Shakespeare’s Story
May 7, 2014
Imaginative. Creative. Dramatic. All great words to describe the one and only William
Shakespeare. Shakespeare is mostly known for his amazing plays, But did you know he was also
an outstanding poet? Shakespeare’s decision to study literary arts helped him to become one of
the world’s most famous poets. His love for poetry helped him to achieve his goals.
Shakespeare was born April 23, 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon. His parents were John and
Mary Shakespeare. Mostly addressed by his cliché last name, Shakespeare, his first name is
William. He was the third of eight children, all though his two older brothers died. William
went to a gifted school where he learned, not only the core subjects but, Latin, Greek, and how to
read Roman dramatists. This is what made him to think that he might want to learn the arts.
As Shakespeare once said “The course of true love never did run smooth”, although when
William was eighteen he married a girl name Anne Hathaway. He had two daughters and a son,
who died during boyhood.” 'Tis better to bear the ills we have than fly to others that we know not
of.” Soon after he became a father he decided to find his true potential in acting. William left
Stratford and went to London. It is not recorded what William did during the years 1585 to 1592.
During 1594 he joined the Chamberlain’s Company of Actors.
After William joined the Chamberlain’s Company of actors, he felt an inherent need to join a
group who would build a playhouse. Its name was the Globe and it grew very popular in year
1599. With the money William earned from the Globe he able to buy a new house in Stratford,
closer to the family. But as the theatres started to become infested with plague and it was very
dangerous to be around, they were rarely open. William decide that he should try a different art
and started to write poetry. He dedicated his first two poems no one really know who for though.
They were named Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece. Although there were ambivalent
objections to the poem, It was immensely popular and reprinted more than five times in the nine
years after it was published the first time.
Shakespeare’s sonnets were first introduced in 1593 and finished in 1609. Even though they
were published in 1609 they were immensely popular. They were published in The Sonnets of
Shakespeare which has over one hundred-fifty sonnets in it all composed in the structure of three
quatrains and a couplet, which is now known as Shakespearean. The first part of the book which
is one to one hundred-twenty six are addressed to a young man. The Other one hundred-twenty
seven to one hundred-fifty four are composed to a mysterious but fascinating “Dark Lady”.
Almost all of William’s beautiful sonnets are all about his love for poetry.
William wrote over thirty plays. They are categorized in four groups. They are Histories,
Comedies, Tragedies, and Romances. When he first started to write plays he mostly comedies
and histories. One of his most famous Histories is Henry VI , and one of his best comedies is the
Comedy of Errors. In 1596 he wrote one his most famous plays Romeo and Juliet, this was his
second play that was a tragedy. Although William had multiple plays it was only several years
later after his death that his plays were published.
In 1612 William retired from the arts and went back to his family in Stratford. William drew up
his will in 1616. He past away on April 23, 1616. He was buried two days after, his death, in the
Stratford Church.”Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death
but once.”
William Shakespeare a true poetic genius. His love for the literary arts made him one of the most
famous poets in the world, even to this day! His love for the literary arts help him achieve his
goal as an amazing poet, author, and actor.
Citations:
Claybourne, Anna, Rebecca Treays, and Felicity Brooks. The World of Shakespeare. Tulsa, OK:
EDC Pub., 1997. Print.
"William Shakespeare." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
"William Shakespeare Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
"William Shakespeare Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
"William ShakespeareBrothers & Sisters." William Shakespeare Brothers & Sisters. N.p., n.d.
Web. 11 May 2014.