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William Shakespeare, also called the Bard of Avon, was a world famous dramatist from England, and was probably the most famous dramatist of all time. He was also a poet and playwright and is said to be the world's favourite author. No other writer's plays have been produced so often and read so widely, in so many different countries.
Not much is known about Shakespeare's early life. He was born on April 23, 1564 in the small country town of Stratford-upon-Avon. His father was a prosperous glove maker and held several positions in the town government.
His mother, Mary Arden, was of gentle birth. By the age of seven, Shakespeare was probably attending the local grammar school. He was unable to go to Oxford or Cambridge due to his father's financial setbacks. He spent his first 18 years among people connected with lands and trade in Stratford and had contact with all classes of people except the nobility. It was a tremendous advantage to him, as it gave him the knowledge of life. So it's said that he graduated from the University of Life.
When William was 18, in 1582, he got married to Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior, and had three children. From 1585 to 1592, a period some scholars call 'the lost years', virtually nothing is known about Shakespeare's life. Sometime during the lost years, Shakespeare moved to London and became part of the city's busy theatrical life.
By 1594, he was a shareholder or part owner in one of London's most popular acting companies, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and at least six of his plays had been produced.
Shakespeare was both a writer and actor, and acted small parts in plays and also edited dramas of other people. He is said to have played the 'ghost' in the play 'Hamlet'.
The more popular his plays, the larger his share of the company's income. In 1599, the company built the Globe Theatre, the most famous of Elizabethan theatres. His first literary production was 'Venus and Adonis' in 1593.
In 1598, some of his plays were published and they were appreciated as most excellent, in both comedy and tragedy, for the stage. During his dramatic career of 28 years, Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, depicting all types of human characters, poems and about 150 sonnets. The sonnet 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day' is one of the better known sonnets written by him.
The Shakespearean period is divided into four:
i. 1588-1595, starting with the period comedy, 'Love's Labours Lost', four historical plays.
ii. 1596-1601, starting with 'Merchant of Venice' and other comedies, and one historical play. He became a shareholder of Globe Theatre in 1599. He acquired great fame and became friends of Earls and the Queen. But he was upset when the Queen, Earls and friends got into trouble.
iii. 1601-1608, starting with Julius Caesar, period of tragedies, depicting how fate overcomes man due to his weakness and the suffering he has to undergo due to ambition and arrogance.
iv. 1608-1613, period of mature writing, having learnt the joyous and the sad sides of life. 'Macbeth' was written during this time, probably in or around 1606.
During this time he bought lands and properties and the biggest house in Stratford.
He went back to his home in 1609 and died there on April 23, 1616, having spent his last few years quietly.
Shakespeare was a dramatist who understood life deeply, and knew the thoughts and feelings of kings and queens, rich men and the poor, soldiers and vagabonds, fools and people from all walks of life.
While some other writers depicted only one type of character, Shakespeare is universal, as he could understand and play any type of character.
He showed in some of his plays how man's selfishness and greed result in misery. 'Macbeth', written by him, is a portrayal of a man who suffered beyond endurance.
Among his best works are tragedies (dramas with sad endings). Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth and Julius Caesar are well-known, each showing a tragedy caused by human weakness.
He wrote interesting romantic plays too, like Twelfth Night, Mid-Summer Night's Dream and Tempest.
The salient (outstanding) feature in his works is that his plays are read and staged continuously todate.
He had good plots and interesting stories, handled diverse subjects and was better than any in his aptitude for grammar and composition.
His genius is visible in the characters created in his works. Most of his works are being used for courses of studies at higher educational institutes.
William Shakespeare remains unchallenged as the chief of English literature and is the master of all who have ever worked with words.
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