The Life and Times of William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

The Life and Times of William Shakespeargon EssayShakespeare is wide regarded as the worlds greatest gowright, and theres no real reason to argufy that. People are still seeing his plays 400 years after he wrote them, not because its trendy or hip, but because theyre so good. His insight into the human spirit has never been equaled. This cover is a brief biography of Shakespeare and a discussion of the times in which he lived. Discussion His life Its nearlywhat difficult to find factual information about Shakespeare, because the first attempts at biographic research were not begun until over half a century after Shakespeares death (Best, 2005). In addition, there were few biographies written of important persons at this time, especially dramatists, since plays were not carry oned serious literature (Best, 2005). In addition, the Puritans closed the theaters in 1642, and many manuscripts and other spirits were lost (Best, 2005). It also doesnt help that there are numerous spellings of his shout. Nevertheless, scholars pick up pieced together a fairly complete picture of his life, and where facts are not cognize, they have drawn reasonable inferences (Best, 2005).However, the fact remains that much of what we know is based on indirect information. William Shakespeare was innate(p) in Stratford-upon-Avon rough time in April, 1564, the son of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden (Hanna Life). Although there is no record of the exact date of his birth, there is a baptismal record at the church, so most scholars put d induce his birthday as the 23rd of April, 1564 (Hanna Life). John Shakespeare was a prominent and prosperous alderman in Stratford, and was granted a coat of arms by the College of Heralds (Hanna Life).Little is cognise of Shakespeares boyhood but it is believed that he probably attend the Stratford Grammar School (Hanna Life). There is no record of him having gone on to either Oxford or Cambridge, both of which were headspring establ ished by his time (Hanna Life). Shakespeares name turns up next in 1582 when he marries Anne Hathaway, some eight years his senior (Hanna Life). Their daughter Susanna was born in 1583 and twins, Judith and Hamnet, were born in 1585 (Hanna Life).Once again Shakespeare disappears from the records and doesnt turn up again for seven years, by which time he is recognized as an actor, poet and playwright (Hanna Life). His recognition comes in the form of an insult from a rival, Robert Greene, who calls Shakespeare an upstart crow in his (Greenes) play, A Groatsworth of Wit (Hanna Life). Its thought that at about this time (1592) Shakespeare joined an acting troupe known as The Lord Chamberlains Men, one of the best in London (Hanna Life).The troupe leased the theater (named, unoriginally, The Theatre) where they performed they lost the lease in 1599 (Hanna Life). By this time, though, the troupe had enough money to build their own theater, across the Thames on the less fashionabl e South Bank this new theater was, of course, The reality (Hanna Life). The Globe opened in July, 1599, with some of the old timbers salvaged from The Theatre used in its construction (Hanna Life). The Globe feature Totus mundus agit histrionem (A whole world of players) as its motto (Hanna Life).When mob I ascended the throne in 1603, the company changed its name to the kings Men or Kings Company (Hanna Life). The companys instructions, conveyed to them in Letters Patent, told Shakespeare and eight other company members specifically to use and exercise the art and faculty of play Comedies, Tragedies, Histories, Interludes, Morals, Pastorals, stage plays as well for recreation of our loving subjects as for our solace and pleasure (Hanna Life). Things went well for the newly-christened Kings Men for another ten years, until 1613 (Hanna Life).Then, on June 19, a cannon fired from the theaters chapiter during a gala performance of Henry VIII set the Globes thatched roof on fire and the theater burned to the ground (Hanna Life). The audience was so absorbed in the play that at first they ignored the fire, but when the walls and curtains went up, they surely must have run (Hanna Life). By some miracle there were no casualties, and the next spring the company had the theatre new builded in a uttermost fairer manner than before (Hanna Life).Shakespeare invested in the rebuilding effort, but by that time he had retired to Stratford, to the Great put forward of newfangled Place that hed bought in 1597 (Hanna Life). There were considerable land holdings associated with the house, and Shakespeare remained there, where he proceed to write, until his death in 1616 (Hanna Life). Ironically, he died on his alleged birthday, April 23 (Hanna). He was 52. Although he died at what we would consider a young age, he left behind a body of work that has made him immortal, and continues to glisten up theaters around the world.His Times The world 400 years ago is often seen as romanticist and noble, but it was brutal, unsanitary and often terrifying. Were familiar with a lot of the history of the time finished films and TV shows a movie about Elizabeth I was released recently. Shakespeare lived at a time of political excitation and court intrigue, as well as a time of exploration. For example, a man named John Hawkins sailed to the New World a second time in 1561 (Hanna Times). Trips like this were dangerous and daring, but also yielded nourish and more importantly, lands for the Crown. From 1577-1580 Francis Proke sailed around the world (Hanna Times).In 1586 when he was 22, Mary Queen of Scots was tried for trick and executed the following year (Hanna Times). And in 1588 one of the greatest events in English history took come to the fore the English under the command of Queen Elizabeth I defeated the Spanish invasion fleet known as the Armada (Hanna Times). Unfortunately, this was also the time of the great plagues plague swept t hrough London in 1592-93, necessitating the resolving of the theaters plague struck again in 1603 (Hanna). This was also the year that Elizabeth I died and pile IV, King of Scotland became James I of England (Hanna Times).It was at this point that the Lord Chamberlains Men became the Kings Men James I liked the theater and was a writer himself, publishing works on such subjects and witchery and the divine right of kings (Best-James I, 2005). In 1605, the Gunpowder Plot was hatched and Guy Fawkes lead a convention of Catholics in an attempt to assassinate James and blow up Parliament (Hanna Times). The English still keep on Guy Fawkes Day. As we saw, the Globe burned down in 1613 by which time Shakespeare had returned to Stratford. He lived sole(prenominal) another three years.