Changes

The "First Folio," which is the first edition of 36 plays of Shakespeare from more than 400 years ago, of which about 220 survived (only about 20 of which are in private ownership) from the printing of 750 copies, sold at an auction in July 2022 for about $2.5 million.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/jul/22/shakespeare-first-folio-sells-for-2m-at-auction</ref>  The only portrait purportedly of him while alive went on sale for more than $11 million in [[London]] in 2022, amid doubts about its authenticity.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/nov/16/shakespeare-portrait-said-to-be-only-one-made-in-his-lifetime-on-sale-for-10m</ref> A revered icon of traditional [[British]] culture, Shakespeare receives 20 full pages of detailed explanation and commentary in the entry about him in the ''[[Encyclopedia Britannica]]'' - far more than nearly any other historical figure.  Shakespeare is considered [[Britain]]'s greatest author, and is credited with coining more than 1,500 words and expressions still used today.<ref>https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/london/top-10-most-popular-british-writers/</ref>

The "First Folio," which is the first edition of 36 plays of Shakespeare from more than 400 years ago, of which about 220 survived (only about 20 of which are in private ownership) from the printing of 750 copies, sold at an auction in July 2022 for about $2.5 million.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/jul/22/shakespeare-first-folio-sells-for-2m-at-auction</ref>  The only portrait purportedly of him while alive went on sale for more than $11 million in [[London]] in 2022, amid doubts about its authenticity.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/nov/16/shakespeare-portrait-said-to-be-only-one-made-in-his-lifetime-on-sale-for-10m</ref> A revered icon of traditional [[British]] culture, Shakespeare receives 20 full pages of detailed explanation and commentary in the entry about him in the ''[[Encyclopedia Britannica]]'' - far more than nearly any other historical figure.  Shakespeare is considered [[Britain]]'s greatest author, and is credited with coining more than 1,500 words and expressions still used today.<ref>https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/london/top-10-most-popular-british-writers/</ref>

== Works ==

== 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.<ref>[https://www.bardweb.net/plays/timeline.html Chronology of Shakespeare's plays].</ref> 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."