William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England on April 23, 1564. To this day, Stratford celebrates Shakespeare's birthday with various ceremonies and events. In the morning, bells ring at Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried. Flags from many countries are displayed throughout the town. In the afternoon, a procession lays flowers on Shakespeare's grave, and residents visit the house where he was born. At night, people attend performances of Shakespeare's plays at the nearby theatre. The celebrations honor Shakespeare and his significant contributions to English literature.

1. Министерство образования Республики Марий Эл
Муниципальное общеобразовательное учреждение
«Средняя общеобразовательная школа №29 г. Йошкар-Олы»
Обычаи и традиции Великобритании.
Церемония дня рождения Шекспира.
Выполнили: Самсонова Д. 9В
Толмачева И. 9В
Учитель: Леханова М.А.
2010г.

2. СОДЕРЖАНИЕ
Часть 1. Биография Шекспира:
Его жизнь, семья, деятельность, театр.
Часть 2. Церемония дня рождения Шекспира.

3. Часть 1.
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.
William Shakespeare

4. 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, John Shakespeare
where the Arden farmstead may
still be seen.

5. 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 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.
Shakespeare’s house

6. 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.

7. Actors of that
time
When still at Stratford, Shakespeare became well
acquainted with theatrical performances. Stratford was
often visited by traveling companies of players.
Shakespeare may have also seen miracle plays in the
neighbouring town of Coventry.

8. 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
House Anne Hathaway named Hamnet and Judith
were born.

9. When William was abort 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”.
“The Globe”

10. 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 pieces, and after a time was given a
small part to act. But the soon showed that he
could make himself mast 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.

11. Часть 2.
SHAKESPEARE'S BIRTHDAY
CEREMONY
By an odd chance, England's greatest writer,
William Shakespeare, was born on St. George's
Day, 1564, in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire,
and also died on the saint's day in 1616. Every
23rd April is now a day of special pageantry in
Stratford.

12. The birthday always begins early in the morning with the
ringing of the bells of Holy Trinity Church where
Shakespeare is buried. Flags from many nations are
unfurled, they are on all the shops and houses. Along
the main street about 100 tall poles have been put up.
Soon bugles are blown and then one after another a
flag appears at the top of each pole. Each flag is of a
different country.
Flag of England on Holy
Trinity Church.

13. In the afternoon a band playing music and followed by
many people marches up the street. The Mayor leads
a distinguished procession to lay flowers on
Shakespeare's grave at Holy Trinity Church.
After seeing this ceremony many people go to see the
house where Shakespeare was born. The house is
still the same as it was when he lived in it.
Holy Trinity Church where
Shakespeare is buried.

14. At night people go to the beautiful
theatre by the side of the River
Avon. Here they see one of his plays
acted by some of the greatest actors
in the country. And every night from
April till October every seat in this
theatre is filled by people from all
parts of the world.

15. There is a very old hotel in Stratford that was
probably there in Shakespeare's time. It has
some Tudor beautiful tables and chairs; and the
rooms have no numbers on the doors as most
hotels have. Instead every room has the name of
a Shakespeare's play on it - the Hamlet room,
the Romeo and Juliet room and so on.

16. Shakespeare was probably proud to celebrate his
birthday on the feast of great St. George. In one
of his plays he shows how ordinary English
people were stirred by their brave patron saint.
Just before his soldiers go into battle, their King,
Henry V, tells them to shout: "God for Harry,
England and Saint George!"
St. George
King Henry V