WIL L IAM SHAKESPEARE

A B i o g r aph y  

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE was born in

Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564. He was

the third of six children. Shakespeare's

father was a successful leather merchant

and William attended a local grammar

school where he studied poetry. history,

Greek, and Latin.

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in

1582. Together they had 3 children named

Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith. Hamnet and

Judith were twins.

After Hamnet and Judith were born, there

are no records of the next few years of

Shakespeare's life. Historians refer to this

time as the 'lost years'. Eventually,

Shakespeare and his family travelled to

London. The earliest record of Shakespeare

being in London is 1592, when William

started working at a theater.

Before Shakespeare wrote plays, he worked

as an actor with the Lord Chamberlain's

Men. The Lord Chamberlain's Men started to

perform Shakespeare's first plays in 1594. His

plays became very popular and the Lord

Chamberlain's Men were soon one of the

most popular acting companies in London.

Shakespeare's early plays include: TheTaming of the Shrew, Richard III, Romeoand Juliet, and A Midsummer Night'sDream.

The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 by the

Lord Chamberlain's Men. The theater could

house up to 3,000 spectators and had a

uniquely designed stage with a painted

ceiling.

Not many people could read or write during

this time, so the Globe would hang colored

flags outside to let people know when a

play was going to be performed, and what

kind of play it would be (funny or sad).

The original Globe Theatre burned down in

1613 and was rebuilt the next year. The

theatre then closed again in 1642. A modern

reconstruction of the Globe, which you can

visit today, was built in London by actor Sam

Wanamaker in 1997.

Many of Shakespeare's greatest plays were

written in the last half of his career. These

include: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, andMacbeth. His success in the theater, as well

as his investments in land and in the Globe,

made Shakespeare a wealthy man. He

purchased a large house in Stratford for his

family called New Place. Shakespeare

moved from London back to Stratford-

upon-Avon in 1611.

Shakespeare also became famous for his

poetry, His most well known poem at the

time was Venus and Adonis. A book of

Shakespeare's sonnets was published in

1609.

Shakespeare died on 23rd April 1616. In 1623,

the first collection of Shakespeare's work

was published. It is called the First Folio.

Shakespeare is considered by many to be

the greatest writer in the English language.

Through his works, he is credited with

introducing nearly 3,000 words to the

English language and his works are the

second most quoted after the Bible.

WIL L IAM SHAKESPEARE

Ma t ch t h e da t e s t o t h e Sha k e s p e a r e an f a c t s

The earliest record of Shakespeare being in

London

Shakespeare's sonnets were published

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-

upon-Avon.

The Globe burned down

Shakespeare moved back from London to

Stratford-upon-Avon

The Lord Chamberlain's Men started

performing Shakespeare's plays

Shakespeare died

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway

The Globe Theatre was first built

The First Folio was published

A reconstruction of the Globe was built by

Sam Wanamaker

1564

1594

1613

1582

1616

1997

1611

1592

1599

1623

1609

ACT IV I TY

Sha k e s p e a r e i s c r ed i t e d w i t h i n t r o du c i n g nea r l y 3 ,000 wo rd s t o t h e

Eng l i s h l a n gu age and h i s wo r k s a r e t h e s e c ond mos t quo t ed a f t e r t h e

B i b l e .

C i r c l e t h e w o r d s a n d q u o t e s t h a t a r e g e n u i n e l y S h a k e s p e a r e a n .

Be c a r e f u l ! The r e a r e 8 wo rd s and quo t e s be l ow wh i ch we r e   n o t

c r e a t ed b y Sha k e s p e a r e . Good l u c k !

Swagger

Remember, that time is money

Assassination

Green-eyed

All that glisters is not gold

It was the best of times, it was the worst of

times

Be not afraid of greatness: some are born

great, some achieve greatness, and some

have greatness thrust upon them

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

The pen is mightier than the sword

If music be the food of love, play on

Bedazzle

Bandit

All the world's a stage and all the men

and women are merely players

Some rise by sin, and some by virtue

fall

How do I love thee? Let me count the

ways

Tis better to have loved and lost / Than

never to have loved at all

This above all: to thine ownself be true

WIL L IAM SHAKESPEARE

Read t h e a r t i c l e ag a i n . An swe r t h e que s t i o n s .

Why do historians call part of Shakespeare's life the 'lost years'?

2. Why was the Globe Theatre rebuilt in 1614?

3. What did Shakespeare study at school? Do you think this helped him write his plays? Why?

4. What did Shakespeare introduce to the English Language?

5. Not many people could read or write in Shakespeare's time. How did they know when a

play would be performed at the Globe?

6. What profession did Shakespeare have before he wrote plays?

1.

ACT IV I TY

Be tween 1 5 90 and 1 6 1 3 , Sha k e s p e a r e wro t e a t l e a s t 3 7 p l a y s and

co l l a b o r a t ed on s e v e r a l mor e . When t h e F i r s t F o l i o wa s pub l i s h ed i n

1 6 2 3 , t h e p l a y s we r e d i v i d ed i n t o t h r e e c a t e go r i e s : Comed i e s , H i s t o r i e s ,

and T r a g ed i e s .

C a n y o u c o m p l e t e t h e t i t l e s o f t h e s e S h a k e s p e a r e p l a y s ?

COMEDIES

Midsummer Night's _____________ (1600)

Much Ado About _____________ (1623)

The Two _____________ of Verona (1623)

_____________ for Measure (1623)

As You _____________ (1623)

HISTORIES

_____________ John (1623)

_____________ III (1597)

_____________ VIII (1613)

TRAGEDIES

_____________ Andronicus (1594)

Romeo and _____________ (1595)

_____________ Lear (1605)

_____________ and Cleopatra (1623)

RESEARCH ACT IV I TY

Choo s e a Sha k e s p e a r e p l a y t o wr i t e abou t . Re s e a r c h and wr i t e a s h o r t

e s s a y abou t y ou r cho s en p l a y .

When wa s t h i s p l a y wr i t t e n and wha t i s i t c a l l e d ?

How wou l d y ou de s c r i b e t h i s wo r k ? A c o m e d y ? A t r a g e d y ? A h i s t o r y ?

Wha t i n t e r e s t i n g f a c t s ha v e y ou d i s c o v e r ed abou t t h i s p l a y ?

Do y ou l i k e o r d i s l i k e t h i s p l a y ? W h y ?

A im t o wr i t e 200 - 300 wo rd s .