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William Shakespeare was a very talented man known for his various works of literature. His works include poems, plays, and sonnets. His works are then broken down into tragedies, comedies, and histories. Shakespeare left this world centuries ago, but his writings continue to live throughout the world today. He has greatly impacted the world of literature and his existence will forever be remembered. In 1564, William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon (Hazell 32). It seems that Shakespeare’s career began around the year 1592. This was a tough time for playwrights and actors. There was an outbreak of the bubonic plague which caused concerns for those wanting to watch because of being surrounded by those potentially carrying the disease, thus making it hard for the playwrights and actors to find work (“William Shakespeare.” 653-654). Not only was disease an obstacle William Shakespeare had to overcome in his work, he was also forced to face hampering from religious aspects as well. Leaders in the Puritan community looked down upon plays, acting, and other things of that nature. These authorities thought that these activities would sway people from focusing on the importance of practicing their religion. Plays and such were not allowed to be performed while in the city of London. They were banned. Eventually, despite all the obstructions, plays and theater came to be a popular thing although still forced outside the city (“The Changing Status...”). After overcoming the troubles of becoming an actor and a playwright, William Shakespeare has become well renowned. His works reach to people all around the world despite the language barriers and different races and cultures. For centuries, the popularity of his work... ... middle of paper ... ... Co., 1919. 5. Print. Ellis, Jessica. “What are Shakespeare’s Comedies?” wiseGEEK. Conjecture Corp., 2003. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. Frye, Roland Mushat. Shakespeare’s Life and Times. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1967. 16. Print. Hazell, Rebecca. Heroes: Great Men Through the Ages. New York: Abbeville Press, N.d. 32. Print. McMillan, Eric. “Who Was the Greatest of All Writers?” The Greatest Authors of All Time. N.p. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2012. “Race – Introduction.” Shakespearean Criticism. eNotes.com. Gale Cengage, 2006. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. Schwartz, Debora B. “Shakespeare’s Plays: The Histories.” ENGL 339. N.p. 2002. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. “The Changing Status of Theater.” About.Com.Shakespeare. The New York Times Co., 2012. Web. 31 Jan. 2012. “William Shakespeare.” Encyclopedia Americana. Vol. 24. Danbury, CT: Grolier Inc., 1994. 652-654; 656. Print.
In countries all over the globe the name William Shakespeare brings to mind literary genius, a character so famed in eloquence and creativity that none other comes close to him in prestige. Yet for centuries scholars, students and readers have argued a very fundamental question: whether or not the plays and poems attribute to William...
William Shakespeare, poet and playwright, utilized humor and irony as he developed specific language for his plays, thereby influencing literature forever. “Shakespeare became popular in the eighteenth century” (Epstein 8). He was the best all around. “Shakespeare was a classic” (8). William Shakespeare is a very known and popular man that has many works, techniques and ways. Shakespeare is the writer of many famous works of literature. His comedies include humor while his plays and poems include irony. Shakespeare sets himself apart by using his own language and word choice. Shakespeare uses certain types of allusions that people always remember, as in the phrase from Romeo and Juliet, “star-crossed lovers”.
William Shakespeare was born in the year 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, which is in the United Kingdom. William was the third born child in the Shakespeare family, son to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden, and brother to Gilbert, Richard, Edmund, Joan and Judith. William’s father, John, was a successful merchant, however WIlliam’s birth seemed to impoverish the family, with John’s wealth decreased by a substantial amount. William attended a school for the underprivileged and received a basic education. By 1592, William had begun his career as actor and playwright and had his first few performances published. By 1597, he had 17 more of his plays published as public performances. By this time, Shakespeare was known as one of the richest people in England, as he bought the second largest house in Stratford-upon-Avon. In 1599, Shakespeare and his group built their own theatre near the Thames river. They decided to call the theatre The ‘Globe’. Shakespeare’s first plays performed at ‘The Globe’ were Richard II,Henry VI parts 1,2 and 3. These plays were all Histories and comedies and he did not begin to make tragedies until 1600. Shakespeare’s later plays, before his death were called tragicomedies. These, as from the title, were tragedies involved with some humour.
Shakespeare, the man who wrote 37 plays and more than a hundred sonnets, is known throughout the world. Many people consider him one of the best English playwrights of our time, others say that he was a genius.
Across the Universe of Time: Shakespeare’s influence on 21st century society. It is harder to imagine a more universal writer than William Shakespeare. Rarely, if ever, is one of his many plays not being performed anywhere in the world and similarly rare is the tertiary English student who has not examined his work at length. His plays, sonnets and poems are common fodder for high school English departments across the globe.
So to conclude, we can safely agree with most academics that William Shakespeare did exist and that he did indeed write the 37 plays and 154 sonnets credited to him.
Shakespeare has created stories that are so powerful, emotional, comedic, tragic and romantic that they are still continuously remembered and studied in the modern era. Though the essence of his talents does not lie in the simple themes behind his plays, but more so in
William Shakespeare has become landmark in English literature. One must be familiar with the early days of English literature in order to comprehend the foundation of much of more modern literature’s basis. Shakespeare’s modern influence is still seen clearly in many ways. The success of Shakespeare’s works helped to set the example for the development of modern dramas and plays. He is also acknowledged for being one of the first writers to use any modern prose in his writings.
Arguably the greatest playwright of his time, perhaps in all of history, William Shakespeare's literary works have had a tremendous impact (see Appendix 2). Reaching into the pop culture of the modern world through movies and quotes used in everyday conversation, Shakespeare's influence is astounding (see Appendix 1). One rarely stops to think, however, about events that had an impact on Shakespeare's life, particularly his writing. The outbreak of the plague, social disparity, political unrest, just a few of the historical happenings that impacted Shakespeare's plays, including Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and Henry IV
Shakespeare is known all over the world as the greatest writer and pre-eminent dramatist in the English language. He defines what literature is today and has set the ultimate goal for any aspiring poet, playwright, or author. Some commenters believe his plays are timeless and will continue to be influential. However, as the decades go on, most believe that Shakespeare’s work must be disregarded because it is so outdated. Because of his use of language, his lack of connection, and his vigorous competition of notable poets and playwrights, Shakespeare must be deliberated as irrelevant in the 21st century.
William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright and actor born in 1564. He had a huge influence on the English language, theatre and literature to the present-day. He is the all-time greatest writer of the English language and many of his works are widely quoted in the history of the English-speaking world.
William Shakespeare was a very famous and successful playwright during the late 1500’s and early 1600’s. His plays gave a significant and momentous effect towards the Jacobean (people ruled by King James) audience.
To begin, Shakespeare is a well-known playwright and a tremendous poet. Shakespeare wrote about every possible human action, social interactions, betrayal, and tragedy. William is definitely the greatest writer because he has influenced many schools and theaters. He is hugely remembered for his splendid work and should never be forgotten. His work affects everyone and inspires them to do many good things in life. For example, in the play As You Like It Shakespeare implied, “A fool thinks himself to be wise, a wise man knows himself to be a fool” (As You Like It V.1.30). William Shakespeare’s plays are highly popular and are frequently studied. Shakespeare’s play makes his plays so real that he changed the face of drama forever. William Shakespeare has become an important landmark in English history and impacted the world of history.
England's most talented and well know poet and dramatist was born on April 23, 1564, at Stratford-upon-Avon, located in the cetre of England. His father, John, was a glove-maker and wool dealer involved with money lending. His mother Mary Arden was the daughter of a Farmer. William was the third out of eight children whom all died young. His father became Mayor in 1568, after serving on the town council for many years.
The name most associated with excellence in theatre is William Shakespeare. His plays, more than any other playwright, resonate through the ages. It may be safe to say that he has influenced more actors, directors, and playwrights than any thespian in the history of the stage. But what were his influences? During the Middle Ages theatre was dominated by morality, miracle, and mystery plays that were often staged by the church as a means to teach the illiterate masses about Christianity. It wasn’t until the early sixteenth century that Greek tragedy experienced a revival, in turn, inspiring a generation of renaissance playwrights.