during this point in his career that
Shakespeare might Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, which he dedicated
his two first published poems to “Venus and Adonis” and “The Rape of Lucrece.”
By 1597
Shakespeare had begun to make a name for him self. He had 15 out of his 37
plays published. He was also able to buy the second largest house in Stratford
for his family which was called New House. He travelled back home once a year
during 40-day Lenten period, this was when the theatres were closed, while in
the city he would be writing and acting. Shakespeare and his partners were able to
build their own theatre in 1599 called The Globe.
‘’Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor
player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no
more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing
(William Shakespeare).” It is
said that Shakespeare died on his birthday, April 23, 1616. He left most of his
estate to his daughter Susanna.
Popular Works
Histories
·
Richard lll
·
Henry lV (parts 1, 2 and 3)
·
Henry V
Comedies
·
A Midsummer’s Night Dream
·
Merchant of Venice
·
Taming of the Shrew
·
Much Ado About Nothing
·
As You Like It
·
Twelfth Night
·
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
·
The Comedy of Errors
Tragedies
·
Hamlet
·
King Lear
·
Othello
·
Macbeth
Tragicomedies
·
The Winter’s Tale
·
The Tempest
·
Cymbeline
Summary of Hamlet
This
playy takes place in Elsinore, Denmark. Hamlet’s father, the former king, has
recently died at the start of the play and his mother, Gertrude, His gotten
married only a short while after to King Claudius, his uncle. Hamlet’s best
fried Horatio informs him that they have been sightings of his father’s ghost
and arranges a meeting. When he meets the ghost that claims to be his father he
notifies him that his uncle was the one who murdered him. He advises Hamlet to
avenge his death. Hamlet conceives a plan to act like a madman and Ophelia,
Hamlet’s girlfriend, declares him to be so. The king is told of this by
Polonius, Ophelia’s father, they decide to spy on them to see if Ophelia is the
cause of his insanity. The king and the queen later call on Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern, childhood friends of Hamlet, to spy on him to deduce the reason
for his madness. They failed to accomplish this. A troupe of actors later comes
to town and Hamlet hires them to perform. His plan was to have them perform a
play in which a king is murdered in the same way his father was and to watch
Claudius’ reaction to see if the ghost was telling the truth. When the moment
of the murder approaches Claudius leaves the room. Hamlet runs after him to
kill him but finds him praying but believing he will go to heaven if he is
killed while praying thus he decides to wait. Claudius, fearing Hamlet, orders
for him to be sent to England. While Hamlet goes to confront his mother he
hears something behind the tapestry. Believing it to be the king he draws his
sword and stabs the fabric. He kills Polonius and he is immediately sent to
England. Ophelia being sick with grieve
drowns in a river. Claudius manages to convince Laertes, Ophelia’s brother,
that Hamlet is responsible for their deaths. When Hamlet returns after his ship
was attacked by pirates Claudius arranges for Laertes to fence Hamlet with a
poisoned blade. He also poisoned a goblet just in case Hamlet won. During the
fighting Hamlet scores the first point but refused to drink from the goblet,
but instead Queen Gertrude drinks the poison instead and dies. Laertes then
succeeds in wounding Hamlet but Laertes is cut by his own sword. He reveals
that Claudius is responsible for Gertrude’s death he later dies. Hamlet later
stabs Claudius and forcefully gives him the remaining poison to drink. Claudius
dies and later Hamlet.
Summary of Julius Caesar
Caesar
his defeated the sons of the Pompey, a deceased Roman general and they is a
victory celebration throughout the streets of Rome. Cassius and Brutus, friends
of Caesar, are having a conversation about him. Cassius speaks of the
popularity of Caesar and that it was Brutus which allowed for this popularity
which was far passed theirs. Caesar returns to find them talking and tells
Antony of his distrust for Cassius. Caesar then leaves and Casca approaches and
informs Brutus and Cassius that Caesar had been offered the thorn by Antony
three times and the three times he refused and how Caesar had some sort of
seizure in front of the crowd. At home Brutus considers the words of Cassius
and Cassius devises a plan to turn Brutus against Caesar. Cassius places forged
letters in Brutus’ house reporting that Caesar had become to powerful. Brutus wanting
to appease the people decides to kill Caesar along with Cassius and his
supporters. Brutus however disagrees with killing Antony which Cassius is
insisting for fear that he will try and stop their plans. While Caesar is preparing to go to the Senate
his wife, Calpurnia, pleads with him not to because of the recent nightmares
she has had about him. He then decides to stay but that was until Decius, one
of the men that were against him, convinces him that his wife had misinterpitted
her dreams. While walking through the city he receives a letter about the
traitors but neglects to read it. At the Senate they circle Caesar and stab him
one by one. They then washed their hands and swords in his blood. Antony walks
in on the murderous scene and asked them why they have done this. Brutus tells
him he will explain during the funeral. Cassius and Brutus go to inform the
public. Brutus claims he has murdered Caesar for the love of Rome. Antony later
brings Caesar’s body to the crowd and reads his will at the people’s request. The
people after hearing what he left them and how generous he was set out to drive
Cassius and Brutus out of the city. Octavious, Caesar’s adopted son, and Antony
attack Brutus and Cassius and their men. Cassius orders Pindarua to kill him after
believing Titinius his best friend was being attacked Titinius later killed
himself after seeing the body of his friend. Brutus later impales himself on
one of his men swords. Antony then speaks over his body calling him the noblest
Roman of all and Octavious orders for him to have an honourable burial. The men
then leave to celebrate their victory.
Summary of Twelfth Night
After being
shipwrecked Viola, a young aristocrat, finds herself on the Illyrian shore only
and assumes her twin brother Sebastian has drowned. She then takes on the identity of a man to
be able to work for Lady Olivia after being informed of her courtship to
Orsino. Viola (disguised as Cesario) becomes close wit Orsino and begins to
fall for him. Also Olivia loves Cesario. Sebastian, who is alive, arrives with
his friend Antonio. Sir Andrew sensing Olivia’s affection for Cesario
challenges him to a duel. Sir Andrew and Sir Toby attacked Sebastian instead
thinking it was Cesario. Olive enters amidst the confusion and asked Sebastian,
who she thinks is Cesario, to marry her. Sebastian is bewildered but due to the
fact that she was rich. Antonio is arrested by Orsino’s officers and pleads for
Cesario, who he believes is Sebastian, to help him. She denies knowing him and
he is dragged off screaming that Sebastian has betrayed him she know believes
that her brother is still alive. Orsino and Cesario arrived at Olivia’s home
where she greets him as her husband. Sebastian then appears and the siblings
are happy to see each other. Orsino then releases that he loves Viola and asks
for her hand in marriage.
Summary of A Midsummer’s Night Dream
Thesus and Hippolyta are about to get married to create an
alliance between the Amazons and Athenians. Egeus, Hermia’s father, wants her
to marry Demetrius but she is in love with Lysander. Egeus approaches Thesus
with the problem who gaves Hermia these options: marry Demetrius or face death
or nunnery. Therefore Lysander and Hermia decide to elop, they tell Helena, who
is in love with Demetrius, of this plan and she later informs Demetrius. Thus
they all end up in the woods. In the woods are the fairies, they are ruled by
Oberon and Titania who are in constant quarrel. In the forest are also the
mechanicals who are rehearsing their play for the marriage of Thesus and
Hippolyta. Oberon entrust Puck to fits the lovers problems but as always he
messes things up. So Demetrius and Lysander are in love with Helena and Titania
is in love with Bottom, who now has an asses head,. But alas all these are
restored in the morning also Helena know has Demetrius’s heart.
Summary of Romeo and Juliet
This is the tale of two star crossed lovers from feuding
families the Capulets and Montagues. They first met at a ball that Romeo crashes
and it was love at first sight. They later decided to get married in secrecy,
but soon after Romeo kills Juliet’s cousin Tybalt and is driven out of Verona.
Juliet then faked her death but Romeo didn’t know. He kills him self after
killing Friar Lawrence, The man that was suppose to marry Juliet. Juliet wakes
up to this sight and take her own life.