Shakespeare, Williams

Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. Some of the important sights include. This is house were Shakespeare was born. The house was a home to the Shakespeare family until the nineteenth century. Now there is an exhibition of Shakespeare’s life and you can see books and furniture from the time. Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway when he was 18. She was eight years older than him. They had three children. The oldest child was Susanna. This large farmhouse in Shottery near Stratford belonged to Anne’s father, who died in 1584. It is one of the most famous buildings in England. Shakespeare went to London to work as an actor and playwriting around 1592. He started by looking after the horses of rich people who went to the theatre. Gradually, he became a successful actor and writer. He stayed in London and was ‘king’ of the London theatre for twenty years. In 1597, Shakespeare bought a family house at New Place in Stratford. After working in London, he returned to Stratford and spent his last years at new Place. Shakespeare’s house no longer exists but Shakespeare had a beautiful garden at new Place and eight years ago they planted another garden in the same place. There is a monument to Shakespeare at the Holy Trinity Church. Records show that he was baptized in this church and that in 1616 he died and was buried there. From 1599, Shakespeare used the Globe Theatre for his plays. He was one of the owners of the theatre. At the time the theatre was very popular, it was like football and television today. The cheapest seats cost one penny. There were often about 3,000 people at a play, but the audience was very different from theatre audience today. People came and went during a performance they should at the actors. They brought food and drink into the theatre. They ate during the play and threw food at actors they did not like. The actors wore costumes but there was very little scenery and there were no lights. All the actors were men. At that time, women did not become actress so men played women’s parts. The Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613. They rebuilt it, nut closed again in 1644. In 1997, The New Globe, a replica of the theatre, opened about 400 meters from the original site. This is south of the river Thames in London. Today, you can go and see what the theatre was like in Shakespeare’s day.
Shakespeare is one of the most famous writers in the world. His 37 plays include: (TRAGEDIES) Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, King Lear and Macbeth; (COMEDIES) The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth night; (ROMANTIC) The Tempest, The Winter’s Tale; (HISTORY PLAYS)Richard III, Henry V. Many of Shakespeare’s lines have become part of the English language. Here are a few of them: all the world’s a stage , and all the men and women merely players. You’ll eat us out of house and home if you’re not careful. There’s a method in my madness.