FREE ESSAY ON WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare was a great English playwright, dramatist and poet who lived during
the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Shakespeare is considered to be the
greatest playwright of all time. No other writer's plays have been produced so many times
or read so widely in so many countries as his.
Shakespeare was born to middle class parents. His father, John, was a Stratford
businessman. He was a glove maker who owned a leather shop. John Shakespeare was a
well-known and respected man in the town. He held several important local governmental
positions. William Shakespeare's mother was Mary Arden. Though she was the daughter of a
local farmer, she was related to a family of considerable wealth and social standing.
Mary Arden and John Shakespeare were married in 1557.
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford in 1564. He was one of eight children. The
Shakespeare's were well-respected prominent people. When William Shakespeare was about
seven years old, he probably began attending the Stratford Grammar School with other boys
of his social class. Students went to school year round attending school for nine hours a
day. The teachers were strict disciplinarians.
Though Shakespeare spent long hours at school, his boyhood was probably fascinating.
Stratford was a lively town and during holidays, it was known to put on pageants and many
popular shows. It also held several large fairs during the year. Stratford was an
exciting place to live. Stratford also had fields and woods surrounding it giving William
the opportunity to hunt and trap small game. The River Avon that ran through the town
allowed him to fish also. Shakespeare's' poems and plays show his love of nature and
rural life which reflects his childhood.
On November 28, 1582, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway of the neighboring village of
Shottery. She was twenty-six, and he was only eighteen at the time. They had three
children. Susana was their first and then they had twins, Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet,
Shakespeare's son, died in 1596. In 1607, his daughter Susana got married. Shakespeare's
other daughter, Judith, got married in 1616.
In London, Shakespeare's career took off. It is believed that he may have become well
known in London theatrical life by 1592. By that time, he had joined one of the city's
repertory theater companies. These companies were made up of a permanent cast of actors
who presented different plays week after week. The companies were commercial
organizations that depended on admission from their audience. Scholars know that
Shakespeare belonged to one of the most popular acting companies in London called The
Lord Chamberlain's Men. Shakespeare was a leading member of the group from 1594 for the
rest of his career. By 1594, at least 6 of Shakespeare's plays had been produced.
During Shakespeare's life, there were two monarchs who ruled England. They were Henry the
eighth and Elizabeth the first. Both were impressed with Shakespeare, which made his name
known. There is evidence that he was a member of a traveling theater group, and a
schoolmaster. In 1594, he became an actor and playwright for Lord Chamberlain's Men. In
1599, he became a part owner of the prosperous Globe Theater. He also was a part owner of
the Black Friars Theater as of 1609. Shakespeare retired to Stratford in 1613 where he
wrote many of his excellent plays.
There are many reasons as to why William Shakespeare is so famous. He is generally
considered to be both the greatest dramatist the world has ever known as well as the
finest poet who has written in the English language. Many reasons can be given for
Shakespeare's enormous appeal. His fame basically is from his great understanding of
human nature. He was able to find universal human qualities and put them in a dramatic
situation creating characters that are timeless. Yet he had the ability to create
characters that are highly individual human beings. Their struggles in life are
universal. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes their lives are full of pain,
suffering, and failure.
In addition to his understanding and realistic view of human nature, Shakespeare had a
vast knowledge of a variety of subjects. These subjects include music, law, Bible, stage,
art, politics, history, hunting, and sports. Shakespeare had a tremendous influence on
culture and literature throughout the world. He contributed greatly to the development of
the English language. Many words and phrases from Shakespeare's plays and poems have
become part of our speech. Shakespeare's plays and poems have become a required part of
education in the United States. Therefore, his ideas on subjects such as romantic love,
heroism, comedy, and tragedy have helped shape the attitudes of millions of people. His
description of historical figures and events has influenced our thinking more than what
has been written in history books. The world has admired and respected many great
writers, but only Shakespeare has generated such enormous continuing interest. 
Shakespeare's plays are usually divided into three major categories. These are comedy,
tragedy, and history. Three plays which are in the category of comedy are The Comedy of
Errors, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Two Gentlemen of Verone. Three plays which are
in the category of tragedy are Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, and Julius Caesar. In
the category of history, three plays are Henry V, Richard II, and Richard III.