William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare and his creations are taught and read in almost every high school English classroom. This e-book is intended for use by 9-12th graders.

William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and writer. He was baptized in his hometown, Stratford-on-Avon, on April 26th, 1564. His precise birth date is unknown, but his birthday is celebrated on April 23, which is the same date he died in 1616. He attended Stratford’s King’s New School, where he learned reading, writing, Latin, and the classics.

He married Anne Hathaway when he was 18 in an apparent shotgun wedding, as their daughter Susanna was born six months later. Two years later, they had twins Judith and Hamnet. Hamnet, their only son, died during his childhood. After the birth of the twins, there are seven years of Shakespeare’s life where no records can be found. Scholars call this his “lost years.”

It’s generally believed that he arrived in London around the mid-1580s. By the early 1590s, he was a partner in the King’s Men, an acting company. By 1599, he and his partners built the Globe Theater on the bank of the Thames River.

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets, 2 narrative poems, and more during his life. His plays revolved around several themes: histories, tragedies, comedies, and tragicomedies.

Histories: Henry V, Richard III

Tragedies: Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello

Comedies: The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Tragicomedies: The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest, Cymebline

In addition to creating hundreds of pieces of writing, Shakespeare also contributed hundreds of new words and phrases to the English language. Many of the words and phrases are used in everyday language, including: lonely, amazement, puking, “all that glitters isn’t gold”, and “in a pickle”.

Discussion Questions:

1. Shakespeare wrote histories, comedies, tragedies, and tragicomedies. In your own words, define each of these genres and what elements they may contain.
2. Why is Shakespeare still read, nearly 500 years after he died?
3. Shakespeare and his works are often referred to in pop culture. Can you think of any examples that you’ve seen or heard?
4. What contributions did Shakespeare make to the English language and writing? Think beyond the examples in this book.
5. In his will, Shakespeare left his “second-best bed” to his wife, Anne Hathaway. Many scholars have interpreted this to mean that the couple was not close and that Shakespeare may have had other lovers. If true, how could this have affected his depiction of female characters?

Activity:
Look up some Shakespearean sonnets online. Then, write your own!