Aleksandra Bojović
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs
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ome consider him to be the greatest fraud in the world of literature, while others think he was the most significant and best known writer of all time. He is William Shakespeare, and the story that follows tells us about his life and work.
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William Shakespeare
A Great Name on the World Stage William Shakespeare was born around 1564 in a small
town of Stratford-upon-Avon to John Shakespeare and his wife Mary. At the time nobody expected that the third of Shakespeare’s eight children would become the most famous playwright1 of all time and arguably the most significant name in English literature.
An indication of the significance of Shakespeare’s work is the existence of a scientific field called Shakespeareology, which studies his life and work. The fact that not one original text written in Shakespeare’s handwriting ever has ever been found has led a number of researchers to doubt that he actually wrote them. Because of this, some claim that he is the greatest fraud in world literature. A playwright is a writer who writes plays, a special type of literary text that consist of dialogues and is written for theatre performances.
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The Son of a Rich Glover For little William, growing up in Stratford was a time of
carefree play and learning. Shakespeare’s wealthy father, a glover, provided his children with a comfortable childhood. At one point John Shakespeare was even the Mayor of Stratford.
The magnificent house where William was born can still be visited today in the centre of Stratford and it remains evidence of the standing and wealth of the Shakespeare family. 4
Great Teachers
Shakespeare completed his primary education in Stratford.
Despite the fact that the school was free, he acquired a good knowledge of Latin, grammar and literature. It was during this period that he first read the works of the great Roman writers: Ovid, Virgil, and Plutarch, whose influence was of enormous importance to his later plays and poems. 5
AQuick Marriage and a Short-Lasting Love At the young age of eighteen Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, a woman eight years older than him. The wedding was quick and didn’t follow the customary practise, so it was widely suspected that her pregnancy was the reason why they got married. These suspicions were confirmed when, six months later, Anne gave birth to their daughter, Susanna. Thoughts on Love Love is born, lives and dies in the eyes. William Shakespeare
Even though very little is known about the relationship between Shakespeare and his wife Anne, the fact that they often lived apart and that Anne was left out of his final will and testament1, indicates that this was not a loving and happy marriage. Despite this, they had three children: a daughter Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith. A last will and testament is a document with which a person leaves their last message about the division of their assets after their death. 1
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Aleksandra Bojović
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs