Notes contain everything about William Shakespeare, his life and his works divided in periods, it summarizes everything on Shakespeare and provides enough information to get you prepared for your literature exam.
BIOGRAPHY
-playwright, poet and actor
-Stratford-upon-Avon
-at the age of 18 he married Anne Hathaway, had three children with her
-1592- left to London and started associating with theater and started writing plays and
performing
-queen Elisabeth I. was impressed with his works and visited his theater
-Globe-theater (1598-1613)
-after 20 years,Shakespeare returned home and he died in his hometown
-over his life he wrote 39 plays
-Globe theater- built near the river Thames, actors played during daylight, there were 3
galleries for royalty, one loge for the queen and peasants had to stand , only men played
1ST PERIOD
a)comedies- main characters: women
-The taming of the Shrew- comedy, main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio and
Katherina
-A Midsummer Night’s dream- comedy, the play is set in Athens and the story surrounds the
marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta and Shakespeare creates a love plot among other
people,all lost in forest and enchanted by local fairies, the play was one of the most
successful works of Shakespeare
- Merchant of Venice- a merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan on
behalf of Bassanio,his dear friend,provided by a Jewish moneylender Shylock, it is
considered a comedy,but there are many dramatic scenes and sad moments
-The two gentlemen of Verona- comedy,it is considered to be Shakespeare’s first play, play
deals with the themes of friendship and infidelity
b)historical plays
-Henry IV.
-Henry V.
-Richard II.
-Richard III.
-Julius Caesar
c)tragedies
-Romeo and Juliet(1595)- tragedy about the romance between two italian youths from
Verona,both of them from rich families that are enemies, the most successful play of
Shakespeare
2ND PERIOD
-more pessimistic,tragedies
-Hamlet- one of the most successful tragedies of Shakespeare, story is set in Denmark and
evolves around young danish prince Hamlet, in the beginning, the king is poisoned by
Hamlet’s uncle Claudius and Hamlet attempts revenge on him, it is also Shakespeare’s
longest play
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