The Life of William Shakespeare

1
The Life of William Shakespeare

• The River Avon and Trinity Church,
• Stratford-Upon-Avon, England.

2
Shakespearean Factoids

• Born April 23, 1564, the 3rd of 8 children
  (baptized April 26)
• Son of a
• Tradesman
• (leather) and
• Alderman
• (city official with
• some authority)

3
Shakespearean Factoids

• Mothers family
• land, large farm
• Had early
• schooling --Latin,
• Greek, classics
• no attend University
• literary works suggest solid education in
  language/ literature

4
Life in Stratford-Upon-Avon

• Married Anne Hathaway in 1582 against her
  familys wishes
• Had 1 daughter (1583) and 1 set of twins (1585),
  only son died young.

5
Life in London, 1588

• Disappears from history
• c.1585- c.1592
• Believed moved to London
• (1588) at 24
• Successful businessman/
• playwright by 1592
• Found a rich patron, Earl of Southampton
• Wrote Romeo and Juliet at age 30

6

• Worked with several companies The Queens Men,
  Pembrokes Men, Lord Stranges Men
• 1594 acting/writing/manager for Lord
  Chamberlains Men (James Burbridge)eventually
  owned 1/8 of theater

7
Success in London

• Soon shared profits in his acting company, Kings
  Men, and 2 theaters, Globe and Blackfriars
• Performed for Royalty (Elizabeth I and James I)
  more than any of his contemporaries

8
Published Works

• Only playwright to have plays published during
  lifetime for literate class/audiences in
  penny-copies
• First folio (publication/book) of plays by two
  companions after he died, 1616

9
Retirement and Death

• Wealth moderate according to London Standards,
  very good for country, able buy family coat of
  arms (unlike dad)
• Retired wealthy in Stratford-upon-Avon, 1608/1611
• Lived in wealthy home, New Place
• Became leading citizen

10
Shakespeares Death

• Died April 23, 1616
• Buried at Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon
• At his death, a friend said,
• He was not of an age, but for all time.

11
The Playwright

• Wrote sonnets (poems) and more than 38 plays,
  1593-1613
• Wrote history, drama, comedies, tragedy, erotica,
  and romance
• Based many of his plays on Roman and Medieval
  historians and playwrights, as well as
  contemporary authors and playwrights (It was OK
  to borrow ideas back then.)

12
The Playwright

• Universal themes
• Wrote about social
• events social roles,
• the human condition/
• relationships
• Wrote history plays to
• support the Tudors
• right to the throne

13
The Playwright
Created over 2000 new words Expressions
Far-off Mimic Puke Critic Gloomy Bandit Manger Lug
gage Partner
Mountaineer Fortune-teller Employer Watch-dog Scho
ol boy Green-eyed Excitement Flea-bitten Up/downst
airs
Birth-place Worthless Blushing Soft-hearted Motion
less Noiseless Pale-faced Hot-blooded Farm-house
Football Anchovies Fair play Alligator Eyeball Lov
e-letter puppy-dog Bed-room Well-behaved
14
The Playwright

• Created over 2000 new words Expressions

For goodness sake Wild goose chase Not to budge
an inch One fell swoop Tower of strength Sorry
sight In my minds eye
In my heart of hearts Milk of human kindness The
be all and end all Good riddance Weve seen
better days Eaten out of house and home
15
Shakespeares Works

• 1589-1594 (5 years) 8 plays
• Henry VI, Pts. 1, 2, 3 (1589-91)
• The Taming of the Shrew (1593)
• Richard III (1592)
• Comedy of Errors (1592)
• Titus Andronicus (1593-94)
• Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594)

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Shakespeares Works

• 1594-1599 (5 years) 13 plays
• King John (1594-96)
• Love Labours Lost (1595)
• Richard II (1595)
• Romeo Juliet (1595-96)
• A Midsummer Nights Dream (1595-96)
• The Merchant of Venice (1596-97)
• Henry IV, Pt. 1(1596-97), Pt. 2 (1598)
• The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597)
• Much Ado About Nothing (1598)
• As You Like It (1599)
• Henry V (1599)
• Julius Caesar (1599)

17
Shakespeares Works

• 1600-1606 (6 years) 8 plays
• Hamlet (1600-01)
• Twelfth Night (1600-01)
• Troilus and Cressida (1601-02)
• Alls Well That Ends Well (1602-03)
• Measure for Measure (1604)
• Othello (1604)
• King Lear (1605-06)
• Macbeth (1606)

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Shakespeares Works

• 1607-1613 (7 years) 8 plays
• Antony Cleopatra (1607)
• Coriolanus (1607-08)
• Timon of Athens (1607-08)
• Pericles (1607-08)
• Cymbeline (1609-10)
• The Winters Tale (1610-11)
• The Tempest (1611)
• Henry VIII (1613)

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Fine