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[[Image:Foliou.jpg|right|thumb|[[portraits|Engraving]] of William Shakespeare on the cover of the First Folio (1623), the first collected edition of his plays]]

[[Image:Foliou.jpg|right|thumb|[[portraits|Engraving]] of William Shakespeare on the cover of the First Folio (1623), the first collected edition of his plays]]

'''William Shakespeare''' (1564-1616) is considered one of the greatest [[playwrights]] in history. Many of his plays are beloved throughout the world, and required reading in most English-speaking schools. Those taught most include ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'', ''[[Macbeth]]'', ''[[Julius Caesar]]'', ''[[King Lear]]'', ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]'' and ''[[Othello]]''.  Because of a lack of [[copyright]] protection in his day, Shakespeare's work was performed rather than written and published as books while he was alive.

'''William Shakespeare''' (1564-1616), also called the Bard of Avon or simply the Bard, was an Elizabeth playwright considered the greatest in the English language and possibly the world for his masterful plots, poetic dialogue, and subtle conservative themes.<ref>"Shakespeare, William."  ''Encyclopedia Britannica Online''.</ref> Many of his plays are beloved throughout the world, and required reading in most English-speaking schools. Among the most famous are his ''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' the ending known to almost every English speaker, ''[[Macbeth]]'' a renowned yet bloody tragedy, ''[[Julius Caesar]]'' a historical tragedy depicting the former dictator of Rome, ''[[King Lear]]'', the whimsical ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'', ''[[Hamlet]]'' and ''[[Othello]]''.<ref>''The New York Public Library Student's Desk Reference''.  Prentice Hall: New York, 1991.</ref><ref>"Shakespeare I."  ''Great Books of the Western World''.</ref>  His works were mostly performed at his patron theatre, the [[Globe Theater]], and were only published posthumously.

Shakespeare was a devout [[Christian]], as proven by what he wrote in his will: "I commend my soul into the hands of God, my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting."<ref>[http://www.bardweb.net/will.html Shakespeare's Last and Testament]</ref>  Yet his work is also loved by people who are not religious, who consider it "the secular [[canon]], or even the secular [[scripture]]."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981571-2,00.html#ixzz13lnUzy40 Hurrah for Dead White Males! - TIME]</ref>

Shakespeare was a devout [[Christian]], as proven by what he wrote in his will: "I commend my soul into the hands of God, my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, to be made partaker of life everlasting."<ref>[http://www.bardweb.net/will.html Shakespeare's Last and Testament]</ref>  Yet his work is also loved by people who are not religious, who consider it "the secular [[canon]], or even the secular [[scripture]]."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981571-2,00.html#ixzz13lnUzy40 Hurrah for Dead White Males! - TIME]</ref>

Shakespeare was a [[conservative]] then, and by today's standards as well. His play ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' is anti-[[feminist]] and censored from most schools today for that reason.  Major conservative themes in his works include the sacred nature of the familial structure in [[King Lear]], the recognition of God in his plays and personal life, the existence of necessary war in ''[[The Famous Life of King Henry V]]'', and the exposed injustice of taxation in [[Coriolanus]]. Not surprisingly, modern [[liberal]] literary critics often ignore these themes because of their place on the modern political spectrum.  Shakespeare's hilarious jokes were often at the expense of the [[liberal]] base, such as his following quip for utopia by Dick the Butcher in Shakespeare's ''Henry VI'': "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."<ref>Part II, act IV, Scene II, Line 73.</ref>

Shakespeare was a [[conservative]] then, and by today's standards as well. His play ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]'' is anti-[[feminist]] and censored from most schools today for that reason.  Major conservative themes in his works include the sacred nature of the familial structure in [[King Lear]], the recognition of God in his plays and personal life, the existence of necessary war in ''[[The Famous Life of King Henry V]]'', and the exposed injustice of taxation in [[Coriolanus]]. Not surprisingly, modern [[liberal]] literary critics often ignore these themes because of their place on the modern political spectrum.  Shakespeare's hilarious jokes were often at the expense of the [[liberal]] base, such as his following quip for utopia by Dick the Butcher in Shakespeare's ''Henry VI'': "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."<ref>Part II, act IV, Scene II, Line 73.</ref>

Shakespeare wrote 17 comedies, 10 tragedies, 10 historical plays, 154 love [[sonnet]]s, and several other works of non-dramatic poetry. All his plays are freely available on the internet.<ref>[http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/ Shakespeare]</ref>  Shakespeare developed first as a poet and then, when his acting career was ended by the [[Plague]] temporarily closing theaters in [[London]], he turned to writing plays.<ref>https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/william-shakespeare</ref>

Shakespeare wrote 17 comedies, 10 tragedies, 10 historical plays, 154 love [[sonnet]]s, and several other works of non-dramatic poetry. All his plays are freely available on the internet.<ref>[http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/ Shakespeare]</ref>  Shakespeare developed first as a poet and then, when his acting career was ended by the [[Plague]] temporarily closing theaters in [[London]], he turned to writing plays.<ref>https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/william-shakespeare</ref>

Shakespeare spent his early years in Stratford-upon-Avon, [[Warwickshire]], and is also known as "the Bard of Avon." Because of sharing the name "Stratford," the towns of Stratford, Ontario, in Canada and Stratford, Connecticut, have become the homes of Shakespeare festivals where his plays are performed on a regular basis.

Shakespeare spent his early years in Stratford-upon-Avon, [[Warwickshire]], and is also known as "the Bard of Avon." Because of sharing the name "Stratford," the towns of Stratford, Ontario, in Canada and Stratford, Connecticut, have become the homes of Shakespeare festivals where his plays are performed on a regular basis.

Shakespeare did not become famous until late in his life and few details are known about his early life. Although no attendance records remain, it is believed that he attended Stratford-Upon-Avon Grammar School, where he would have received a sound education in the Latin and Greek classics, reflected in many of his plays. The social class from which he came could be described as wealthy tradesmen. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove-maker who became mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon despite almost certainly being a Roman Catholic (in the early part of the reign of Elizabeth I, penalties against Catholics were light and often not imposed). His mother, Mary Arden, the daughter of a farmer, was certainly Catholic. William Shakepeare himself knew many of the Warwickshire Catholic gentry who later led the Gunpowder Plot to overthrow King James VI. Shakespeare himself did not adhere publicly to the Roman religion and it is not known if, like many Catholics, he practised it in private.<ref>''In Search of Shakespeare'', by Michael Wood. BBC Books, 2003.</ref> There are few pictures of him but his near-contemporary as a playwright, Ben Jonson, stated that the famous engraving by Martin Droeshout, shown on this page, was a good likeness.

Shakespeare did not become famous until late in his life and few details are known about his early life. Although no attendance records remain, it is believed that he attended Stratford-Upon-Avon Grammar School, where he would have received a sound education in the Latin and Greek classics, reflected in many of his plays. The social class from which he came could be described as wealthy tradesmen. His father, John Shakespeare, was a glove-maker who became mayor of Stratford-upon-Avon despite almost certainly being a Roman Catholic (in the early part of the reign of Elizabeth I, penalties against Catholics were light and often not imposed). His mother, Mary Arden, the daughter of a farmer, was certainly Catholic. William Shakepeare himself knew many of the Warwickshire Catholic gentry who later led the Gunpowder Plot to overthrow King James VI. Shakespeare himself did not adhere publicly to the Roman religion and it is not known if, like many Catholics, he practised it in private.<ref>''In Search of Shakespeare'', by Michael Wood. BBC Books, 2003.</ref> There are few pictures of him but his near-contemporary as a playwright, Ben Jonson, stated that the famous engraving by Martin Droeshout, shown on this page, was a good likeness.

The idea of an ill-educated (to his contemporaries) person coming among them and making a success was upsetting to the University-educated playwrights of the time.  It is believed that the poet, Philip Green, was referring to Shakespeare when he wrote

To his contemporaries, Shakespeare was not well-educated, and his coming among them and making a success was upsetting to the University-educated playwrights of the time.  It is believed that the poet, Philip Green, was referring to Shakespeare when he wrote

{{cquote|There is an upstart crow beautified with our feathers

{{cquote|There is an upstart crow beautified with our feathers

that, with his '''tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide'','

that, with his '''tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide'','

The 'tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide' is a reference to one of Shakespeare's plays, ''[[The Third Part of King Henry VI]]'',<ref>''Great Books, Shakespeare: I'', Edited by Mortimer J. Adler, 1952.</ref> while 'shake-scene' is a pun or play on words on Shakespeare's name.

The 'tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide' is a reference to one of Shakespeare's plays, ''[[The Third Part of King Henry VI]]'',<ref>''Great Books, Shakespeare: I'', Edited by Mortimer J. Adler, 1952.</ref> while 'shake-scene' is a pun or play on words on Shakespeare's name.

His plays seem to show so much education and erudition that many theories have arisen that those works were written by someone else. Famous candidates include [[Christopher Marlowe]], the [[Oxfordian|Earl of Oxford]] and Sir [[Francis Bacon]]. Most scholars reject these theories, but there are enough questions that new theories of Shakespearean authorship continue to arise.

His plays seem to show so much education and erudition that many theories have arisen that those works were written by someone else. Famous candidates include [[Christopher Marlowe]], the [[Oxfordian|Earl of Oxford]] and Sir [[Francis Bacon]]. Most scholars reject these theories, but there are enough questions that new theories of Shakespearean authorship continue to arise.

The reverence in which Shakespeare is held, and the archaic language of his plays (from the same era as the King James translation of the Bible), should not obscure the fact that his plays were (and still are) fabulously successful.  

The reverence in which Shakespeare is held, and the archaic language of his plays (from the same era as the King James translation of the Bible), should not obscure the fact that his plays were (and still are) fabulously successful.  

His tomb in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-on-Avon, England, reads as follows:<ref>[http://www.amerisearch.net/index.php?date=2004-04-23&view=View American minute for April 23]</ref>

His tomb in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-on-Avon, England, reads as follows:<ref>[http://www.amerisearch.net/index.php?date=2004-04-23&view=View American minute for April 23]</ref>

{{cquote|Good Friend For Jesus Sake Forbeare, To Digg The Dust Enclosed Heare. Blese Be Ye Man Spares Thes Stones, And Curst Be He Moves My Bones.}}

{{cquote|Good Friend For Jesus Sake Forbeare, To Digg The Dust Enclosed Heare. Blese Be Ye Man Spares Thes Stones, And Curst Be He Moves My Bones.}}

==Ideas Attributed to or Boosted by Shakespeare==

==Ideas attributed to or made famous by Shakespeare==

*"a pound of flesh" - from ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'', it is the concept of an overly harsh penalty, too severe to enforce

*"a pound of flesh" - from ''[[The Merchant of Venice]]'', it is the concept of an overly harsh penalty, too severe to enforce

== Trivia ==

== Trivia ==

* "Shakespeare" was spelled many ways before English spelling was standardized. Some of the more unexpected forms are "Shaxper," "Shaxberd," "Shaksper," and "Shake-Speare". The hyphenated version adding fuel to the ongoing Shakespeare authorship question.<ref>[http://shakespeare-authorship.com Shakespeare authorship]</ref>

* "Shakespeare" was spelled many ways before English spelling was standardized. Some of the more unexpected forms are "Shaxper," "Shaxberd," "Shaksper," and "Shake-Speare". The hyphenated version added fuel to the ongoing Shakespeare authorship question.<ref>[http://shakespeare-authorship.com Shakespeare authorship]</ref>

== See also ==

== See also ==

*[[Infinity]]

*[[Infinity]]

*[[Leo Tolstoy]]

*[[Leo Tolstoy]]

*[[Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra]]

*[[Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra]]

*[[Shakespeare Plays]]

*[[Shakespeare Plays]]

==References==

==References==

{{Literature}}

{{Literature}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shakespeare, William}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shakespeare, William}}

[[Category:Playwrights|Shakespeare, William]]

[[Category:Playwrights|Shakespeare, William]]

[[Category:British Poets]]

[[Category:British Poets]]