William Shakespeare: A Legendary Author

William Shakespeare’s intellectual use of the English language is what brought him prosperity throughout his lifetime, and what brings us to tears and laughter in the modern world. The life of Shakespeare is of great importance to English literature because of his many contributions including poetry, stories, and plays. However, many people do not know that he also owned a business. “William Shakespeare was a professional actor, a businessman, and a playwright. Today, nearly four hundred years after his death his plays are still performed” (Greenhill and Wignall 4).

William’s father, John Shakespeare married Mary Arden in the year 1557. “John and Mary Shakespeare’s first two children, Joan and Margaret, died as babies. Such early death was not unusual because there was no protection against childhood illnesses . It is remarkable that their next child, William, survived” (Greenhill and Wignall 5). It is estimated that William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564. William was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. Stratford-upon-Avon is a famous tourist attraction today. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Stratford every year to view William’s birthplace, death place, and grave. “William was born when the plague was raging in Stratford. That year nearly fifteen percent of the town’s population died of the killer disease” (Greenhill and Wignall 5). When William was about six he was sent to the King’s New School. The King’s New School was a grammar school. “The school day in the 1500s was long and hard” (Greenhill and Wignall 5). School began as early as six in the morning and ended at five in the afternoon. There were eight hours of teaching in a day and the school day began and ended with prayers. “Schoolwork at the g...

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...somewhat to fit the modern English language. William Shakespeare was truly a legendary author that helped expand the English language we speak today. His remarkable work will help teach and influence English for many years to come.

Works Cited

Greenhill, Wendy, and Wignall, Paul. Shakespeare: A Life. Chicago IL: Reed Educational & Professional Publishing, 2000. Print.

Ludowyk, E. F. C. Understanding Shakespeare. London, N.W.: The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1962. Print.

Mabillard, Amanda. "Shakespeare’s Plays." 2000. Web. 10 February 2014.

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“Shakespeare FAQ.” 2005. Web. 10 February 2014. .

“William Shakespeare" Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2014 .