The Life of

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Within the _______ system of

Elizabethan England, William

Shakespeare did not seem

________ for __________.

class

destined greatness

Not born into a family of _______ or ______.

Did not continue his formal _________ at _________.

Did not come under the ___________ of a senior _____.

Did not marry into _______ or ________.

nobility wealth

education university

mentorship artist

wealth prestige

• His talent seemed to be

_______ for an actor (since he

is not known for having

_______ _____ .

•Playwrights depended in part

upon _____ patronage.

modest

starring roles

royal

In spite of these limitations, Shakespeare is now the most

__________ and ______ playwright in the ________

of the ______.

performed read history

world

Shakespeare’s Early Life Parents:

John Shakespeare, a _______________ and

____________.

Mary Arden, daughter of an __________

_______.

* Baptized April 26, _____ as William Shakespeare in

____________- upon- ______. (Babies were

baptized 3 days after birth so his birthday is thought

to be April 23, _______.

glove-maker tradesman

affluent farmer

1564 Stratford

1564

Avon

Shakespeare’s Early Life (continued)

One of _____ children. He grew up

in this small town ___ miles NW of

________ (far from the cultural and

courtly center of England.)

eight

100

London

Attended _______________grammar school

which stressed ________ education (Greek

mythology, Roman comedy, ancient history, rhetoric

grammar, Latin and possibly Greek.)

King’s New School

classical

Married Life:

At age 18 Shakespeare married

_____________ (a woman __ years older

than him and _________________.)

Anne Hathaway 8

3 months pregnant

a. 1st child 1583: ________

b. Twins 1585: ________ & _______

c. 1596 _________tragically ____ at age __. Judith

Susanna

Hamnet Hamnet died 11

In the 7 years following his children’s birth,

the historical record is incomplete. These

are called the ____ _____. lost years

His Writing...

1590: Shakespeare shows up again and between

1590 and ____ his plays began to be __________.

1593: Theatres shut down due to the ______.

Shakespeare spent this time writing two ________

______ and probably began writing his richly

textured _______. Of these _____ survived.

1594: Became a shareholder in the _________________

____ one of the most popular _______ companies in

London. He remained with this company until _______.

They often played for the court of __________________

1592 performed

plague narrative

poems sonnets 154

Lord Chamberlain’s

Men acting death

Queen Elizabeth I.

His Writings (continued)….

1597: With success, he purchased the second

largest ______ in Stratford, though he continued

to ____ in _______.

1599: Shakespeare and others from his company

establish the ______ ________ on the outskirts of

London.

home

live London

Globe Theatre

His Writings (continued)…

1603: King James I issued a royal license to

Shakespeare and his players organizing them as

the ________ _____.

This is the time that he wrote many of his most

____________ plays about ______ and its

________. Examples: _________, _________,

and ___________________.

1609: Shakespeare’s work was first published –

a book of ___________.

King's Men

accomplished royalty power King Lear Macbeth

Anthony & Cleopatra

his sonnets

Shakespeare’s Later Years….

1616: Rewrote his ____. He left the bulk

of his _______ to his two daughters, ______ for

his sister, theatre partners, friends and the poor

of Stratford. He left ________ to his wife.

April 23, 1616: Shakespeare _____ in Stratford-

upon-Avon.

will estate money

nothing

died

Shakespeare’s Legacy:

* Known as the _____ of Avon.

•In the past four centuries he is

recognized as not only one of the

_________ English playwrights of his

___, but the _________ playwright in the

________ _________.

bard

greatest

greatest era

English language

Shakespeare’s sometimes rival, Ben Jonson, wrote of Shakespeare:

“He was not of an age, but for all time.”

Shakespeare’s Plays:

•During his lifetime many of his 37 plays were published in what are known as Quarto editions, often without his permission. Many of these were flawed versions including deletion of entire passages. •The first collection of his plays published were called the “First Folio”, after his death by two members of his acting company.

Plays are divided into 3 types:

1. Histories (17) 2. Comedies (10)

3. Tragedies (10)