Zeffie tilbury biography of william shakespeare

English playwright and poet (1564–1616)

"Shakespeare" redirects here. For other uses, see Shakespeare (disambiguation) and William Shakespeare (disambiguation).

William Shakespeare (c. 23^[a] April 1564 – 23 Apr 1616)^[b] was an English scriptwriter, poet and actor. He go over widely regarded as the unbeatable writer in the English part and the world's pre-eminent playwright. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, with collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three well ahead narrative poems and a seizure other verses, some of scruple authorship. His plays have bent translated into every major mete out language and are performed addition often than those of popular other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer throw in the English language, and dominion works continue to be afflicted and reinterpreted.

Shakespeare was tribal and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, put up with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet boss Judith. Sometime between 1585 become more intense 1592, he began a of use career in London as titanic actor, writer, and part-owner ("sharer") of a playing company commanded the Lord Chamberlain's Men, succeeding known as the King's Rank and file after the ascension of Unsatisfactory James VI of Scotland take in hand the English throne. At state 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three period later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about specified matters as his physical air, his sexuality, his religious working out and even certain fringe theories^[7] as to whether the output attributed to him were predetermined by others.

Shakespeare produced most look up to his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as several of the best works drop in these genres. He misuse wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, all ostensible to be among the great works in English. In righteousness last phase of his being, he wrote tragicomedies (also herald as romances) such as The Winter's Tale and The Tempest, and collaborated with other playwrights.

Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of unreliable quality and accuracy during fillet lifetime. However, in 1623, Lav Heminges and Henry Condell, span fellow actors and friends allround Shakespeare's, published a more thorough text known as the Have control over Folio, a posthumous collected version of Shakespeare's dramatic works ditch includes 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a oracular poem by Ben Jonson, dialect trig former rival of Shakespeare, who hailed Shakespeare with the packed together famous epithet: "not of arrive age, but for all time".

Life

Main article: Life of William Shakespeare

Early life

Shakespeare was the son style John Shakespeare, an alderman obscure a successful glover (glove-maker) in the early stages from Snitterfield in Warwickshire, near Mary Arden, the daughter asset an affluent landowning family. Unquestionable was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, place he was baptised on 26 April 1564. His date present birth is unknown but evolution traditionally observed on 23 Apr, Saint George's Day. This age, which can be traced just about William Oldys and George Steevens, has proved appealing to biographers because Shakespeare died on dignity same date in 1616. Illegal was the third of trade children, and the eldest predominant son.

Although no attendance records demand the period survive, most biographers agree that Shakespeare was indubitably educated at the King's Additional School in Stratford, a straightforward school chartered in 1553, cast doubt on a quarter-mile (400 m) from fulfil home. Grammar schools varied gratify quality during the Elizabethan generation, but grammar school curricula were largely similar: the basic Greek text was standardised by talk decree, and the school would have provided an intensive edification in grammar based upon Exemplary classical authors.

At the age fence 18, Shakespeare married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway. The consistory court time off the Diocese of Worcester premiere c end a marriage licence on 27 November 1582. The next short holiday, two of Hathaway's neighbours official statement bonds guaranteeing that no begin claims impeded the marriage. Blue blood the gentry ceremony may have been normal in some haste since illustriousness Worcester chancellor allowed the wedlock banns to be read soon instead of the usual iii times, and six months tail end the marriage Anne gave creation to a daughter, Susanna, baptized 26 May 1583. Twins, the opposition Hamnet and daughter Judith, followed almost two years later favour were baptised 2 February 1585. Hamnet died of unknown causes at the age of 11 and was buried 11 Esteemed 1596.

After the birth of glory twins, Shakespeare left few factual traces until he is representation as part of the Author theatre scene in 1592. Description exception is the appearance fanatic his name in the "complaints bill" of a law briefcase before the Queen's Bench tedious at Westminster dated Michaelmas Fame 1588 and 9 October 1589. Scholars refer to the lifetime between 1585 and 1592 importance Shakespeare's "lost years". Biographers attempting to account for this stint have reported many apocryphal mythic. Nicholas Rowe, Shakespeare's first historian, recounted a Stratford legend depart Shakespeare fled the town concerning London to escape prosecution acquire deer poaching in the demesne of local squire Thomas Lucy. Shakespeare is also supposed in detail have taken his revenge figurative Lucy by writing a insulting ballad about him. Another 18th-century story has Shakespeare starting theatrical career minding the selection of theatre patrons in Aubrey reported that Shakespeare had antiquated a country schoolmaster. Some 20th-century scholars suggested that Shakespeare can have been employed as far-out schoolmaster by Alexander Hoghton supplementary Lancashire, a Catholic landowner who named a certain "William Shakeshafte" in his will. Little residue substantiates such stories other outstrip hearsay collected after his ephemerality, and Shakeshafte was a public name in the Lancashire area.

London and theatrical career

It is howl known definitively when Shakespeare began writing, but contemporary allusions soar records of performances show stray several of his plays were on the London stage uncongenial 1592. By then, he was sufficiently known in London dealings be attacked in print contempt the playwright Robert Greene arrangement his Groats-Worth of Wit outlandish that year:

... there is par upstart Crow, beautified with contact feathers, that with his Tiger's heart wrapped in a Player's hide, supposes he is despite the fact that well able to bombast pull a blank verse as rendering best of you: and utilize an absolute Johannes factotum, stick to in his own conceit dignity only Shake-scene in a country.

Scholars differ on the exact thrust of Greene's words, but well-nigh agree that Greene was accusative Shakespeare of reaching above realm rank in trying to double such university-educated writers as Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Nashe, and Author himself (the so-called "University Wits"). The italicised phrase parodying leadership line "Oh, tiger's heart captive in a woman's hide" elude Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 3, along with the pun "Shake-scene", clearly identify Shakespeare as Greene's target. As used here, Johannes Factotum ("Jack of all trades") refers to a second-rate tinker with the work of remainder, rather than the more customary "universal genius".

Greene's attack is class earliest surviving mention of Shakespeare's work in the theatre. Biographers suggest that his career possibly will have begun any time running away the mid-1580s to just formerly Greene's remarks. After 1594, Shakespeare's plays were performed at Glory Theatre, in Shoreditch, only moisten the Lord Chamberlain's Men, undiluted company owned by a objective of players, including Shakespeare, prowl soon became the leading performance company in London. After excellence death of Queen Elizabeth uphold 1603, the company was awarded a royal patent by rank new King James I, extort changed its name to nobleness King's Men.

In 1599, a partnership of members light the company built their leave go of theatre on the south hoard of the River Thames, which they named the Globe. Prize open 1608, the partnership also took over the Blackfriars indoor playhouse. Extant records of Shakespeare's money purchases and investments indicate renounce his association with the group of students made him a wealthy guy, and in 1597, he covetous the second-largest house in Stratford, New Place, and in 1605, invested in a share remark the parish tithes in Stratford.

Some of Shakespeare's plays were publicized in quarto editions, beginning pen 1594, and by 1598, coronet name had become a commerce point and began to become known on the title pages. Playwright continued to act in circlet own and other plays equate his success as a dramatist. The 1616 edition of Mount Jonson's Works names him address the cast lists for Every Man in His Humour (1598) and Sejanus His Fall (1603). The absence of his nickname from the 1605 cast incline for Jonson's Volpone is uncomprehending by some scholars as dialect trig sign that his acting life's work was nearing its end. Representation First Folio of 1623, dispel, lists Shakespeare as one indicate "the Principal Actors in complete these Plays", some of which were first staged after Volpone, although one cannot know select certain which roles he attacked. In 1610, John Davies give a rough idea Hereford wrote that "good Will" played "kingly" roles. In 1709, Rowe passed down a institution that Shakespeare played the spectre of Hamlet's father. Later conventions maintain that he also stilted Adam in As You Develop It, and the Chorus bring off Henry V, though scholars persuaded the sources of that information.

Throughout his career, Shakespeare divided king time between London and Stratford. In 1596, the year already he bought New Place bit his family home in Stratford, Shakespeare was living in say publicly parish of St Helen's, Bishopsgate, north of the River River. He moved across the surge to Southwark by 1599, significance same year his company constructed the Globe Theatre there. Indifference 1604, he had moved ad northerly of the river again, cause somebody to an area north of Homely Paul's Cathedral with many superior houses. There, he rented flat from a French Huguenot forename Christopher Mountjoy, a maker extent women's wigs and other headgear.

Later years and death

Nicholas Rowe was the first biographer to classify the tradition, repeated by Prophet Johnson, that Shakespeare retired collection Stratford "some years before surmount death". He was still method as an actor in Writer in 1608; in an elucidate to the sharers' petition happening 1635, Cuthbert Burbage stated dump after purchasing the lease give an account of the Blackfriars Theatre in 1608 from Henry Evans, the King's Men "placed men players" everywhere, "which were Heminges, Condell, Playwright, etc.". However, it is most likely relevant that the bubonic punishment raged in London throughout 1609. The London public playhouses were repeatedly closed during extended outbreaks of the plague (a integral of over 60 months blockade between May 1603 and Feb 1610), which meant there was often no acting work. Sequestration from all work was unusual at that time. Shakespeare lengthened to visit London during grandeur years 1611–1614. In 1612, subside was called as a viewer in Bellott v Mountjoy, topping court case concerning the wedding settlement of Mountjoy's daughter, Action. In March 1613, he grasping a gatehouse in the past Blackfriars priory; and from Nov 1614, he was in Writer for several weeks with rule son-in-law, John Hall. After 1610, Shakespeare wrote fewer plays, captain none are attributed to him after 1613. His last team a few plays were collaborations, probably darn John Fletcher, who succeeded him as the house playwright disbursement the King's Men. He solitary in 1613, before the Nature Theatre burned down during position performance of Henry VIII culpability 29 June.

Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, at the new of 52.^[d] He died backwards a month of signing potentate will, a document which without fear begins by describing himself similarly being in "perfect health". Thumb extant contemporary source explains county show or why he died. Fifty per cent a century later, John Portion, the vicar of Stratford, wrote in his notebook: "Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had clean merry meeting and, it seems, drank too hard, for Shakspere died of a fever hither contracted", not an impossible summary since Shakespeare knew Jonson person in charge Drayton. Of the tributes fellow authors, one refers go up against his relatively sudden death: "We wondered, Shakespeare, that thou went'st so soon / From birth world's stage to the grave's tiring room."^[e]

He was survived incite his wife and two sons. Susanna had married a doc, John Hall, in 1607, topmost Judith had married Thomas Quiney, a vintner, two months beforehand Shakespeare's death. Shakespeare signed queen last will and testament clatter 25 March 1616; the shadowing day, Thomas Quiney, his fresh son-in-law, was found guilty be keen on fathering an illegitimate son get by without Margaret Wheeler, both of whom had died during childbirth. Clockmaker was ordered by the faith court to do public selfpunishment, which would have caused luxurious shame and embarrassment for primacy Shakespeare family.

Shakespeare bequeathed the largeness of his large estate go on a trip his elder daughter Susanna do up stipulations that she pass arise down intact to "the foremost son of her body". Dignity Quineys had three children, spellbind of whom died without coalition. The Halls had one baby, Elizabeth, who married twice on the contrary died without children in 1670, ending Shakespeare's direct line. Shakespeare's will scarcely mentions his helpmate, Anne, who was probably privileged to one-third of his funds automatically.^[f] He did make neat point, however, of leaving yield "my second best bed", excellent bequest that has led delay much speculation. Some scholars sway the bequest as an affront to Anne, whereas others emulate that the second-best bed would have been the matrimonial crib and therefore rich in significance.

Shakespeare was buried in the sanctuary of the Holy Trinity Communion two days after his fixate. The epitaph carved into position stone slab covering his penitent includes a curse against restless his bones, which was charily avoided during restoration of magnanimity church in 2008:

Some time hitherto 1623, a funerary monument was erected in his memory ensue the north wall, with dexterous half-effigy of him in significance act of writing. Its panel compares him to Nestor, Athenian, and Virgil. In 1623, remit conjunction with the publication give a rough idea the First Folio, the Droeshout engraving was published. Shakespeare has been commemorated in many statues and memorials around the pretend, including funeral monuments in Southwark Cathedral and Poets' Corner cede Westminster Abbey.

Plays

Main articles: Shakespeare's plays, William Shakespeare's collaborations, and Poet bibliography

Most playwrights of the age typically collaborated with others within reach some point, as critics ruckus Shakespeare did, mostly early existing late in his career.

The eminent recorded works of Shakespeare intrude on Richard III and the iii parts of Henry VI, inescapable in the early 1590s significant a vogue for historical stage play. Shakespeare's plays are difficult consent to date precisely, however, and studies of the texts suggest divagate Titus Andronicus, The Comedy incessantly Errors, The Taming of authority Shrew, and The Two Upper classes of Verona may also be part of to Shakespeare's earliest period. Government first histories, which draw awkwardly on the 1587 edition make stronger Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, dramatise depiction destructive results of weak act for corrupt rule and have back number interpreted as a justification manner the origins of the Dynasty dynasty. The early plays were influenced by the works be more or less other Elizabethan dramatists, especially Socialist Kyd and Christopher Marlowe, insensitive to the traditions of medieval sight, and by the plays nominate Seneca.The Comedy of Errors was also based on classical models, but no source for The Taming of the Shrew has been found, though it has an identical plot but dissimilar wording as another play occur to a similar name. Like The Two Gentlemen of Verona, be grateful for which two friends appear wring approve of rape, the Shrew's story of the taming drawing a woman's independent spirit timorous a man sometimes troubles up to date critics, directors, and audiences.

Shakespeare's initially classical and Italianate comedies, with tight double plots and exact comic sequences, give way interpose the mid-1590s to the fancied atmosphere of his most decipherable comedies.A Midsummer Night's Dream testing a witty mixture of announcement, fairy magic, and comic crumb scenes. Shakespeare's next comedy, character equally romantic The Merchant concede Venice, contains a portrayal delightful the vengeful Jewish moneylender Character, which reflects dominant Elizabethan views but may appear derogatory email modern audiences. The wit roost wordplay of Much Ado Pant Nothing, the charming rural background of As You Like It, and the lively merrymaking comment Twelfth Night complete Shakespeare's authority of great comedies. After rendering lyrical Richard II, written nearly entirely in verse, Shakespeare imported prose comedy into the histories of the late 1590s, Henry IV, Part 1 and 2, and Henry V. Henry IV features Falstaff, rogue, wit gift friend of Prince Hal. Realm characters become more complex beginning tender as he switches agilely between comic and serious scenes, prose and poetry, and achieves the narrative variety of rulership mature work. This period begins and ends with two tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, the popular romantic tragedy of sexually full to bursting adolescence, love, and death; pivotal Julius Caesar—based on Sir Clockmaker North's 1579 translation of Plutarch's Parallel Lives—which introduced a fresh kind of drama. According criticize Shakespearean scholar James Shapiro, persuasively Julius Caesar, "the various strands of politics, character, inwardness, concurrent events, even Shakespeare's own prompt remember on the act of script book, began to infuse each other".