William Shakespeare: Life and Major Works
William Shakespeare’s Biography
He was a: Poet, playwright, and an actor.
Born in: Stratford-upon-Avon in central England in 1564.
Died in: April 23, 1616 (at 52 years old).
Marriage: He married Anne Hathaway (who was 8 years older than him) when he was 18 years old.
Children: They had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith.
He wrote and acted for two important monarchs: Queen Elizabeth I and James I.
Playing Company: He had a playing company called The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later renamed The King’s Men.
Productive Period: He produced most of his work between 1589 and 1603.
Nickname: He was called “The Bard of Avon” or simply “The Bard”.
Apprentices: Young boys who played female characters.
Most Known For: His 38 plays.
First Folio: The first full collection of Shakespeare’s work was published in 1623, seven years after his death. It was called the First Folio and contained 36 plays.
Poems: He wrote 154 sonnets.
Plays
- Tragedies: Hamlet, King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar.
- Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing.
- Historical: Richard III, Henry IV, Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra.
- Romance: Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, The Winter’s Tale.
Othello
Plot: Othello is a military general who works for the state of Venice, though he is not from there. He is a Moor from Northern Africa. Othello is a very important person in Venice, but he is perceived as an outsider because of his skin color. He marries a young Venetian woman named Desdemona in secret.
Characters:
- Iago: One of Othello’s officers who secretly hates him. Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him, causing Othello to become so jealous that he kills Desdemona. Iago gets caught, but the damage is done, so Othello kills himself.
Quote: “It is the green-eyed monster” (spoken by Iago to Othello).
Themes: Jealousy, race, marriage, friendship, betrayal.
Hamlet
Plot: A ghost is seen around the walls of Elsinore Castle. The ghost tells Hamlet that he is his father and that he was killed by poison, then asks Hamlet to avenge him. Hamlet begins to act crazy. He then puts on a play to determine if his ghost father was telling the truth. Hamlet kills Ophelia’s father by mistake. Enraged, Ophelia’s brother demands a duel. Hamlet finds a letter written by his friends with instructions to kill him. At the duel, Hamlet, Claudius, and Laertes all die from the same poisoned sword.
Characters:
- Hamlet: Prince of Denmark.
- Claudius: Hamlet’s uncle, who killed the king to gain the throne.
- Horatio: Loyal friend to Hamlet, the only one in whom he will confide.
Quote: “To be or not to be, that is the question.”
Themes: Vengeance, spying.
Julius Caesar
Plot: The drama takes place in 44 BC, after Caesar has returned to Rome. Fearing Caesar’s ambition, Cassius forms a conspiracy among Roman republicans. He persuades the reluctant Brutus—Caesar’s trusted friend—to join them. Brutus, troubled and sleepless, finds comfort in the companionship of his noble wife, Portia. Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia, alarmed by prophetic dreams, warns her husband not to go to the Capitol the next day. Then, as planned, Caesar is slain in the Senate on March 15, “the Ides of March.” His friend Mark Antony, who has expediently shaken the bloodied hands of the conspirators, gives a stirring funeral oration that inspires the crowd to turn against them. Octavius, Caesar’s nephew, forms a triumvirate with Antony and Lepidus; Brutus and Cassius are eventually defeated at the Battle of Philippi, where they kill themselves to avoid further dishonor.
Themes: Politics, ambition, authority, power of persuasion.
Characters:
- Brutus: Caesar’s friend who believes that he must act against Caesar for the good of Rome; he kills Caesar.
- Casca: Hates the ordinary citizens of Rome yet is jealous because they love Caesar and not him.
- Julius Caesar: Great Roman general and senator, recently returned to Rome in triumph after a successful military campaign.
Quotes: “A dish fit for the gods” (Brutus); “Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war” (Antony); “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” (Antony).