William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright and poet widely considered the greatest writer in the English language. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and had little formal education, leaving school at a young age to help support his family after his father's business failed. He married Anne Hathaway at age 18 and had three children. In 1588 he moved his family to London to pursue a career in acting and writing. He wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets over the course of his career. Some of his most famous plays include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear.

1. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Nelia Caja Martínez
Nivel 2 – 2ºC

2. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)
CHILDHOOD
WHO WAS WILLIAN SHAKESPEARE AND WHY HE’S WORLWIDE FAMOUS?
He was a famous English writer, worldwide known for his novels.
WHERE AND WHEN WAS HE BORN?
William Shakespeare was born on 23th April 1564 at Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire (England). This town is
about 100 miles from London.
WAS HE A GOOD STUDENT? WHAT DID HE STUDY AND WHAT LEVEL DID HE FINISH? WHY HE HAD
TO LEFT SCHOOL?
Yes, he studied Latin and he went to school until Primary. He left school since he had to help his familly because
his father failed bussiness. He worked at a butchery as aprentice.

3. DID HE HAVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS?
He had got 7 brothers and sisters.
WAS HE HUSBAND AND FATHER? DID HE HAVE DESCENDANTS?
When he was 18, he knew Anne Hathaway, a farmer’s dougther 8 years older than him. She got pregnated so
they had to married that year. The couple had got 2 children more.
PROFESSIONAL LIFE:
ON WHAT YEAR DID HE MOVE TO LONDON AND WHY?
On 1588 William settled at London with his wife, with the idea of being actor and writer.
WHAT WAS HIS JOB BEFORE HE WAS A WRITER?
He was actor with a theater companny.
WHAT’S THE NAME OF THE THEATRE COMPANY HE WORKED?
He acted on The Chamberlain’s Men Company, and after that, he acted on The King’s Men,
WHICH TWO KINGS NAMED SHAKESPEARE AS THEIR FAVOURITE WRITER?
Isabel I and her successor, Jacobo I of England.
SHAKESPEARE’S WORK
“ROMEO AND JULIET” SCENARIO:
Divided on 5 acts, using prose and verse, Romeo and Juliet starts with a discussion between members and
servants of the 2 most important families from Verona, Montestos and Capuletos, showing the broken relations
between both families. Nor Romeo neither Juliet was assitants at that discussion, that ended when Prince Scala
threat both families.
HIS SIX MOST FAMOUS COMEDIES:
1. The Two Gentlemen Of Verona (1592)
2. The Comedy of errors (1590-1593
3. The Taming Of The Shrew (1592)
4. Love´s Labour´s Lost (1595)
5. A Midsummer Night´s Dream (1595)
6. The Merchant of Venice (1596-1598)

4. HIS EIGHT MOST FAMOUS TRAGEDIES:
1. Romeo andJuliet
2. Hamlet
3. Macbeth
4. Antonyand Cleopatra
5. King Lear
6. Otelo
7. Julius Caesar
8. Coriolano
“ISABELINO” THEATER
WHAT IS THIS KIND OF THEATER PLAY AND WHY IS CALLED “ISABELINO”?
These were dramatic plays that took place during Isabel I kingdom.
IN WHAT AGE DID IT TAKE PLACE?
1558-1625.
THERE WERE ACTRESS?
No, women couldn’t act in those plays.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Name some contemporary writers with Shakespeare:
Cervantes, Lope de Vega or Calderón were contemporary with Shakespeare.
Name some actors that played characters from Shakespeare’s books:
Richard Burton as Enrique V, Kenneth Branagh as Hamlet, Marlon Brando, Mel Gibson…
Do you know a modern movie based on Shakespeare’s books?
Yes, “The Lion King”.