William Shakespeare

Biography 

• Occupation: Playwright, actor and poet
• Born: April 26, 1564 baptized in Stratford-upon-Avon, England (likely born on April 23rd)
• Died: April 23, 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England
• Best known for: Writing plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth

Biography: 

Early Life 

He was born in the English city of Stratford-upon-Avon about 100 miles northwest of London in 1564.
He grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon William with his big family on Henley Street. 
He went to the local grammar school where he learned about poetry, history, Greek, and Latin. 
When William turned eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway. They soon had a family including a daughter named Susanna and twins named Hamnet and Judith. 

London and the Lost Years 

After William and Anne had the twins, there are lots of theories and stories about what William was doing during this time. He and his family eventually ended up in London where William was working at the theatre. 

Lord Chamberlain's Men 

William was part of an acting company called Lord Chamberlain's Men. An acting company in England at this time worked together to put on plays. There were typically around ten actors in a company including a lead actor, character actors, and some comedians. Young boys typically played women's roles as women were not allowed to act. 

Early Plays 

Shakespeare wrote plays for the Lord Chamberlain's Men.
He worked as an actor as well. 
His plays became very popular in London and soon the Lord Chamberlain's Men were one of the most popular acting companies in the city. 
Some of Shakespeare's early plays include The Taming of the Shrew, Richard III, Romeo and Juliet, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. 


The Globe Theatre 

The Globe Theatre became the place to be in London.
It could have up to 3,000 spectators and had a uniquely designed stage with a painted ceiling, columns, and stage wall. They had specially trained musicians who made special effects noises during the plays. They even had a cannon that fired blanks. 

Later Plays 

Many of Shakespeare's greatest plays were written in the last half of his career. These includedHamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. 
His success in the theatre, as well as his investments in land and the Globe, made Shakespeare a wealthy man. 


Poetry 

Shakespeare also became famous for his poetry. His most famous poem of the time was Venus and Adonis. He also wrote poems called sonnets. A book of 154 of Shakespeare's sonnets was published in 1609. 

Death 

William retired to his home in Stratford and died on his fifty-second birthday. 

Legacy 

Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest writer of the English language. He is also one of the most influential. Through his works, he is credited with introducing nearly 3,000 words to the English language. In addition, his works are the second most often quoted after the Bible. 

Interesting Facts about William Shakespeare

• He wrote 37 plays in his lifetime averaging about 1.5 plays per year he was writing. 
• His plays were performed for both Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

You can read more about his interesting life in theses webapges:

https://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/short-stories/william-shakespeare

https://www.slideshare.net/samanthacundill/william-shakespeare-presentation-3791570