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William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
Early Life
William was the son of Mary and John Shakespeare. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on 26 April 1564. He was the third child of eight and the eldest surviving son. Although no attendance records for the period survive, most biographers agree that Shakespeare was probably educated at the King's New School in Stratford. At the age of 18, Shakespeare married the 26year-old Anne Hathaway. Six months after the marriage Anne gave birth to a daughter, Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith almost two years later. Hamnet died of unknown causes at the age of 11.
Left: William Shakespeare Down: Johns house, believed to be Williams birth place, in Stratfordupon-Avon
Down left: Shakespeares comedies, histories and tragedies published according to the True Original Copies in 1623.
After 16061607, Shakespeare wrote fewer plays, and none are attributed to him after 1613. His last three plays were collaborations. Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616. In modern spelling this is what is written on his grave:
"Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed be the man that spares these stones And cursed be he who moves my bones.
Plays
The first recorded works of Shakespeare are Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. He produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories. After that he wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Macbeth considered some of the finest works in the English language. Those are his famous tragedies and of course there is Romeo and Juliet too. His famous comedies are A Midsummer Nights Dream and Twelfth Night.
Hamlet
Hamlet, is a tragedy believed to be written between 1599 and 1601. The play, set in the Kingdom of Denmark, recounts how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius, firstly for murdering the old king, Hamlets father, and secondly for marrying Gertrude, Hamlets mother. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful tragedies in the English language and it has been described as the world's most filmed story after Cinderella.
TO BE OR NOT TO BE...?
Macbeth
Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. Main characters are Duncan (king of Scotland), Macbeth, and Lady Macbeth.