Our World’s Greatest Playwright William Shakespeare Our World’s Greatest Playwright

In the beginning. . . Born late April 1564 Born in Stratford-upon-Avon Baptized April 26, so probably born 3 days earlier on April 23

Parents Father: John glove maker, wool merchant, and “High Bailiff” mayor; died 1601 Mother: Mary Arden, daughter of a successful farmer; died 1608 3rd of 8 children First born son Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon http://www.aboutbritain.com/ShakespearesBirthplace.htm

Education Began at about age 5 Stratford grammar school Long days: 6 a.m.-early evening Year-round school (except major holidays) Shakespeare’s School Room, King Edward VI School

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage Marriage Anne Hathaway Nov. 1582 He was 18; she was 26 and pregnant Anne Hathaway’s Cottage http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/hathaway.htm

Children Susanna: born May 26, 1583; married Dr. John Hall in 1607; had one child Elizabeth; died 1649 Hamnet: a twin born February 2, 1585; died at age 11 and buried on August 11, 1596 Judith: a twin born February 2, 1585; married Thomas Quiney and had 3 children (none lived to be older than 21); died 1662

Shakespeare’s Genealogy

Daughter, Susanna’s home Places to See Mary Arden’s house (where his mother grew up) The Gardens at the New Place Nash’s House and New Place (His granddaughter Elizabeth’s home. He built his retirement home next to hers.) Hall’s Croft Daughter, Susanna’s home http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/croft.htm http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/nash.htm

The Lost Years 1585-1592 Theories: traveled to Italy fought in Low Countries studied law / medicine worked as an apprentice actor/writer By 1592, Shakespeare had a successful career in London

The Theater Actor Playwright Part owner of the acting company he wrote for, Lord Chamberlain’s Men LC’sM renamed King’s Men after James was king in 1603 He became rich from acting company rather than sale of plays

The Globe First opened in 1599 Destroyed by fire in 1613 today 1614 reconstruction

Plays, Sonnets, and More Over 37 plays: comedy, history, tragedy Over 150 sonnets 2 lengthy narrative poems Comedy History Tragedy All’s Well That Ends Well Henry IV, pt 1 Antony and Cleopatra As You Like It Henry IV, pt 2 Coriolanus The Comedy of Errors Henry V Hamlet Cymbeline Henry VI, pt 1 Julius Caesar Love’s Labours Lost Henry VI, pt 2 King Lear Measure for Measure Henry VI, pt 3 Macbeth The Merry Wives of Windsor Henry VIII Othello The Merchant of Venice King John Romeo and Juliet A Midsummer Night’s Dream Richard II Timon of Athens Much Ado About Nothing Richard III Titus Andronicus Pericles, Prince of Tyre Taming of the Shrew The Tempest Troilus and Cressida Twelfth Night Two Gentlemen of Verona Winter’s Tale

Our Language, Thanks to Shakespeare Words that first appeared in his plays: Admirable attorney bedroom Distasteful fashionable frugal Laughable mimic successful Phrases: “at one fell swoop” or “sick at heart” Sentences: “all the world’s a stage” “to thine own self be true” “the course of true love never did run smooth”

More Words and Phrases . . . Of the 17,677 words that Shakespeare used in all of his plays and sonnets, he was the first to use over 1,700 of them. He wrote many of the words and phrases that we consider clichés today. Which of the following words and phrases do you think Shakespeare coined? Heartsick Heart of gold One fell swoop Long-haired Naked truth Foregone conclusion Break the ice It’s Greek to me Hot-blooded Eat out of house and home Leapfrog Too much of a good thing Fancy-free Wear one’s hear on one’s sleeve Live-long day The milk of human kindness

Even More Words and Phrases Some of the words we write and speak today in the English language many not have come into use without Shakespeare. The following is a list of some of the words he was first to write: gnarled frugal bump countless lonely eventful dwindle radiance control laughable misplaced impartial amazement obscene generous hurry road critic Which of these words do you use most in your daily vocabulary? What would you say instead if Shakespeare had never written these words?

William’s Will Dated March 25, 1616 10 pounds to “the poor of Stratford” Money to 3 actors of his company 150 pounds to Judith (another 150 pounds 3 years later) Most to his daughter Susanna Wife, Anne, afterthought, “Item, I give unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture”

His Gravesite Died April 23, 1616 Shakespeare is buried at Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford An inscription on his tombstone reads: Good friend, for Jesus´ sake forbeare To digg the dust enclosed here! Blest be ye man that spares thes stones And curst be he that moues my bones. http://www.onlineshakespeare.com/death.htm

First Folio Written by John Heminges & Henry Condell (actors) Published in 1623 36 of his plays included (18 for the first time) “to keep the memory of so worthy a friend and fellow alive”