William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Who was this William Shakespeare of Stratford? More has been written about him than about any other writer. And yet we know very little about his life, and there are certain things that historians cannot state with any degree of certainty.

Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon, about 75 miles from London. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glover and a dealer in wool and various commodities, a respected figure in Stratford. William's mother, Mary Arden, was a farmer's daughter. William was the eldest of eight children.

William went to grammar school and soon began to develop a keen interest in words and language. He loved watching troops of traveling actors, juggling, fire-eating or performing plays. These players toured the country to make their living, and performed on rough stages in pubs and coach houses. The idea of theatre, as we now know it, hadn't yet got going.

Of course the pub landlords soon realized that these traveling players were good for business, as they drew extra customers in. So they started to build more permanent stages for these performances.

When William was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, nearly eight years older than himself. He lived in Stratford until he was twenty-one. By that time he had already 3 children. At twenty-one he left Stratford-upon-Avon for London. This is where he began his acting career and more importantly started to write plays.

His first play, “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, was published when he was just 24. He then went on to write many more, averaging about two plays a year, including “Romeo and Juliet”, “A Midsummer-Night's Dream” and “Julius Caesar”.

These plays were big hits, although it is strange to think that because women weren't allowed to act in public, all the parts were played by men! Even Juliet was played by a young boy!

In the middle of the 1590s William Shakespeare joined a theatrical company, known as the “Lord Chamberlain's Men”, and worked as an actor and a playwright. In the late 90s, when Shakespeare was already reaching the height of his fame, a new theatre called “The Globe” was built on the bank of the Thames. Shakespeare became one of its owners. The people of London liked it better than any other theatre. It was in “The Globe” that most of Shakespeare's plays were staged at that time.

In 1611 Shakespeare retired to one of the largest houses in his native Stratford. He had bought the house for a considerable sum in 1597. For five years from 1611 he lived in Stratford. By extraordinary chance the town had come under the control of a Puritan council which forbade players to act there. Thus Shakespeare lived to the end of his life in a town where his own plays were banned and his colleagues were unwelcome.

William died of a fever at the age of 52, ironically on the same date as his birthday, 23rd April, and was buried in his native town. But of course he has lived on for centuries through his comedies, tragedies, historical plays and poetry.

Shakespeare is the author of 2 poems, 37 plays and 154 sonnets. His plays can be divided into some genre groups: brilliant comedies, historical chronicles, tragedies and dramas.

Shakespeare's comedies describe the adventures of young men and women, their friendship and love, their search for happiness. The comedies are usually based on some misunderstanding that creates comic situations. They are full of fun. The comedies are filled with humanist love for people and the belief in the nobleness and kindness of human nature.

Historical chronicles are plays written on subject from national history. They cover a period of more than 300 years of English history, from the rule of King John in the 12th century up to the 16th century.

The tragedies, like the chronicles, are also based on real events but there is a considerable difference between the two genres. The playwright raised great problems of Good and Evil in both. But in the chronicles they are mostly linked with political themes - the questions of the state and public life of the period described. In the tragedies, which are centered round the life of one man, Shakespeare touched on the moral problems of universal significance - honesty, cruelty, kindness, love, vanity and others. That is why his tragedies are of great interest to every new generation.

Ex.5 Look through the text again and translate the following words and word-combinations:

Degree of certainty, respected figure, farmer’s daughter, keen interest, troops of traveling actors, rough stag, pub landlords, acting career, to act in public, theatrical company, considerable sum, extraordinary chance, Puritan council, search for happiness, adventure, kindness of human nature, real events, universal significance, honesty, new generation.

Ex.6 Find in the text the English equivalents for the following:

Шекспир родился; уважаемый человек; старший из восьми детей; к тому времени; нарушить молчание; работал в качестве актера и драматурга; стал одним из его владельцев; где были запрещены его пьесы; он был похоронен в своем родном городе; его пьесы можно поделить на несколько жанровых групп; поиски счастья; представляют огромный интерес для каждого нового поколения.

Ex.7 Correct the statements if necessary:

1. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glover and a dealer in wool. 2. He disliked watching troops of traveling actors, juggling, fire-eating or performing plays. 3. When William was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, nearly eight years younger than himself. 4. His first play, “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, was published when he was just 22. 5. These plays were big hits, although it is strange to think that because women weren't allowed to act in public.

Ex.8 Give questions to which the following sentences are the answers:

1. Even Juliet was played by a young boy! 2. It was in “The Globe” that most of Shakespeare's plays were staged at that time. 3. Shakespeare lived to the end of his life in a town where his own plays were banned and his colleagues were unwelcome. 4. But of course he has lived on for centuries through his comedies, tragedies, historical plays and poetry.

Ex.9 Use the text to enlarge the given statements:

1. These players toured the country to make their living, and … . 2. Of course the pub landlords soon realized that … . 3. It was in “The Globe” that most of Shakespeare's plays … . 4. He had bought the house for a … . 5. Thus Shakespeare lived to the end of his life in a town where … . 6. His plays can be divided into some genre groups: … . 7. Shakespeare's comedies describe the adventures of … . 8. The comedies are filled with humanist love for … . 9. The playwright raised great problems of … .

Ex.10 Answer the following questions:

l. What is known about William Shakespeare before his departure to London?

2. What was his theatrical activity?

3. What was his main life tragedy after he had retired to his native Stratford?

4. What is Shakespeare's literary legacy (наследие)?

5. What are the characteristic features of Shakespeare's comedies?

6. On what subjects were Shakespeare's historical chronicles written?

7. What is the main difference between the chronicle and- the tragedy?

Ex.11 Reorder the items of the plan according to the logic of the text. Describe item 3 of the plan in detail.

1. When William was eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, nearly eight years older than himself.

2. William went to grammar school and soon began to develop a keen interest in words and language.

3. Shakespeare is the author of 2 poems, 37 plays and 154 sonnets.

4. In the late 90s, Shakespeare became one of the owners of a new theatre called “The Globe”.

5. At twenty-one he left Stratford-upon-Avon for London.

6. William died of a fever at the age of 52, ironically on the same date as his birthday, 23rd April, and was buried in his native town. 8.

7. Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the small town of Stratford-upon-Avon, about 75 miles from London.

8. In 1611 Shakespeare retired to one of the largest houses in his native Stratford.

Ex.12 Give a written summary of the text in 5-7 sentences.