William Shakespeare (1564-1616), was born in April, 1564 at Stratford on -Avon in Warwickshire. His father was John Shakespeare and his mother was Mary nee Arden. He was `The Bard of Avon', English poet and playwright wrote the famous 154 Sonnets and numerous highly successful oft quoted dramatic works including the tragedy of the Prince of Denmark, Hamlet.
At the age of seven William was sent to the town Grammar School where Latin was taught. But he seemed to have learnt more from other boys and nature, which often feature in his plays. Other things that cast a spell on him werw the miracle plays and the progress of Queen Elizabeth, who stayed in Kenilworth castle a few miles away from Stratford-on-Avon. Unvarified accounts present him as having been a butcher's apprentice, a lawyer's clerk, a doctor's assistant and so on.
In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, a woman seven years old than he and much inferior to him in social position. After three children where born to him, he burnt his boats by leaving for London. Several reasons like the decline in his father's business and a litigation against him are given for his migration.In the metropolis, he earned his livelihood by working as an attendant in the theater and later as an actor, step by step he ascended the littarary ladar and published his first poem '' Venus and Adonis '' in 1593. The success of this
work encouraged him to write ''the rape of Lucrece ''. Soon Shakespeare, the playwright, eclipseo Shakespeare, the actor.
work encouraged him to write ''the rape of Lucrece ''. Soon Shakespeare, the playwright, eclipseo Shakespeare, the actor.
He revisited Stratford in 1596, retrieved the fallen fortunes of his father and secured for him a coat of arms from the Herald's Collage. Presently he became the wealthiest man in Stratford where he settled down in 1611. He died on April 23. 1616.
Shakespeare's works The plays of Shakespeare may be divided into four periods according to the development of his thought and dramatic technique.
The fist period extends from 1588 to 1595. During this period he tried his hand at histories like '' Richard 11'' comedies like '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' and tragedies like '' Romeo and Juliet ''. His interest was then in seizing old plays and tales suitable for box office hits.
In the second period extending from 1599 to 1601, he wrote his famous comedies ''Twelfth Night'' '' The Merchant of Venice'' As You like It'' and ''Much Ado About Nothing''. The style is superior to that of the first period and these plays are dominated by heroines.
The third period covering from 1601 to 1608, is marked by four great tragedies, ''Othello'' ''King Lear'' ''Macbeth'' and ''Hamlet''. All of them depict the grave and serious side of life.
The last period, called the romantic period of romantic dramas, is marked by ''Pericles'', The winter Tale'' ''Cymbline and ''The Tempest'' Besides this mentioned above, Shakespeare has written many other plays and sonnets.