FREE ESSAY ON WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during
the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the
greatest playwright of all time. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times
or read so widely in so many countries as his. Shakespeare was born to middle class
parents. His father, John, was a Stratford businessman. He was a glove maker who owned a
leather shop. John Shakespeare was a well known and respected man in the town. He held
several important local governmental positions. William Shakespeare's mother was Mary
Arden. Though she was the daughter of a local farmer, she was related to a family of
considerable wealth and social standing. Mary Arden and John Shakespeare were married in
1557. William Shakespeare was born in Stratford in 1564. He was one of eight children.
The Shakespeare's were well respected prominent people. When William Shakespeare was
about seven years old, he probably began attending the Stratford Grammar School with
other boys of his social class. Students went to school year round attending school for
nine hours a day. The teachers were strict disciplinarians. Though Shakespeare spent long
hours at school, his boyhood was probably fascinating. Stratford was a lively town and
during holidays, it was known to put on pageants and many popular shows. It also held
several large fairs during the year. Stratford was a exciting place to live. Stratford
also had fields and woods surrounding it giving William the opportunity to hunt and trap
small game. The River Avon which ran through the town allowed him to fish also.
Shakespeare's' poems and plays show his love of nature and rural life which reflects his
childhood. On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway of the neighboring
village of Shottery. She was twenty-six, and he was only eighteen at the time. They had
three children. Susana was their first and then they had twins, Hamnet and Judith.
Hamnet, Shakespeare's son, died in 1596. In 1607, his daughter Susana got married.
Shakespeare's other daughter, Judith, got married in 1616. In London, Shakespeare's
career took off. It is believed that he may have become well known in London theatrical
life by 1592. By that time, he had joined one of the city's repertory theater companies.
These companies were made up of a permanent cast of actors who presented different plays
week after week. The companies were commercial organizations that depended on admission
from their audience. Scholars know that Shakespeare belonged to one of the most popular
acting companies in London called The Lord Chamberlain's Men. Shakespeare was a leading
member of the group from 1594 for the rest of his career. By 1594, at least six of
Shakespeare's plays had been produced. During Shakespeare's life, there were two monarchs
who ruled England. They were Henry the eighth and Elizabeth the first. Both were
impressed with Shakespeare which made his name known. There is evidence that he was a
member of a traveling theater group, and a schoolmaster. In 1594, he became an actor and
playwright for Lord Chamberlain's Men. In 1599, he became a part owner of the prosperous
Globe Theater. He also was a part owner of the Blackfriars Theater as of 1609.
Shakespeare retired to Stratford in 1613 where he wrote many of his excellent plays.
There are many reasons as to why William Shakespeare is so famous. He is generally
considered to be both the greatest dramatist the world has ever known as well as the
finest poet who has written in the English language. Many reasons can be given for
Shakespeare's enormous appeal. His fame basically is from his great understanding of
human nature. He was able to find universal human qualities and put them in a dramatic
situation creating characters that are timeless. Yet he had the ability to create
characters that are highly individual human beings. Their struggles in life are
universal. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes their lives are full of pain,
suffering, and failure. In addition to his understanding and realistic view of human
nature, Shakespeare had a vast knowledge of a variety of subjects. These subjects include
music, law, Bible, stage, art, politics, history, hunting, and sports. Shakespeare had a
tremendous influence on culture and literature throughout the world. He contributed
greatly to the development of the English language. Many words and phrases from
Shakespeare's plays and poems have become part of our speech. Shakespeare's plays and
poems have become a required part of education in the United States. Therefore, his ideas
on subjects such as romantic love, heroism, comedy, and tragedy have helped shape the
attitudes of millions of people. His portrayal of historical figures and events have
influenced our thinking more than what has been written in history books. The world has
admired and respected many great writers, but only Shakespeare has generated such
enormous continuing interest. My source states explanations rather than opinions on why
Shakespeare's contributions to literature are so vast. My source devoted thirty pages to
William Shakespeare. Shakespeare's plays are usually divided into three major categories.
These are comedy, tragedy, and history. Three plays which are in the category of comedy
are The Comedy of Errors, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Two Gentlemen of Verone. Three
plays which are in the category of tragedy are Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, and
Julius Caesar. In the category of history, three plays are Henry V, Richard II, and
Richard III.