William Shakespeare

What comes to your mind when you hear the name 'Shakespeare'? Do you think of funny puns or poetic monologues? Tragic heroes or wicked villains? Messy love triangles or star-crossed lovers? You can find all of these things and more in the works of William Shakespeare (1564-1616), who wrote in England during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods.

So, let's dive into the life and works of Shakespeare, who remains one of the most well-known writers in the English Language of all time.

Fig. 1 - Shakespeare is known for his mastery of the English language and his use of rich and complex language, character development, and themes that are still relevant today.

William Shakespeare: biography

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in England and baptised on April 26th, 1564. His mother was the daughter of a landowner, and his father was a local businessman. At the age of 18, Shakespeare married his cousin, Anne Hathaway, who was eight years older than him, and they had three children together: Susanna, Hamnet, and Judith.

After his marriage, Shakespeare spent most of his time in London, where he wrote and performed in his plays. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he became the part-owner of a theatre company that was first called Lord Chamberlain's Men and later changed its name to The King's Men.

Shakespeare died at the age of 52 on April 23rd, 1616, in his hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon with a legacy of 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and more than 30 plays.

William Shakespeare: quotes and major works

Let's take a look at Shakespeare's most well-known works, focusing on his tragedies, comedies, and sonnets.

Tragedies

There are several well-known tragedies that Shakespeare wrote during his literary career. These plays are darker in tone and deal with serious themes such as death, loss, and the downfall of important characters. Shakespeare's tragedies often have sombre endings and explore the complexities of human emotions and relationships.

Romeo and Juliet (1597)

Set in Verona, Romeo and Juliet is a play about two star-crossed lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, who can't be together because of the rivalry between their families. Romeo and Juliet marry in secret and plan to run away together, but things go wrong; ultimately, the feud between the two families leads to the death of the young lovers.

Hamlet (1599-1601)

Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the tragedy follows the young prince Hamlet as he attempts to get revenge on his uncle, Claudius, for the murder of Hamlet's father. It was, and remains, one of Shakespeare's most popular plays.

Othello (1603)

Othello is set in Cyprus during the Ottoman-Venetian War (1570-1573). The play follows Othello, who is the general of the Venetian army. He is tricked by the villain, Iago, who drives him to a fit of jealous rage. Othello kills his wife, Desdemona, and then he kills himself.

King Lear (1606)

King Lear is a tragedy based on the legend of King Leir of the Brittons. The play follows an elderly King Lear as he descends into madness and poverty. Tired of ruling, he divides his kingdom into two and gives it to the two daughters who flatter him while abandoning Cordelia, the only daughter who truly loves him. This sets into motion a series of events that ends in the death of his entire family.

Macbeth (1605-1606)

Macbeth is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy. The play is loosely based on the life of the Scottish king Macbeth (1040-1057). After three witches tell the brave Scottish general Macbeth that he will become king, he stops at nothing to make this happen, and his bloody deeds ultimately lead to his downfall.

Comedies

Shakespeare's comedies are lighthearted and often focus on themes of love, misunderstandings, and humorous hijinks. These plays were designed to entertain and make the audience laugh, and they often had happy endings.

The Taming of the Shrew (1590-1592)

The Taming of the Shrew is about the headstrong Katherina who has no suitors because she is considered aggressively assertive or 'shrewish'. Petruchio is the only man who succeeds at 'taming' Katherina and turning her into an obedient wife.

Much Ado About Nothing (1598-09)

Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy that centres around two romantic couples: Claudio and Hero and Benedick and Beatrice. Claudio is tricked into believing Hero is not a virgin by the villain, Don John, before eventually discovering the truth and marrying her. Meanwhile, Benedick and Beatrice overcome their constant bickering and finally admit their love for one another.

Twelfth Night (1601-02)

Twelfth Night is about twins Viola and Sebastian, who lose each other in a shipwreck and are reunited at the end of the play. The comedy includes many comedic misunderstandings, most of which come from Viola pretending to be a man called Cesario.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (1605)

Set in Athens, A Midsummer Night's Dream follows several subplots. The play takes place in an enchanted forest full of fairies. The king and queen of the fairies, Oberon and Titania, meddle in the lives of humans and complicate their relationships.

The Tempest (1611)

The Tempest is about the sorcerer Prospero and his daughter Miranda, who live on a remote island after being left stranded there. In an ironic turn of events, the people who put Prospero and Miranda there are shipwrecked on the same island after a storm. Prospero has revenge on his mind, but all is forgiven in the end.

Fig. 2 - Shakespeare's life and works in an informative infographic.

Shakespeare's sonnets

Shakespeare wrote a total of 154 sonnets, first published in 1609. He also included additional sonnets in some of his plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Love's Labour's Lost (1590), and Henry V (1599).

All of Shakespeare's sonnets follow a specific structure: they have 14 lines and are written in iambic pentameter. The way Shakespeare wrote his sonnets even sparked a new genre: the Shakespearean Sonnet.

The Shakespeare authorship question

During his life, William Shakespeare was a prolific and well-known writer. In fact, Shakespeare was so prolific and well-known that there's an ongoing debate as to whether he really wrote all of the works attributed to him. This debate is known as the Shakespeare Authorship Question.

The Shakespeare Authorship Question involves several theories:

• Someone else wrote the works but published them under William Shakespeare's name. Shakespeare's contemporary, Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), has been named as a possible author of Shakespeare's works.
• Shakespeare's works were actually written by a group of people and not by a single author.
• The William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon that we know of may not be the same William Shakespeare who wrote plays in London.

William Shakespeare: facts

Here are some facts that help summarise Shakespeare's life and literary achievements.

• Shakespeare is often referred to as England's National Poet, the Bard of Avon, or simply the Bard. He invented more than 1700 words and phrases in the English language that we still use on a daily basis, such as 'admirable', 'cold-blooded', 'bastard', and 'critic', among many others.
• Shakespeare's plays have been translated into almost every language and are constantly performed in theatres around the world.
• He was the third of eight children born to John and Mary Shakespeare.
• Shakespeare was a playwright, actor, and poet who wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets.
• Shakespeare's works contain numerous references to Italy, although he never travelled there himself.
• Shakespeare's plays were not published in a collected edition until 1623, seven years after his death.
• Shakespeare is believed to have acted in his own plays, although the extent of his involvement as an actor is unclear.
• Shakespeare was a shareholder in the Globe Theatre and he likely made a significant portion of his income from the performances of his plays.
• Shakespeare's grave in Stratford-upon-Avon is said to have inspired the "curse of the playwright," as many people believe that touching his grave will bring bad luck.