Not much is authentically known about William Shakespeare, not even how he spelled his own name(In some property documents he's named Shakspere). In fact, there are 2 known portraits of Shakes out of which all the other likenesses are created. The man we all recognize as Shakespeare may not even have been him. Maybe this mystique is part of the charm that makes half the world go gaga over him. What most researchers write about the celebrated playwright is 10% verifiable fact, 90% educated guessing.
Shakespeare is considered the greatest dramatist the world has known, and the finest poet that has composed in the English language. Not only was he very well known in his lifetime, his reputation endures even now, four centuries after his death. His universal appeal lies mainly in understanding of human nature and his mastery and brilliant use of language. He had no known professional experience in any field other than theatre, but in his plays he speaks of art, history, politics and war in such depth that we wonder; how in the world does he know so much in so many fields?
The characters he created were human, flaws and all, not too goody-goody, not very baddy-baddy. Relatable guys and gals. He created some of the strongest, most unforgettable characterizations, roles people would give an arm and a leg to play, even today.
He shaped English vocabulary as it is today(this is why I love him). He experimented, creating new words and phrases which we use commonly; fair play, catch cold, disgraceful conduct, assassination, bump, eventful, lonely.
Many of his dialogues and lines are so famous today, people know and quote them without knowing who their author is. Movie scripts borrow from his work. His portrayals shaped people's attitudes. His plays are a delight to read, as well as to watch. Each year, hundreds of books and papers are written about him and his work. Thousands of people discuss him in forums. Entire festivals are organised yearly in his honour.
The collected works of Shakespeare were first published in the famous first Folio 7 years after his death. No original manuscript of any of his works exist. All we have of his writing are his signatures on various legal documents. Even those signatures are not always similar.
So, who's this dyuud?
Born in April 1564(April 23 is universally accepted as the date) to middle-class parents John and Mary in Stratford-upon-Avon. Most probably attended the Stratford grammar school, where he learnt Latin. This came useful late when he was writing plays, as some of the sources were in Latin. Stratford grammar school actually exists from 1417 till today! Travelling theatre companies often used to visit and perform in his town during his boyhood years. One of the box-office hits was Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
Married at 18 to 26 year old woman called (Dig this!) Anne Hathaway. 3 kids - Susanna, Hamnet(that's right - HamNET), and Judith. Hamnet died in 1596 at age 11.
Nothing is known about him between the years 1585 to 1592. Where he lived, what he did, whom was with; not a thing. These years are called the Lost Years. But by 1592, he resurfaced in history as an already-pretty-well-known playwright and actor in London. How do we know this? There's a reference to him in a published work of writer Robert Greene. Greene wrote a scathing critique, calling Shakes 'an upstart crow'. Basically he wrote; 'Who does he think he is? He's not even university educated and thinks he can write as well as us! Such a jackass!' University education or not, Shakes continued to prosper in the field.
By 1594, he was a shareholder in the Lord Chamberlain's Men company. This lot played for the Queen sometimes. Ooh, fancy.
Between 1592-94, plague struck London(Plague was a frequent visitor during those times). All the theatres were closed down. In this period, Shakes took to writing long, descriptive poems. He composed 'Venus and Adonis' and 'The rape of Lucrece' and dedicated them to an Earl. People of those times thought long-winded poetry was da bomb, so the poems were hits. Of course, dedicating them to nobility...shrewd marketing strategy.
By 1597, Shakes was popular and wealthy. He purchased the largest house in Stratford, his hometown. By 1599, he was co-owner of the Globe, one of the largest theatres in London. The Globe could seat about 3000 spectators. In 1603, his company got the patronage of King James I. The company came to be known as the King's Men. By this time, plague had struck again, theatres were shut down again. How lucky for the King's Men to get royal support in such a time. Hmmm... Something tells me ol' Shakes had more marketing smarts than SRK.
1599 to 1608, Shakes wrote some of his absolute greatest and most famous works. In 1609, his sonnets were published. They were 154 in all, and were mysteriously dedicated to one Mr. W.H. Even today, people are scratching their heads over who this W.H was. When I publish, I'm going to dedicate to J.F in the same cryptic way. I can hear the head-scratching sounds already.
By 1613, Shakes was done with the plays and such. He retired to his big-ass house in Stratford by-and-by. He passed away in 1616. Date of death is also accepted as April 23. His last direct descendant, his granddaughter Elizabeth died in 1670.
P.S: During the 1800s, admiration for Shakes grew so strong that he was almost worshipped as a God. Some people refused to accept that such a literary genius couldn't possible have had a common upbringing. He had to be a nobleman, someone of high birth and sophisticated upbringing. These people were called Anti-Stratfordians. There were also some people who thought that William Shakespeare was not a real person and that it was a pseudonym used by Francis Bacon or Christopher Marlowe. Wow.
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