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(1564-1616)
Why Shakespeare is so popular
For more than 350 years, William Shakespeare
has been the world’s most popular playwright.
His plays are filled with action, his characters are
believable, and his language is thrilling to hear or
read. He was a profound student of people and
he understood them. He had a great tolerance,
sympathy, and love for all people, good or evil.
Types of Plays
There are three main types of plays: Tragedies, Comedies, and
Histories. Many of his plays were based on literary and historic
works that had already been published.
TRAGEDIES- depict the fall of people in high positions.
Shakespeare often tried to show the dignity of people who are
faced with defeat.
COMEDIES- a lighter form of drama which aimed to amuse
audiences. These plays ended happily.
HISTORIES- based on the lives of real people. Most of these
plays concerned the rise and fall of English kings and nobility.
Boyhood in
Stratford
•Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon,
England, in 1564. This was the sixth year of the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I. The day of his birth is unknown, but
he was christened on April 26 of that year.
•He was born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden. He
was the third child and oldest son. His father was an
alderman in town, and he also served as a mayor.
•Little is known of Shakespeare’s youth, except that he
attended the Stratford Grammar School, and did not
proceed to Oxford or Cambridge.
Marriage & Life in London
•In 1582, when he was 18, he married Anne Hathaway. Anne was
about 8 years older than William. They had three children together.
The first was Susanna, born in 1583. Then, they had twins in 1585,
Hamnet and Judith.
•What Shakespeare did between 1583 and 1592 is not known. There
are stories that he may have taught school, worked in a lawyer’s
office, served on an estate, or traveled with actors.
•By 1592, Shakespeare was in London, and already recognized as an
actor and a playwright. He was then 28 years old.
•Between 1592-1594, plague kept the London theatres closed most of
the time. During these years Shakespeare wrote sonnets and poems.
The Globe Theater & acting groups
•Shakespeare became very well known as a poet, actor, and a playwright.
•A few years later he joined one the most successful acting groups in
London, called “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”. In 1599, the group lost
their lease of the theatre (which was called the “Theatre”) where they
performed.
•However, they were wealthy enough to build their own theatre across
the Thames River, south of London. They called it “The Globe”.
Shakespeare was associated with the Globe Theatre for the rest of his
life. He owned shares in it, which brought him much money. This
theatre opened in July of 1599.
Shakespeare’s duties to the Throne
Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603. King James I followed her to
the throne. Shakespeare’s theatrical company (The Lord
Chamberlain’s Men) was taken under the king’s patronage and
called the “King’s Men”. Shakespeare and the other actors were
made officers of the royal household. The company was the
most successful of its time.
Burned Down
•Shakespeare entertained the King and the people for
another ten years until June 19, 1613, when a canon fired
from the roof of the theatre during a performance of
Henry VIII, and set fire to the roof and burned the
theatre to the ground. The audience was so absorbed in
the play they ignored the fire at first. Amazingly, there
were no casualties, and the next spring the company had
the theatre rebuilt.
•Although Shakespeare invested in the
rebuilding, he retired from the stage to his
home in Stratford.
The death of Shakespeare
Shakespeare continued to write at
his home until his death in 1616,
on the day of his 52nd birthday.