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William
Shakespeare
(1564-1616)
William Shakespeare is one of
the greatest poets and playwrights in the world. He
changed the way plays were written by creating new styles
of writing.
William was born in April, 1564,
in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Although
the exact date of William's birth is unknown, we recognize
his birthday on April 23. This date was chosen because
William was baptized on April 26, and it was customary
to baptize children three days after they were born.
Did you know April
23 is also St. George's Day? St. George is the patron
saint of England.
Stratford-upon-Avon is located
in Warwickshire County. Did
you know it derives its name from the Avon
River located near Stratford?
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Shakepeare's
Names
Did you know William's last name has been written over
eighty ways? The Shakespeare family records show 44
different spellings of Shakespeare. Even William spelled
it two ways in his will -- "Shakspere" and "Shakspeare."
Other spellings include "Shagspeare," "Shakestaffe,"
"Shagsbere," "Shaxpere," and "Shackspeare." Throughout
the years, it has been decided to spell it Shakespeare.
So if you are looking up William Shakespeare in an encyclopedia,
be sure to spell his name S-h-a-k-e-s-p-e-a-r-e.
Did you know William's
nickname is "The Bard of Avon?" A bard is another word
for poet, and William is one of the greatest poets in
the world. Therefore, he is known as "The Bard." "Of
Avon" is added to this name because William was born
in Stratford-upon-Avon. When the two names are put together,
William's nickname becomes "The Bard of Avon."
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Shakespeare's
Plays
William had a talent for writing
about the struggles people face. His stories combine
conflicts with which both the Kings and peasants could
identify. His plots mirror the every day lives of people
and encourage the audience to choose good over evil.
William's plays were performed
in playhouses, like The Globe Theatre, and at the royal
courts of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.
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Categories
of Plays
William's plays are placed in
one of three categories. They are either Histories,
Comedies, or Tragedies.
William's well known histories
are Henry IV, V, and VI, and Richard
III.
His popular comedies are A
Midsummer Nights Dream, Much Ado About Nothing,
and As You Like It.
His famous tragedies are Hamlet,
Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, and Othello.
One reason William is a great
playwright is his plays often contained elements of
all three categories. He blended common issues into
histories, seriousness into comedies, and humor into
tragedies. This was a revolutionary concept in William's
time.
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William's
Famous Quotes
Most people could probably quote
a line from one of William's play, even if they are
unaware the saying came from him. The following are
some famous quotes from William's plays and sonnets:
"To be, or not to be, that is the question."
(Hamlet)
"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?"
(Romeo and Juliet)
"Out, damn'd spot! out, I say!" (Macbeth)
"All the world's a stage, And all the men and
women merely players." (As You Like It)
"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!"
(Julius Caesar)
"A horse, A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"
(Richard III)
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
(Sonnet 18)
"Lord,
what fools these mortals be!" (A
Midsummer Night's Dream)
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Words
and Phrases
William influenced the English
language more than any other writer in the world. He
created over 2,000 new words and phrases. They include:
schoolboy, shooting star, puppy-dog, football, bandit,
partner, downstairs, upstairs, leapfrog, alligator,
and mimic.
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William's
Influence Today
William helped turn the theatrical
profession into a gentlemanly profession loved by all
people, from Kings and Queens to peasants and servants.
Today, a writer, actor, director, or producer is well
received in our society.
In William's time, there were
different groups of acting companies. These acting companies
were named after monarchs or wealthy patrons. William
was associated with the Lord Chamberlain's Men and the
King's Men. Today, an acting company is named after
William. It is called The Royal Shakespeare Company.
William's plays are still popular
today and have been reprinted thousands of times. They
have been translated into all the major languages and
performed throughout the world. His plays are also studied
in many literature classes. In addition, several of
his plays have been turned into operas, ballets, and
movies.
Today, William's plots are present
in movies, television shows, and books. They have become
so common we may not realize they were first introduced
by William. They include:
mistaking the identity of one person for another person
(A Comedy of Errors)
two young people from rival families falling in love
(Romeo and Juliet)
a person torn between loyalty and revenge (Hamlet)
giving a person a taste of their own medicine (The
Taming of the Shrew)
an evil person who dies because of their own wrongdoing
(Macbeth)
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Starlings
and Sparrows
William indirectly introduced
starlings and sparrows to North America. He wrote about
these birds in his plays. In the 1890's, almost 300
years after William's death, a man from New York wanted
to bring all the birds mentioned in William's plays
to North America. This man brought the starling and
the sparrow to New York and released them in Central
Park.
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Honoring
William
William Shakespeare died on April
23, 1616, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It was his
52nd birthday.
Stratford-upon-Avon is well known
as the birthplace of William. Today, many people visit
Stratford to see William's birthplace, homes, and grave
site at Holy Trinity Church.
Westminster Abbey in London,
England, commemorates poets in the poet's corner. William
was the first writer to be honored. There is also a
bust of William over a door in Westminster Abbey.
William Shakespeare was a great
poet and playwright and a hero in our hearts.
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