William Shakespeare Biography

William Shakespeare was born on the 26^th April 1564, his actual birth date remains unknown; he was an English poet and play writer. He was the son of John Shakespeare, a Glover and alderman and Mary Arden, the daughter of a landowning farmer. He was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. It is believed that at age four or five William Shakespeare was educated at the King’s New School a Grammar school run for benefit of sons of civil servants in Stratford. In his young years Shakespeare attended the Christian Holy Trinity church where he studied the book on common prayer and the English Bible, which is now famous for its elegant limestone cross shaped cathedral on the banks on the Avon River. At age 18, he married Anne Hathaway and they had three children: Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. 
He began a successful career in London as an actor, writer and part owner of a playing company called Lord Chamberlain’s Men later known As the King’s men.  Which was a theater troupe sponsored by a baron named Henry Carey; Shakespeare also purchased shares in the company, making him a manger and co-owner. Over the years the chamberlain men became one of the most popular theatre companies in London and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth 1.Early on Shakespeare likely attended the Elizabethan theatrical Productions of travelling theatre troupes who would go to Stratford to entertain the local official townsmen. Even if Shakespeare wrote his own work, he did not always write alone. As many as a dozen of his later plays are believed to have been collaborations with other authors including “The Two Noble Kinsman” known to be written with John Fletcher, “Timon of Athens” with Thomas Middleton and “Pericles” with George Wilkins.

William Shakespeare; the greatest writer ever

Shakespeare reputation as the greatest English language writer stops from at least five dimensions of his collective work. Over some thirty-eight plays, Shakespeare addressed virtually every aspect of human experience. His plays include comedies, tragedies, histories, romances and problem plays. Although he wrote for a specific audience of a particular historical era his work has been a major influence on subsequent theatre. His work was so extra ordinary; it allowed him to transform English theatre by expanding expectations about what could be accomplished through characterization, plot, action, language and genre. His poetic artistry helped raise the status of popular theatre, permitting it to be admired by intellectuals as well as by those seeking pure entertainment. Therefore William Shakespeare can safely be regarded as the greatest writer in the English Language.

The famous Theatre; The Globe Theatre

The Globe theatre was the most popular theatre during the Elizabethan era in London. It was associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare’s playing company, the lord Chamberlain’s men and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. A second Globe theatre was built on the same site by June 1614 and closed 1642The Globe theatre was a huge success and as it had been built in close proximity to the Bear Garden. The plays were big, there was a lot of money made at this theatre and it was in constant demand for new material. As soon as a play had been written it was immediately published and it was then printed. Rival theater companies would send their members to attend plays to produce unauthorized copies or plays (during this time copyright didn’t exist).

The Elizabethan Era

Was a time associated with Queen Elizabeth 1’s reign (1558-1603) an is often considered to be the golden age in English history which was the height of the English renaissance; this allowed English poetry , music and literature to flourish. This was also the time during which Elizabethan theatre flourished and William Shakespeare and many others composed plays that broke England’s past style of plays and theatre. It was the age of exploration and expansion abroad while the protestant reformation became more acceptable to the people. It was also the end of the period when England was a separate realm before its royal union with Scotland. It was a brief periods of largely internal peace between the English Reformation and the battle between Protestants and Catholics and the battles of the parliament and the monarchy. The education during the Elizabethan era was necessary for boys to attend who attend grammar school while girls were not allowed in any place of education other than petty schools. Petty schools were for children from age 5 to 7 years old. At petty schools they learned basic manners and good behaviour.

   The fine art during in England during the Tudor and Stuart eras were dominated by foreign and imported talent under Henry VIII to Anthony van dick under Charles I. yet within this general trend, a native school of painting was developed. During the Elizabethan era, people looked forward to holidays because opportunities for leisure were limited, with time away from hard work being restricted to periods after church on Sundays. Leisure and festivities took place on a public church holy day. Every month had its own holiday such as Plough Monday, Candlemas, Valentines’ day, Ash Wednesday, Midsummer, Lammas tide, Michaelmas, St.Crispin’s Day, Accession day and the twelve days of Christmas.

    Lacking a dominant genius or a formal structure for research, the Elizabethan era saw significant scientific progress. English achievements in exploration were noteworthy in the Elizabethan era. The first attempt at English settlement of the eastern seaboard of North America occurred in this era. While Elizabethan England is not thought of as an age of technological innovation, some progress did occur.