Who is Willy Shakes?

Well first off, let’s begin by referring to him by his proper name:

William Shakespeare

Born – exact date is unknown

Baptized: April 23rd, 1564

Where - Stratford-Upon-Avon near London, England

His Family…

Was “well off”; he had 7 brothers and sisters!

His father’s name was John

- He was a glove-maker/shopkeeper/landowner- He was also Bailiff (Mayor) of Stratford

His mother’s name was Mary Arden- she inherited land which was bequeathed

(given to) to William

Education…S

hakespeare school until he was 15 years old, and primarily studied Latin

He read a good deal of classical mythology, including Ovid, and Plutarch, which he later used as sources

He Married…

S

hakespeare married Anne

Hathaway in 1582

S

he was eight years older

T

ogether they had 3 children:

Susanna, and twins, Hammet

and Judith

London vs Stratford

S

hakespeare lived in

London for most of his life,

and had little to do with

Stratford, although he

became its third largest

landowner, and eventually

retired there.

B

y 1592 Shakespeare was 28 and had

been married 10 years by then, and

was not only recognized as a poet in

London, but he was also known as a

successful actor

S

hakespeare was a member and part

owner of a repertory group called the

“Chamberlain’s Men”

Shakespeare the Actor

S

hakespeare was an actor

for 20 years, from 1585

to 1605.

A

n Elizabethan actor had

to have many different

skills including…The Globe Theater

F

ENCING audiences loved seeing

d

uels, battles and contests

T

UMBLINGas gods or ghosts, they had to

disappear through holes in the stage

D

ANCINGmost plays ended with the whole

company dancing

E

LOCUTIONWords were often more important

than actions

A

CTINGeach actor had to play various roles,

and sometimes more than one per play

M

USIC actors had to learn to

p

lay some instrument well

Shakespeare wrote plays. There are three main genres (types) of plays that he wrote:

Historical playsTragedyComedy

Shakespeare also wrote poetry, most of which were in sonnet form.

S

ome of Shakespeare’s famous plays

include:• Romeo and Juliet• Hamlet• King Lear• A Midsummer Night’s Dream• Othello• Macbeth

He Retired…

S

hakespeare retired from the THEATRE

to his native Stratford sometime

between 1611 and 1613, after having

bought a large house called “New

Place”

Shakespeare died in 1616

H

e is buried in the chancel of

the Church

of Holy

Trinity

That’s all for now!