Biography of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

• English playwright, poet, and actor (1564-1616)
• Renowned during the Renaissance, particularly in the Elizabethan Age.
• Often regarded as the greatest playwright in history, known as the Bard of Avon (where "Bard" means poet).

Early Life

• Born in Stratford-upon-Avon to John and Mary Shakespeare.
• One of eight children; several siblings died young.
• His father was a successful glover and town official, likely illiterate.
• Attended grammar school; no university education; debates exist about his educational background.

Move to London

• In his twenties, moved to London to pursue acting
• Actors traveled in groups; performances occurred in various locations.
• All-male performances (female characters played by boys).
• Actors held poor reputations, seen as troublemakers.
• Lord Chamberlain's Men (later The King's Men) supported Shakespeare's acting and writing endeavors.
• Theaters closed due to the bubonic plague, leading to Shakespeare’s poetry works.

Literary Works

• Authored thirty-eight plays categorized as:
• Tragedies (e.g., Romeo and Juliet)
• Comedies (e.g., A Midsummer Night's Dream)
• Histories (e.g., Richard III)
• Merged genres within single plays, uncommon during his time.

Performance and Audience

• Plays performed in royal courts and theaters like the Globe Theater.
• The Globe attracted audiences from all social classes; the upper rows catered to the wealthy.
• Groundlings paid a penny to stand near the stage; known for boisterous behavior (e.g., interacting with actors, throwing food).
• Shakespeare possibly acted in minor roles in his own plays.

Universal Appeal

• Addressed themes of human nature: love, hate, jealousy, grief.
• Characters depicted as complex, often neither completely good nor bad.
• Shakespeare’s work remains influential; many plays adapted into modern films.

Linguistic Impact

• Estimated to have coined 1,500 words, including terms like:
• Advertising, alligator, bedroom, lonely, watchdog, zany.
• Shakespeare’s vocabulary exceeded 29,000 words, in contrast to the average American's 10,000 words.

Later Life and Legacy

• Returned to Stratford at age 47 for retirement; continued writing.
• Died on April 23, 1616 (possibly born on the same date).
• Buried in the church where he was baptized, with an engraved epitaph warning against disturbing his remains:
• "Good friend for Jesus sake forbear
  To dig the dust enclosed here!
  Blest be the man that spares these stones,
  And curst be he that moves my bones."