William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor born in 1563 in Stratford-upon-Avon who wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He started his career as an actor for the Lord Chamberlain's Men theater company in London, eventually becoming their principal playwright, for whom he wrote many of his famous plays that were performed at the Globe Theater from 1599 onwards for both wealthy and common audiences.

2. Born in 1563
Died in 1616
Born and raised in Stratford-on-
Avon, England
He wrote 37 plays
He wrote about 154 sonnets
He started out as an actor

3. Tragedy
Plays
History Comedy
Plays Plays
Other
Sonnets
Poems

4. Actor for Lord Chamberlain’s Men
(London theater co.)
Also - principal playwright for them
1599- Lord Ch. Co. built Globe Theater
where most of Shakespeare’s Plays
were performed

5. Plays produced for the general public
Roofless-open air
No artificial lighting
Courtyard surrounded by 3 levels of
galleries

6. Wealthy people got benches
“Groundlings”-poorer people stood and
watched from the courtyard (“pit”)
All but wealthy were uneducated/illiterate
Much more interaction than today

7. Only men and boys
Young boys whose voices had not changed
played women’s roles
Would have been considered indecent for a
woman to appear on stage

8. Written about 1595
Considered a tragedy
Plot is based on an Italian tale by Arthur
Brooke in 1562