Changes

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>

== Brief outline of works ==

==Brief outline of works==

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>

His 154 [[sonnet]]s are short poems written in a very strict [[rhyme scheme]]. The sonnets fall into series or sequences. Most of them are read as expressions of romantic or platonic love; some appear to be written to a married woman known in the sonnets as the "Dark Lady," some to a young man known as the "Fair Lord."

His 154 [[sonnet]]s are short poems written in a very strict [[rhyme scheme]]. The sonnets fall into series or sequences. Most of them are read as expressions of romantic or platonic love; some appear to be written to a married woman known in the sonnets as the "Dark Lady," some to a young man known as the "Fair Lord."

== Life ==

==Life==

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.

He died on April 23, 1616, a day after the death of [[Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra]].<ref>''A Brief Biographical Note''.  Shakespeare II, ''Great Books of the Western World''.</ref>

He died on April 23, 1616, a day after the death of [[Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra]].<ref>''A Brief Biographical Note''.  Shakespeare II, ''Great Books of the Western World''.</ref>

== Facts ==

==Facts==

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.

==Ideas attributed to or made famous 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

*[[infinity]] - viewed with disdain by intellectuals since [[ancient Greece]], except for [[Jesus]], Shakespeare promoted the concept with success

*[[infinity]] - viewed with disdain by intellectuals since [[ancient Greece]], except for [[Jesus]], Shakespeare promoted the concept with success

Many of the story lines for Shakespeare's works were based on prior works.  But three of Shakespeare's plays were completely original in their plots: "Love's Labour's Lost," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "The Tempest."

Many of the story lines for Shakespeare's works were based on prior works.  But three of Shakespeare's plays were completely original in their plots: "Love's Labour's Lost," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "The Tempest."

===Quotes Original to Shakespeare===

===Quotes Original to Shakespeare===

*"Neither a borrower nor a lender be"<ref>Hamlet, Act I, Scene III.</ref>

*"Neither a borrower nor a lender be"<ref>Hamlet, Act I, Scene III.</ref>

*"This above all: to thine own self be true"<ref>Hamlet Act I, Scene III</ref>

*"This above all: to thine own self be true"<ref>Hamlet Act I, Scene III</ref>

Remembering Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016)" (linked in prior footnote).</ref>

Remembering Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016)" (linked in prior footnote).</ref>

== List of plays<ref>[http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/bibliography/bibliography.htm Bibliography]</ref> ==

==List of plays<ref>[http://absoluteshakespeare.com/trivia/bibliography/bibliography.htm Bibliography]</ref>==

 

===Comedies===

=== Comedies ===

*''[[Two Gentlemen of Verona]]'' (1589)

*''[[Two Gentlemen of Verona]]'' (1589)

*''[[The Comedy of Errors]]'' (1589)

*''[[The Comedy of Errors]]'' (1589)

*''The Two Noble Kinsmen'' (1613)

*''The Two Noble Kinsmen'' (1613)

=== Histories ===

===Histories===

*''[[The Life and Death of King John]]'' (1590)

*''[[The Life and Death of King John]]'' (1590)

*''[[The First Part of King Henry VI]]'' (1590)

*''[[The First Part of King Henry VI]]'' (1590)

*''[[The Famous Life of King Henry VIII]]'' (1613)

*''[[The Famous Life of King Henry VIII]]'' (1613)

=== Tragedies ===

===Tragedies===

*''[[Titus Andronicus]]'' (1591)

*''[[Titus Andronicus]]'' (1591)

*''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1594)

*''[[Romeo and Juliet]]'' (1594)

*''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]'' (1608)

*''[[Antony and Cleopatra]]'' (1608)

== 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 added 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]]

*[[Geoffrey Chaucer]]

*[[Geoffrey Chaucer]]

*[[Shakespeare Plays]]

*[[Shakespeare Plays]]

== External links ==

==External links==

* [https://librivox.org/author/37 Works by William Shakespeare - text and free audio] - [[LibriVox]]

*[https://librivox.org/author/37 Works by William Shakespeare - text and free audio] - [[LibriVox]]

*[http://books.mirror.org/gb.shakespeare.html An Index to Online Great Books]

*[http://books.mirror.org/gb.shakespeare.html An Index to Online Great Books]

*[http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/bibimagery.html Biblical imagery in Macbeth]

*[http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/bibimagery.html Biblical imagery in Macbeth]

{{Literature}}

{{Literature}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shakespeare, William}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shakespeare, William}}

[[Category:Playwrights|Shakespeare, William]]

[[Category:Playwrights|Shakespeare, William]]