Works of William Shakespeare

Have you ever heard of William Shakespeare? According to online resources, he was born on April 23 in a town near London. His most famous contribution was his 42 literary works including 37 plays of either comedy, tragedy, or historical.

William Shakespeare’s real birth date and place is currently unknown. However, it is widely accepted that according to his baptism on April 26, 1564, he was born on April 23, 1564 in a small market town called Stratford-upon-Avon. William was the third and the oldest surviving child of John and Mary Shakespeare.

He had two older sisters who both didn’t live beyond infancy, and three older brothers named Gilbert, Richard, and Edmund. He was believed to attend the King’s New School of Stratford, which mainly taught Latin grammar, reading and writing. He as likely to be granted free tuition for being the child of his father, later a successful merchant. “We know what we are, but know not what we may be. (William Shakespeare). In his childhood, William has merely no clue of being one of the greatest playwright in the world, but only a normal child of a wealthy family.

According what he “is” in his childhood, the one he “may be” is surely unexpected and surprising.

During Renaissance, William was considered a talented playwright and poet. In his life, he wrote a sum of 37 plays including Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. Almost all of them are still playing today. In his early life before 1600, he mainly wrote histories and comedies such as Henry VI, Richard II and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

When it turns to William’s later and the last periods after 1600, his works are mainly tragedies and tragicomedies. Most of his famous works like Othello and Hamlet comes from these periods. “Age, with his stealing steps, Hath clawed me in his clutch.” (Hamlet, 5.1.73-4). William Shakespeare’s plays turned more and more tragic over years. This may be a result of

Works Cited

• Biography.com Editors. “William Shakespeare.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 5 Aug. 2017, www.biography.com/people/william-shakespeare-9480323.
• Mcarafano. “Shakespeare’s Life.” Folger Shakespeare Library, 3 May 2016, www.folger.edu/shakespeares-life.
• Soriano, Dania. “William Shakesperare’s 450th Birthday: Quotes.” Miami Dade College Libraries, https://libraryguides.mdc.edu/shakespeare_450th_birthday/quotes.
• Staff, Bio. “12 Life Lessons From Shakespeare (QUOTES).” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 29 Apr. 2017, www.biography.com/news/shakespeare-quotes-on-life-lessons.
• “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.” Edited by Jeremy Hylton, Othello: Entire Play, The Tech, shakespeare.mit.edu/.