Shakespeare ... William Shakespeare! Who does not know this name? The greatest playwright and poet, the pride of the English nation, the heritage of the whole world. That is who it is. His ingenious works are translated into most languages of the world, they are included in the compulsory literature program of many countries. Is this not a confession?
Childhood.
It is believed that Shakespeare, whose years of life vary in some sources, was born in April 1564. The exact date is still not known to anyone, since no documentary evidence was found. But in the church book is the date of his baptism - April 26.
He was born in the center of England, in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It is known that his father was John Shakespeare, who was originally a craftsman (engaged in the manufacture of gloves). Later he took the post of alderman, that is, in fact, the head of the municipal assembly, then became the head of the city council.
John was a fairly wealthy man, as evidenced by the fact that he constantly paid huge fines for not attending church services. Rumor has it that Shakespeare Sr. is a secret Catholic.
The mother of the future playwright was Mary Arden from an old and respectable Saxon family.
William Shakespeare (years of life - 1564-1616) had seven brothers and sisters. He himself was the third child in the family.
Youth
Since no school documents of Shakespeare were preserved, the researchers of his biography were guided by some scraps of information from various sources. According to them, Shakespeare studied at the Grammar School of Stratford, and later at the school of King Edward Six, where he studied the poetry of ancient authors.
Shakespeare (years of life see above) at the age of eighteen married. His chosen one was a landowner daughter named Ann, and besides, pregnant. A few months after the marriage, the newlyweds had a girl named Susan. Two years later, twins appeared - son Hemnet and daughter Judith.
Theatrical career. Life in london
Since 1585 (after the birth of children), there is no information about Shakespeare. Only in 1592 his trace was discovered in London, where he was engaged in theatrical activities with might and main. Thus, the seven-year period simply disappeared from the biography of the great playwright. None of the researchers can accurately say what Shakespeare did during these years.
Since everyone knows in what century Shakespeare lived, such gaps should not be surprised.
From various documents it became known that the plays of William Shakespeare were successfully staged in London. But again, it is not entirely clear from when he started writing them, how he ended up in the capital and why he is close to the theater.
The Lord Chamberlain's Servants troupe had primary rights to stage Shakespeare's dramatic works, as he himself was there as an actor, and later became its co-owner. Soon this theater organization became one of the most popular in London.
The years of Shakespeare's life went on. In 1603, his troupe became known as "Servants of the King", which meant recognition of the merits and creativity of all the nobility.
Theatrical performances came with great success, which allowed the troupe to acquire its own building. The new theater was called the Globe. A few years later they bought the Blackfriere Theater. Shakespeare quickly grew rich and did not hide his wealth. So, he got the second largest house in Stratford.
Literary activity
Shakespeare, whose years of life flowed inexorably, began to think about publishing his manuscripts. The first was published in 1594. But even after he became famous in literary circles, the playwright did not stop playing in the theater. This was his brainchild, which he could not abandon.
The entire period of Shakespeare's work is divided into four stages:
- The first is early. Renaissance comedies, chronicles, two poems, "the tragedy of horror" were written.
- Second. Mature dramaturgy, an antique play, sonnets, chronicles with dramatic narratives appeared.
- Third. Ancient tragedies, great tragedies, gloomy tragedies are written.
- Fourth. Shakespeare created dramatic tales.
Dramaturgy
Shakespeare (years of life: 1564-1616) is undeniably considered the greatest playwright of all time. And there is no such name in the world that could stand on an equal footing with his name.
In the early 1590s, there was historical drama in literary fashion. The plays “Richard the Third” and “Henry the Sixth” belong to this period.
It is rather difficult to determine the periodization of the creation of specific works, since they are not dated by the author himself. But researchers believe that the early period of creativity include:
- "Two Veronets."
- "The Taming of the Shrew".
- "Tit Andronic."
- "Comedy of mistakes."
Also, the early period is characterized mainly by farcical and ironic works. In contrast to the second stage, where romantic works come to the fore. For example, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "The Merchant of Venice."
With each new work, the characters of Shakespeare become more complex and interesting.
At the peak of the playwright's work, tragedies are written. Among them are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear.
Shakespeare lived in a century full of opportunities for creation, the embodiment of his ideas, writing something new, innovative. In plays of the last period, the poetic mastery of the author reached its climax. That is why the syllable of such dramas as "Anthony and Cleopatra", "Coriolanus" is considered ideal.
Some scholars believe that several plays were written by Shakespeare in collaboration with another writer. For that period, it was a normal and frequent practice.
"Romeo and Juliet"
Perhaps this is the most famous love story in the whole world. How many theatrical productions were - not to count, and the number of adaptations is also amazing (more than fifty). But it is also surprising that, despite the past centuries, this story still touches the soul and makes you think about the essence of being.
The plot of the drama is probably known to all reading people. The action begins in the Italian city of Verona. In what century Shakespeare lived, this is where the described events take place.
Montecchi and Capulet are two families that have been at war for many years and probably have already forgotten the reason for their hatred. Fate decides that the children of the leaders fall in love with each other. Romeo and Juliet decide to secretly get married. But a young man in the heat of a fight kills his beloved brother and he is expelled from the city.
Out of despair, the girl is going to drink poison, but the monk gives her a potion that just euthanizes her. The family decides that Juliet left this world and put her in a tomb.
Romeo, unable to survive the loss of her lover, drinks poison, waking up, the girl sees at her feet a lifeless body. She decides to follow her lover and stabs herself.
The death of children led to the end of the irreconcilable discord of the two families.
"Hamlet"
William Shakespeare experienced a great tragedy in life - the death of his son. Hemnet died at the age of eleven, presumably from the bubonic plague.
Since the playwright worked in London, he did not often visit his hometown and at the time of the death of his son, he was not there either. Shakespeare was very tormented by this circumstance.
It is with this event that creativity researchers associate the creation of a tragedy about Hamlet, linking them with the similarity of names.
In the plot, of course, no connection can be traced. The action takes place in the Danish kingdom. A prince named Hamlet meets the ghost of his deceased king father. He tells the young man that he was killed by the current king, Hamlet's uncle - Claudius. The ghost asks for revenge for what he did to him.
Hamlet is confused; he cannot make a decision. To protect himself, he pretends to be crazy. But his uncle is not so simple, he does not believe in the farce of his nephew. In the head of Claudius, a plan to kill Hamlet is born.
As a result, Hamlet drinks poison without knowing it. But before dying he manages to avenge his father.
Frontinbras, the Norwegian ruler, enters the throne.
Poems and Sonnets
In what century did Shakespeare live? In the century of development of economic relations and accelerated development of the country. It so happened that the main trade sea routes ran through England. As a result, in 1593 the country was seized by an epidemic of plague, which lasted almost two years.
Of course, in such conditions no public institutions, including the Shakespeare Theater, worked. The playwright was forced to sit out of work. He read a lot, and, inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses, wrote two erotic poems.
The third was the "Complaint in love," which was reprinted several times during the author's lifetime.
But most of all, William Shakespeare is known for his sonnets. There are 154 of them in the poet’s work. The sonnet is a verse of fourteen lines in which such a rhyme is adopted: abab cdcd efef gg.
The sonnet cycle is conditionally divided into twelve thematic groups, among which:
- chanting a friend;
- longing and fear;
- the joy and beauty of love.
Shakespeare's style
William Shakespeare, whose years of life are indicated in the review, was very much transformed in terms of literature. His first works were written in ordinary language, not distinguishing the playwright from the crowd of the same scribblers. To avoid routine in his works, Shakespeare loaded them with metaphors, literally planting them on top of each other. This prevented him from revealing the images of heroes.
However, soon the poet comes to his traditional style, adapts to it. The standard is the use of a white verse (written in pentameter iambic). But it is distinguished by its quality, if we compare the initial work and the subsequent ones.
A feature of Shakespeare's style is that he wrote with a focus on theatrical productions. In his works, anjambemans, unusual designs and length of sentences are used on a large scale. Sometimes the playwright offers the viewer to think up the end of the phrase, inserting a long pause there.
Criticism
Shakespeare, whose years of life, a brief biography of which is known to all literary figures, had a tremendous influence on his followers in writing.
Despite this, during his lifetime he was not considered a great playwright. And at the end of the seventeenth century, they even criticized him for mixing the tragic and the comic in his works.
However, already in the eighteenth century, these opinions were forgotten, literary scholars began to thoroughly study his work. And soon the fact that Shakespeare was the national poet of England was sounded now. After that, close attention was paid to the years of Shakespeare's life.
The nineteenth century was marked by mass translations of Shakespeare's plays into other languages. In particular, August Schlegel was engaged in this.
However, there were still critics. So, Bernard Shaw stated that Shakespeare, compared with Ibsen, has long been outdated, and he does not understand this idolatry.
The existence of the dramatic abilities of Shakespeare was also doubted by Leo Tolstoy.
But the beginning of the twentieth century again raised him to the pinnacle of fame when the expressionists and futurists began to stage his plays, and the poet T.S. Eliot stated that Shakespeare's plays will always be contemporary.
Last years
The last years of Shakespeare's life passed in his hometown. Although he often went on business to London. He was replaced by J. Fletcher as the chief playwright of the troupe. According to some researchers, he also co-authored the latest plays.
Shakespeare lived in a century when it is impossible to know exactly what happened to a person. But according to the remaining documents, it was clear that his handwriting had changed, became uncertain and sweeping. Based on what historians concluded that William Shakespeare was seriously ill.
Death
Shakespeare died on April 23, 1616. It is believed that it was his birthday. According to the will, all the property of the playwright passed to the daughters and their direct descendants.
The last direct descendant of the poet was his granddaughter Elizabeth, who died in 1670.
Where Shakespeare spent the last years of his life, a bust of the poet was established.