William Shakespeare Notes
William Shakespeare, Playwright and Poet Shakespeare's plays and poetry are regarded by many as the finest works ever written in English.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely revered as one of England's greatest writers. Four centuries after his death, his plays are still read and performed every day. Who was this remarkable author of so many masterpieces? In actual fact, we know very little about him.
Shakespeare grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon, a busy market town on the Avon River about 75 miles northwest of London. Church and town records indicate that his mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a wealthy farmer who owned the land on which Shakespeare's grandfather lived. Shakespeare's father, John, was a prosperous merchant who also served for a time as Stratford's mayor. Shakespeare most likely went to the local grammar school, where he would have studied Latin and Greek as well as English and world history. He would eventually put all those lessons to use in plays about historical figures, such as Julius Caesar and King Henry IV.
In 1582, when he was eighteen, Shakespeare married a woman named Anne Hathaway and had three children with her, including a set of twins. The next decade of his life is a mystery, but by 1592 he had moved to London, where he gravitated to the theater. Starting off an actor, he soon began writing plays as well.
By 1594, he had become the principal playwright of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the Burbages acting company. Some of the early plays Shakespeare wrote at this time include the romantic comedy The Taming of the Shrew and the romantic tragedy The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare was not just a performer and a playwright, however; he was also part owner of the theater company. This meant that he earned money in three ways—from fees for his plays, from his acting salary, and from his share of the company's profits. Those profits rose substantially after the Lord Chamberlain's Men moved to the Globe Theatre, where as many as 3,000 people might attend a single performance. It was at the Globe that many of Shakespeare’s later masterpieces premiered, probably beginning with The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in 1599.
The King's Players In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died, and her Scottish cousin took the throne as James I. Partial to the theater, James was particularly supportive of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, which had emerged as one of the two best acting companies in the land. Not only did it have a brilliant playwright in William Shakespeare; it also had a fine actor in Richard Burbage, who starred in most of Shakespeare's plays. In 1606, flattered by the king's patronage, the company changed its name to the King's Men. It is believed that Shakespeare wrote his great Scottish play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, to appeal particularly to James I.
Three years later, the King's Men began performing at the Blackfriars Theatre, using the Globe only in summer months. By using this indoor theater in winter, the King's Men further increased profits. The company did so well that Shakespeare was soon able to retire. In 1610, he moved back to Stratford-upon-Avon, buying one of the finest homes in town. He died of unknown causes in 1616.
William Shakespeare, Playwright and Poet Shakespeare's plays and poetry are regarded by many as the finest works ever written in English.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is widely revered as one of England's greatest writers. Four centuries after his death, his plays are still read and performed every day. Who was this remarkable author of so many masterpieces? In actual fact, we know very little about him.
Shakespeare grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon, a busy market town on the Avon River about 75 miles northwest of London. Church and town records indicate that his mother, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a wealthy farmer who owned the land on which Shakespeare's grandfather lived. Shakespeare's father, John, was a prosperous merchant who also served for a time as Stratford's mayor. Shakespeare most likely went to the local grammar school, where he would have studied Latin and Greek as well as English and world history. He would eventually put all those lessons to use in plays about historical figures, such as Julius Caesar and King Henry IV.
In 1582, when he was eighteen, Shakespeare married a woman named Anne Hathaway and had three children with her, including a set of twins. The next decade of his life is a mystery, but by 1592 he had moved to London, where he gravitated to the theater. Starting off an actor, he soon began writing plays as well.
By 1594, he had become the principal playwright of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, the Burbages acting company. Some of the early plays Shakespeare wrote at this time include the romantic comedy The Taming of the Shrew and the romantic tragedy The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare was not just a performer and a playwright, however; he was also part owner of the theater company. This meant that he earned money in three ways—from fees for his plays, from his acting salary, and from his share of the company's profits. Those profits rose substantially after the Lord Chamberlain's Men moved to the Globe Theatre, where as many as 3,000 people might attend a single performance. It was at the Globe that many of Shakespeare’s later masterpieces premiered, probably beginning with The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in 1599.
The King's Players In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died, and her Scottish cousin took the throne as James I. Partial to the theater, James was particularly supportive of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, which had emerged as one of the two best acting companies in the land. Not only did it have a brilliant playwright in William Shakespeare; it also had a fine actor in Richard Burbage, who starred in most of Shakespeare's plays. In 1606, flattered by the king's patronage, the company changed its name to the King's Men. It is believed that Shakespeare wrote his great Scottish play, The Tragedy of Macbeth, to appeal particularly to James I.
Three years later, the King's Men began performing at the Blackfriars Theatre, using the Globe only in summer months. By using this indoor theater in winter, the King's Men further increased profits. The company did so well that Shakespeare was soon able to retire. In 1610, he moved back to Stratford-upon-Avon, buying one of the finest homes in town. He died of unknown causes in 1616.
