William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Tuulike Valliste 2009

Facts An English poet and playwright Greatest writer in the English language England's national poet The “Bard of Avon” National Portrait Gallery, London

He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon His actual birth date is unknown, but is traditionally observed on 23 April, St George's Day He was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon Son of John Shakespeare (a successful glover and alderman) and Mary Arden He was the third child of eight and the eldest surviving son William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare's birthplace

Family At the age of 18, he married the 26-year-old Anne Hathaway (1556-1623) They had three children- Susanna, Hamnet and Judith Hamnet died at the age of 11

Early life Shakespeare attended the Christian Holy Trinity church- studying the Book of Common Prayer and the English Bible Around the age of 11 he entered the school of Stratford- studied theatre and acting, as well as Latin literature and history Signature

The Lost Years There were no documented facts about the life of William Shakespeare between leaving school in 1578 and marrying Anne Hathaway in 1582- the First Lost Years The Second Lost Years- between 1582 and 1592 there were only four documented facts about Shakespeare 1) 2 Entries for the Baptism of his children in 1583 and 1585 2) In 1589 a court documents name William Shakespeare and his parents in a land dispute 3) In 1592 he is referred to in a very famous pamphlet called the “Groatsworth of Wit” (a Groat was a coin worth a small amount of money)

Theatre Several of his plays were on the London stage by 1592 Shakespeare's plays were performed only by the Lord Chamberlain's Men→ the King's Men The Globe was built in 1599 (on the south bank of the Thames) The Blackfriars indoor theatre was taken over in 1608 Most of his greatest plays were written for the Globe- “Hamlet”, “King Lear”

The Globe Theatre

Poems and sonnets In 1593 and 1594 Shakespeare published two narrative poems on erotic themes- “Venus and Adonis”, “The Rape of Lucrece” He wrote 154 sonnets The “Sonnets” were the last of his non-dramatic works to be printed He had two contrasting series- one about uncontrollable lust for a married woman (the “dark lady”) and one about conflicted love for a fair young man (the “fair youth”)

XCI Some glory in their birth, some in their skill, Some in their wealth, some in their bodies' force, Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill, Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse; And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure, Wherein it finds a joy above the rest: But these particulars are not my measure; All these I better in one general best. Thy love is better than high birth to me, Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' cost, Of more delight than hawks or horses be; And having thee, of all men's pride I boast: Wretched in this alone, that thou mast take All this away and me most wretched make. William Shakespeare

Works Comedies- “A You Like It”, “Pericles, Prince of Tyre”, “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, “Twelfth Night”, “The Winter's Tale” Histories- “King John”, “Richard II”, “Henry IV”, “Henry V”, “Richard III” Tragedies- “Romeo and Juliet”, “Hamlet”, “King Lear”, “Othello”, “Anthony and Cleopatra”, “Titus Andronicus”, “Macbeth” Poems- “The Birth of Merlin”, “Lost Plays”

Hamlet, Horatio, Marcellus, and the Ghost of Hamlet's Father Hamlet, Horatio, Marcellus, and the Ghost of Hamlet's Father. Henry Fuseli, 1780-5. Kunsthaus Zürich

Why did Shakespeare move from Stratford-Upon-Avon to London? There is speculation that William might have offended Sir Richard Lucy by poaching a deer on his grounds and had to leave Stratford to avoid prosecution But it is reasonable to assume that there must have been a strong reason to leave his wife, children and family to follow the life of an actor in London

Death It is not clear as to how or why Shakespeare died In 1664 the reverend John Ward, vicar of Stratford, recorded that "Shakespeare, Drayton and Ben Johnson had a merry meeting, and it seems drank too hard, for Shakespeare died Shakespeare has been commemorated in many statues and memorials around the world- Southwark Cathedral and Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey

The stone slab covering his grave is inscribed with a curse against moving his bones

Good frend for Iesvs sake forbeare, To digg the dvst encloased heare. Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones, And cvrst be he yt moves my bones.    Translated this reads as: Good friend, for Jesus’ sake, forbear To dig the dust enclosed here; Blest be the man that spares these stones And curst he that moves my bones. Shakespeare's funerary monument in Stratford-upon-Avon

Used sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare#Later_years_and_death http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/ + pictures

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