William Shakespeare: Years of Life, A Short Biography

Shakespeare ... William Shakespeare! Who does not know this name? The greatest playwright and poet, the pride of the English nation, the property of the whole world. That's who it is. His brilliant works have been translated into most languages of the world, they are included in the compulsory literature program of many countries. Is this not recognition?

Childhood.

It is generally believed that Shakespeare, whose years of life differ in some sources, was born in April 1564. The exact date is still unknown to anyone, since no documentary evidence was found. But in the church book is the date of his baptism - April 26.

He was born in the center of England, in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is known that his father was John Shakespeare, who was originally an artisan (engaged in the manufacture of gloves). A little later he took the post of alderman, that is, in fact, the head of the municipal assembly, then became the head of the city council.

John was a fairly wealthy man, as evidenced by the fact that he constantly paid huge fines for not attending church services. There were rumors that Shakespeare the elder was a secret Catholic.

Mother of the future playwright was Mary Arden of an ancient and respected Saxon clan.

William Shakespeare (years of life - 1564-1616) had seven brothers and sisters. He himself was the third child in the family.

Youth

Since no school documents Shakespeare did not survive, the researchers of his biography were guided by some pieces of information from different sources. According to their information, Shakespeare studied at the Stratford Grammar School, and later at the school of King Edward Six, where he studied the poetic work of ancient authors.

Shakespeare (years of life see above) at the age of eighteen married. His chosen one was the daughter of a landowner named Anne, and, moreover, pregnant. A few months after the marriage, the newlyweds had a girl named Susan. Two years later, twins appeared - the son of Hemnet and the daughter of Judith.

Theatrical career. Life in London

Since 1585 (after the birth of children), there is no information about Shakespeare. Only in 1592 his track was found in London, where he was doing theater work. Thus, the seven-year period simply disappeared from the biography of the great playwright. None of the researchers can accurately say what Shakespeare was doing in those years.

Since everyone knows in what century Shakespeare lived, one does not have to wonder at such gaps.

From various documents it became known that William Shakespeare plays were successfully staged in London. But again, it is not entirely clear from what time he started writing them, how he found himself in the capital and why he is close to the theater.

The Lord Chamberlain Servant had paramount rights to staging Shakespeare's dramatic works, as he himself was there as an actor, and later became its co-owner. Soon this theater organization became one of the most popular in London.

Years of Shakespeare's life went on as usual. In 1603, his company began to be called "Servants of the King", which meant recognition of merit and creativity of the whole nobility.

Theatrical productions went with great success, which allowed the company to acquire its own building. The new theater was named "Globe". A few years later, they bought the theater Blackfreyer. Shakespeare quickly became rich and did not hide his viability. So, he got the second-largest house in Stratford.

Literary Activity

Shakespeare, whose years of life inexorably flowed, began to think about publishing his manuscripts. The first was published in 1594. But even after he became famous in literary circles, the playwright did not stop playing in the theater. This was his offspring, which he could not abandon.

The entire period of Shakespeare's work is divided into four stages:

1. The first is early. Were written Renaissance comedies, chronicles, two poems, "the tragedy of horror."
2. Second. There was a mature drama, an ancient play, sonnets, chronicles with a dramatic narrative.
3. The third. Written ancient tragedies, great tragedies, gloomy tragedies.
4. Fourth. Shakespeare created drama fairy tales.

Dramaturgy

Shakespeare (years of life: 1564-1616) is unquestionably considered the greatest playwright of all time. And there is no such name in the world that could stand on an equal footing with his name.

At the beginning of the 1590s, there was a historical drama in literary fashion. It is to this period that the plays "Richard the Third" and "Henry Six" are included.

It is quite difficult to determine the periodization of the creation of specific works, since they are not dated by the author himself. But researchers believe that the early period of creativity include:

• "Two Veronets."
• "The Taming of the Shrew".
• "Titus Andronicus."
• "Comedy of mistakes."

Also, the early period is characterized mainly by farcical and ironic works. In contrast to the second stage, where the forefront of romantic works. For example, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Venetian Merchant."

With each new work, Shakespeare's characters become more complex and interesting.

At the peak of the playwright's work, tragedies are written. Among them are "Hamlet", "Othello", "King Lear".

Shakespeare lived in a century full of opportunities for creation, the embodiment of his ideas, writing something new, innovative. In the plays of the last period the poetic mastery of the author reached its apogee. That is why the syllable of such dramas as "Anthony and Cleopatra", "Coriolanus" is considered ideal.

Some researchers believe that several plays were written by Shakespeare in co-authorship with another writer. For that period it was a normal and frequent practice.

"Romeo and Juliet"

Perhaps this is the most famous love story in the whole world. How many theatrical productions - not count, and the number of adaptations also amazes (more than fifty). But it is also surprising that, despite the past centuries, this story still touches the soul and makes you think about the essence of being.

The plot of the drama is probably known to all the reading people. The action begins in the Italian city of Verona. In what century Shakespeare lived, this is how the described events occur.

The Montagues and the Capulet are two families who have been at war for many years and probably have already forgotten the cause of their hatred. Fate manages so that the children of the leaders fall in love with each other. Romeo and Juliet decide to marry in secret. But the young man in the heat of the fight kills his brother's beloved and is expelled from the city.

Desperate, the girl is going to drink poison, but the monk gives her a drug that just puts her to sleep. The family decides that Juliet left this world and put her in a tomb.

Romeo, unable to survive the loss of his beloved, drinks the poison, waking up, the girl sees a lifeless body at her feet. She decides to follow her beloved and pins herself.

The death of the children led to the end of the irreconcilable division of the two families.

"Hamlet"

William Shakespeare experienced in his life a great tragedy - the death of his son. Hemnette died at the age of eleven, presumably from the bubonic plague.

Since the playwright worked in London, he did not often go to his native city and at the time of his son's death there was also no one near him. Shakespeare was very much tormented by this circumstance.

It is with this event that the researchers of creativity associate the creation of the tragedy about Hamlet, linking them with the similarity of names.

In the plot, of course, no connection can be traced. The action takes place in the Danish kingdom. The prince named Hamlet meets the ghost of his deceased father-king. He tells the young man that the present king, the uncle of Hamlet, Claudius, killed him. The ghost asks for revenge for what he did with him.

Hamlet is confused, he can not make a decision. To protect himself, he is being made insane. But his uncle is not so simple, he does not believe in the farce of his nephew. In the head of Claudius, the plan for the murder of Hamlet is born.

As a result, Hamlet drinks the poison, without knowing it. But before he dies, he has time to avenge his father.

On the throne enters Frontinbras, the Norwegian ruler.

Poems and sonnets

In what century did Shakespeare live? In the century of development of economic relations and accelerated development of the country. It so happened that the main commercial sea routes ran through England. As a result, in 1593 the country was seized by an epidemic of plague that lasted almost two years.

Of course, in such conditions, no public institutions, including Shakespeare's theater, worked. The playwright was forced to sit without work. He read a lot, and inspired by "Metamorphoses," Ovid wrote two erotic poems.

The third was "The Lover's Complaint," which was reprinted several times during the author's lifetime.

But most of all, William Shakespeare is known for his sonnets. They are in the work of the poet - 154. Sonnet is a verse from fourteen lines, in which such a rhyme is adopted: abab cdcd efef gg.

The sonnet cycle is conventionally divided into twelve thematic groups, among which:

• Chanting a friend;
• Yearning and fear;
• Joy and beauty of love.

Shakespeare's style

William Shakespeare, whose years of life are indicated in the review, was very strongly transformed in terms of literary. His first works were written in the usual language, not distinguishing the playwright from the crowd of the same scribblers. To avoid the commonness in his works Shakespeare loaded them with metaphors, literally planting them on each other. This prevented him from revealing the characters.

However, soon the poet comes to his traditional style, adapts to it. The standard is the use of a white verse (written with a five-legged iambic). But it also differs in its quality, if we compare the initial work and the subsequent ones.

A peculiarity of Shakespeare's style is that he wrote with an orientation toward theatrical productions. In his works scale is used anjambemany, unusual designs and length of sentences. Sometimes the playwright offers the viewer to think out the ending of the phrase, inserting there a long pause.

Criticism

Shakespeare, the years of his life, whose brief biography is known to all literary figures, had a tremendous impact on his followers in his writings.

Despite this, during his lifetime he was not considered a great playwright. And at the end of the seventeenth century, even criticized for the fact that he mixed tragic and comic in his works.

However, already in the eighteenth century, these views were forgotten, the literary critics began to thoroughly study his work. And soon there was a well-known fact that Shakespeare is the national poet of England. After that, close attention was paid to the years of Shakespeare's life.

The nineteenth century was marked by the mass translations of Shakespeare's plays into other languages. In particular, this was done by August Schlegel.

However, critics were still there. Thus, Bernard Shaw declared that Shakespeare, in comparison with Ibsen, has long since become obsolete, and he does not understand this idolatry.

In the existence of Shakespeare's dramatic abilities, Leo Tolstoy also doubted.

But the beginning of the twentieth century again lifted him to the height of glory, when Expressionists and Futurists began to stage his plays, and the poet TS. Eliot said that Shakespeare's plays will always be modern.

Last years

The last years of Shakespeare's life were in his native city. Although he often went on business to London. To the post of the main playwright of the troupe was replaced by J. Fletcher. According to some researchers, he also became a co-author of the last plays.

Shakespeare lived in a century when it is impossible to know exactly what was happening to man. But on the remaining documents it was clear that his handwriting had changed, became uncertain and sweeping. On the basis of which historians concluded that William Shakespeare was seriously ill.

Death

Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. It is believed that this was his birthday. According to the will, all property of the playwright passed to the daughters and their direct descendants.

The last direct descendant of the poet was his granddaughter Elizabeth, who died in 1670.

Where Shakespeare spent the last years of his life, a bust of the poet is installed.