Shakespeare Unveiled: The Man Behind the Masterpieces
Early Life
Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, to John and Mary
Shakespeare. He was one of eight children, several of whom died white still
young. His father was a successful glover (one who makes gloves and
other leather products) and a town official, although he probably could not
read and write. Shakespeare most likely attended grammar school in
Stratford but never went on to a university. Some people think that
Shakespeare did not have enough education to write as well as he did.
They suggest that his plays were actually written by someone else. Other
people, however, argue that Shakespeare's grammar school education
would have been a very solid one.
A Journey to London
When he was in his twenties, Shakespeare left his family behind and he
moved to London to become an actor. Before permanent theaters were
built, actors traveled in groups and performed anywhere they could. The
groups were entirely male because women were not allowed to be actors.
The female characters were usually played by young boys, who were
called “apprentices".
Theatrical Challenges and Writing
In those days, actors had bad reputations. The traveling actors were
thought of as troublemakers because they often attracted rowdy audiences.
Seeking respectability, some acting groups asked for the support of
noblemen. Often, a nobleman would let a group use his name. One such
group was called Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as The King's Men,
and it was this group that Shakespeare joined. He probably acted in the
group and also wrote plays for them. But many theaters had to dome
because of the bubonic plague, which was a deadly and very contagious
disease that was sweeping through Europe at that time. While the theaters
were closed, Shakespeare made use of that to enhance his talent and
wrote a lot of sonnets, which are a type of poetry. Although Shakespeare
was a talented poet, he is most well-known for his thirty-eight plays.
Shakespeare often combined categories in a single play, for example, he
would mix comedy and tragedy. It was an unusual thing for a playwright to
do in those days.
The Globe Theater Experience
Shakespeare's plays were performed in England's royal courts as well as in
theaters, such as the famous Globe Theater. Unlike many theaters in the
Elizabethan Age, the Globe welcomed people of all social classes, not just
nobles and aristocrats. The aristocrats; however, would pay extra to sit in
the upper rows of the theater, which were protected from the rain and sun
(The Globe had an open roof). People who could afford only the one-penny
entrance fee stood in the space near the stage and were called
"groundlings." They were usually a rowdy bunch. They often interacted with
the people on stage, yelling encouragement or insults. Sometimes the
groundlings threw rotten fruit at the actors and even climbed on stage to
fight with them. Shakespeare himself might have been on the Globe stage;
many scholars believe he acted in minor roles in his own plays.
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People from all social and educational classes enjoyed Shakespeare's
work because Shakespeare understood human nature. His stories were
about situations and emotions that most people could understand: love,
hate, jealousy, and grief. Like real people, most of Shakespeare's
characters were neither entirely good nor entirely bad.
Retirement and Legacy
Shakespeare left London when he was about forty-seven, and returned to
Stratford to retire. He worked on two more plays in his final years. He died
on April 23, 1616, when he was fifty-two years old. (Some people believe
he was also born on April 23.) He was buried in the same Stratford church
in which he had been baptized. His tomb lies below the floor of the church,
and a warning (possibly written by Shakespeare himself) is engraved on his
tomb stone.
