William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

"To be, or not to be: that is the question". - Hamlet (Act III, Scene I).

William Shakespeare is probably the greatest dramatist of England and the most famous playwright in history. He lived and worked in the 16th century in the period of the Renaissance.

The Birth

William Shakespeare was born on 23rd April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. He was born at Henley Street and was one of eight children of Mary Arden and John Shakespeare. John Shakespeare was a successful tradesmen working with leather. He also sold wool and barley, important products in England of those times. His father was a respected man who took part in civic life.

The Schoolboy

William Shakespeare went to the local grammar school in Stratford. The "grammar" schools were the most common form of education, and they were free. He would also have learnt the Catechism and studied the Bible. Although he was brought up with these orthodox Protestant teachings, he managed to remain open-minded and a free-thinker. The Bible was a constant source of inspiration to him. At the age of fifteen he went to work in his father′s business.

Marriage

In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway from Shottery. He was only eighteen, Ann was eight years older. They had three children together - Susanna and the twins - Hamnet and Judith. In spite of his love for his family, he went to London in 1587 as it was only there that a man with his talents could get ahead and make a career for himself.

London

Shakespeare′s life in London can be traced from 1592 onwards, first as an actor, then as a reviser and writer of plays. The theatres were very popular being the only places where people could hear honest comments about life. Shakespeare and his actors called themselves: the Lord Chamberlain′s Men.

Success

When Shakespeare was working in London, he did not leave his family for good. He would often return home to Stratford enjoying the pleasures of family life. His plays were popular with Queen Elizabeth I, who loved music and drama. When James I came to the throne after Elizabeth′s death, he recognized Shakespeare′s com­pany as the leading group of actors and from then on they were known as the King′s Men. In those times Shakespeare made enough money to build a comfortable life.

Death

He died on the same day as he was born. He was exactly 52 years old. He is buried at local Trinity Church, where he had been christened.

Work

Shakespeare wrote: 37 plays and beautiful sonnets, comedies, history plays and tragedies:

• · Comedies: Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer-Night′s Dream, Much Ado about Nothing, As you like it e.g.
• · Historical plays: Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, Richard III Julius Caesar
• · Tragedies: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, King Lear, Othello.

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous love story in the world. It is about the unhappy love and death of Romeo and Juliet, the only children of two powerful houses of Verona - the House of Montague and the House of Capulet. These two houses hate each other and Romeo Montague meets Juliet at the ball. He falls in love with her although he knows that she is from the House of Capulet.

They love each other very much and ask Friar Laurence to marry them. Their love and marriage are secret. The conflict between the two families continues and by an unfortunate coincidence Romeo kills Tybalt who is Juliet′s cousin. Prince of Verona sends Romeo to the exile. He has to leave Verona and move to another city in Italy called Mantua. Young Juliet is forced to get married to a young nobleman called Paris. She asks Friar Laurence to help again and he gives her magic drops after which she falls asleep for several hours and looks as if she was dead. Romeo learns about Juliet′s death in Mantua and hurries to the Capulet´s Monument in a churchyard. He does not know about the trick and kills himself. Soon after Juliet wakes up and when she sees Romeo dead, she kills herself too. Both Montague and Capulet Houses reconcile after the death of their beloved children.

PROLOGUE

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross′d lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents′ strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark′d love,
And the continuance of their parents′ rage,
Which, but their children′s end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours′ traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

SCENE II. Capulet′s orchard

ROMEO

She speaks:
O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night, being o′er my head
As is a winged messenger of heaven
Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.

JULIET

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I′ll no longer be a Capulet.