William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire England . He is considered to be one of the greatest dramatists in the world. He is the most widely quoted author in history , and his plays have probably been performed more times than those of any other dramatist. William Shakespeare was the eldest son of John Shakespeare . He was the third child out of eight . When Shakespeare was young it is most probable that he attended the Stratford Grammar School and the King’s New School. He studied Latin at school . His works show that he was very familiar with the Latin poet Ovid as well as other Latin literature . In November 1582, eighteen year old Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway.

Even though Shakespeare  lived almost 400 years ago , surprisingly a lot is known about him and his life compared to any other writer of his time. Shakespeare wrote his plays during the rule of Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled England from 1558 to 1603 . During these times , England saw an outpour of poetry and drama , led by Shakespeare , Edmund Spenser , and Christopher Marlowe.

Some wonder how Shakespeare’s popularity is unrivaled . He is one of the greatest entertainers and perhaps the deepest thinker . He had an incredible knowledge of human behavior . He communicated this understanding and knowledge through the variety of his characters . Some of his most amazing characters include King Lear, Hamlet . He was able to show human motivation and mentality by entering into the point of view of each of his characters and thus creating vivid dramatic situations.

William Shakespeare , who wrote during the late 1500s and early 1600s in England , is known as the greatest dramatists and a remarkable poet in the history of English literature .  His extraordinary works are known throughout the world.

His plays have made Shakespeare well-known . Most of  Shakespeare’s plays were performed during his lifetime in the Globe Theatre. The Globe Theatre was built in 1599 by the English actor  Richard Burbage in partnership with Shakespeare and others.

He was a master of poetic language and the techniques of drama . He wrote 154 sonnets , 38 plays and many other works. Shakespeare wrote comedies include The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As you like it and Much Ado About Nothing among others . His popular historical plays include Henry VI and Richard III . He is most remembered for his tragedies which include Hamlet , Macbeth, King Lear , Othello and Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616, the month and day traditionally believed to be his birthday and was buried in Stratford’s Holy Trinity Church.

Shakespeare’s plays are still popular and performed all over the world not only in English but also in many different languages.