Текст 7
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)
William Shakespeare, the greatest English poet and dramatist, was born on April 23, 1564 in Stratford-(up)on-Avon, Warwickshire, in England.
Not much is known of Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare. He was a man of some importance in Stratford. He was one of the town officers and a dealer in corn, meat, leather, and other products of the farm.
The poet's mother, Mary Arden, was one of the eight daughters of Robert Arden, a rich farmer in the village of Wilmcote, where the Arden farmstead may still be seen.
John Shakespeare and his wife lived in a well-built house of rough stone which was two storeys high with small windows cut in the roof. The house is still standing. It is now a museum.
William Shakespeare was born here in a small room. He was the eldest son and third child of the marriage. Very little is known about the life of William, especially about his early years. At the age of seven William was sent to Stratford Grammar School where he studied for six years.
In 1577 a change came over his father's fortunes. John Shakespeare fell into debt and had to sell the larger part of his property. William was taken from the school and for some time had to help his father in the trade. He never went to school again.
Just what he did between his fourteenth and eighteenth year is not known. We know nothing about these five years of his life.
When still at Stratford, Shakespeare became well acquainted with theatrical performances. Stratford was often visited by travelling companies of players. Shakespeare may have also seen miracle plays in the neighbouring town of Coventry.
In 1582, when little more than eighteen, William married Anne Hathaway, a daughter of Richard Hathaway who belonged to a well-respected yeoman family. Ann was eight years older than her husband and it is said that the marriage was not a happy one. In 1583 their daughter Susanna was born and in 1585 their twins named Hamnet and Judith were born.
When William was about twenty-one, he left for London, where he had to go through many difficulties. Probably the first work he did there was at one of the two theatres that there were in London at that time. Then he became an actor and soon' began to write plays for the company of actors to which he belonged. Very many of his plays were acted in a London theatre called "The Globe".
There is a story that when Shakespeare reached London he went straight to the theatre, determined to get work of some sort there; and that finding nothing better to do, he began by holding the horses of the fine gentlemen who came to see the plays. It is said that a little later he was employed to call out the names of the actors and the pieces, and after a time was given a small part to act. But he soon showed that he could make himself most useful in changing old plays which the actors themselves could not do. Every old play that Shakespeare took in hand, he made into something different and far better. Then he began to write plays himself.
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays altogether. He is also known as the author of two poems and 154 sonnets.
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Shakespeare was born in…in 1564 and died in 1616. He lived during a time known as the…, the period during the reigns of the…and the early…. This general period is known as the …, after… …was a time of immense…and…and the…which drew upon the…world, especially the…, with ancient…and…influencing the… Shakespeare grew up in…, a small English town, then made his way to…where he hooked up with an… .
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acting company arts classical creativity culture dramatists Elizabethan era England |
English Renaissance (x3) London poets Queen Elizabeth I Roman Stratford-on-Avon Stuarts Tudors |
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People respected actors a lot.
What was the name of the theatre in London in which Shakespeare performed?
In London Shakespeare performed in a theatre called …
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Shaped sort of like an O, the theatre was a two… …theatre with an open…in the centre of the… .Each…had a…with…for the… .The central area known as the…was where the…watched the… .Because they stood on the bare ground for the duration of the…these theatregoers were known as … .These...ate... all day and quite frankly smelt bad. |
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audience floor gallery groundlings (x2) masses pit performances |
plays roof seats stage storey wooden |
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Who played female roles in Elizabethan theatre?
…played female roles in Elizabethan theatre.