William Shakespeare Исполнитель

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare, often considered the greatest writer of plays ever, was born in 1564 in the little town of Stratford-on-Avon, about 120 kilometers from London. He was the third of eight children.

When Shakespeare was 18, he married Anne Hathaway, a woman eight years older than himself. Three children were born to them.

As a young man, Shakespeare went to London to work at the theatre. He worked there for several years before he began to write his own plays.

Shakespeare soon became a well-known writer in London. He was part of one of London’s most popular acting groups. His plays were often performed and published. He was considered the most popular writer of his time. In 1599 he and some colleagues became the owners of their own theatre, the Globe Theatre.

Shakespeare wrote 37 plays that can be divided into three types: comedies, histories and tragedies. His comedies include “The Taming of the Shrew” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. His histories told the stories of English kings, including Henry IV, Henry VIII, Richard II and Richard III. His tragedies include such well-known plays as “Romeo and Juliet”, “Othello”, “Macbeth”, “King Lear” and “Hamlet”.

Besides plays, Shakespeare is also famous for his poetry. He wrote many poems called sonnets, which were almost always love poems. His work is some of the most often-quoted love poetry in the world.

People in many countries of the world like Shakespeare’s writing very much. His work has helped shape world literature and has had a great effect on the English language. His plays are read and performed often today, hundreds of years after his death in 1616, and it is proof of his greatness.

Comprehension Questions

1. Tell about Shakespeare’s family.
2. What three kinds of plays did Shakespeare write? Name one of each.
3. How many plays did Shakespeare write?
4. Besides writing plays, what other involvement did Shakespeare have with the theatre?
5. For what other writing is Shakespeare famous?

Discussion Questions

1. What plays of Shakespeare’s have you seen? In what languages were they performed?
2. What operas or ballets based on Shakespeare’s plays have you seen?
3. What kind of play do you like best? Who is your favourite writer of plays?
4. Name at least one of Shakespeare’s plays that you think has affected how we talk about a subject. What characters are the best known and for what emotions or actions are they known?