William Shakespeare (1564-1606) is one of the most famous poets, writers and playwrights in the world. 154 of his sonnets, 38 plays, 4 poems and 3 epitaphs have come down to us. His most famous works are considered to be "Macbeth", "Romeo and Juliet", "King Lear" and "Hamlet" (a monologue from which everyone knows - to be or not to be). Of course, his other works are no less famous.
1. The period from 1585 to 1592 is called lost years Shakespeare, since there is no information about this time. There are only a lot of assumptions, but not one of them, even for a milligram, has been confirmed and cannot be considered reliable.
Some believe that he worked as a groom, others that he poached, and others generally believe that he was a school teacher.
2. Shakespeare never wanted his plays to be written down and published, as he was opposed to being read anywhere and anytime. He believed that his plays should only be performed on the stage.
3. The lineage of Shakespeare himself was interrupted rather quickly. He had three children, one of whom (son Hemnet) died at the age of 11. At youngest daughter Judith never had children, despite the fact that she was married. The eldest daughter had a daughter, Elizabeth, who lived all her life childless, despite the fact that she was already married 2 times. She died in 1670. So he has no descendants.
4. Statistically, Shakespeare is the most quoted author in the world outside of biblical authors.
5. Before his death, Shakespeare wrote cursing lines to those who would try to remove him from the grave or rebury him. They sounded something like this: "Curse the person who touches these stones, I will curse the one who will move my bones."
6. William Shakespeare introduced English language over 3000 new words. All his contemporaries failed to do this, even if you add up their achievements.
7. Not a single original manuscript of the great author has survived to this day. All that has been preserved, written by his hand, is his personal signature on official documents.
8. In 1593-1594 all theaters were closed due to the plague. At this time, Shakespeare even wrote two erotic poems - "Veneoa and Adonis" and "Dishonored Lucretia."
9. Judging by all the works of Shakespeare, his lexicon was about 25,000 words, when the average Englishman's vocabulary was about 4,000 words.
10. There is an opinion that many of Shakespeare's works were not actually written by him, but another author was hiding under the pseudonym Shakespeare, or perhaps a whole group of authors.
People explain their disbelief by the fact that the entire Shakespeare family was illiterate and no document on Shakespeare's literacy was found either. In addition, as mentioned above, not a single manuscript of his has been found, which may indicate that he did not even know how to write.
These are the arguments put forward by the opponents of Shakespeare.
11. Also, some lovers of "yellowness" like to argue that Shakespeare was a representative of an unconventional sexual orientation. Their proof is based on the fact that most of his sonnets are dedicated to some friend.
12. Until now, there is no exact opinion about the appearance of William Shakespeare, but it is argued that the closest is the Droeshout portrait, which most accurately describes Shakespeare's appearance and is similar to the bust on Shakespeare's grave.
The action of Shakespeare's plays develops in Italy, France, Denmark, but the playwright himself, most likely, never left his native Britain. Goethe said that no matter where the events of the play take place, the audience always finds "England washed by the seas" in front of the audience.
Word Inventor
Shakespeare is believed to have coined more than 2,000 words with his plays. For example, it was he who first printed the word excellent (“magnificent” - English) and critical (“critical” - English). Perhaps the word murder belongs to him.
There is no sadder story
In the most romantic play, Romeo and Juliet, the word "love" is mentioned 150 times.
Was it William?
Some historians believe that in fact a person named Shakespeare did not exist. Indeed, his biography is full of white spots: for example, almost no handwritten documents under his authorship have survived. There is no evidence that Shakespeare was educated, knew foreign languages... Several years of his life generally "fell out" of history - even the most meticulous biographers do not know where he lived then and what he did.
controversial issue
There is also controversy about Shakespeare's sexual orientation. Despite the fact that the playwright was married and had several offspring, many of his poignant and romantic sonnets are dedicated to a man.
Worldwide popularity
One of the playwright's most popular plays is Macbeth. It is believed that in different parts of the world this performance takes place every four hours.
Bad shot
In the company of like-minded people, Shakespeare opened in London own theater They called it Globe. In 1613, the theater burned down as a result of a cannon shot. The gun fired in the course of the performance " Henry VIII».
space scale
There is a crater on Mercury called Shakespeare.
trendsetter
Thanks to the plays of the playwright, the fashion spread throughout Britain, and then throughout the English-speaking world, to call girls Olivia, Miranda and Jessica.
prolific author
In total, William Shakespeare composed 38 plays, as well as 154 sonnets, 4 poems and several epitaphs.
The English playwright William Shakespeare is not only a world famous figure, but also an extremely mysterious one. His personality is still shrouded in a veil of mystery, and to this day no one even knows for sure what he looked like. He achieved fame during his lifetime, but his works are still studied, read and shown on theater scenes Worldwide.
- There is no reliable information about Shakespeare's appearance. The only one exhibited in London lifetime portrait writer, whose authenticity is not in doubt - he long years kept in private collection. It is known that the picture was written 6 years before the death of the playwright, but it is no longer possible to establish how accurate its author was.
- In addition to William, his parents had six more children.
- Shakespeare, at the age of eighteen, married a 26-year-old landowner's daughter, as the girl became pregnant. The future writer had to obtain a special marriage license from the bishop.
- In his will, Shakespeare gave his wife only a “second-class bed.” For a long time this was considered offensive, although now researchers have come to the opposite conclusion - they believe that Shakespeare had in mind their first common bed.
- The action of the playwright's plays takes place in many European countries, including France, Denmark and Italy, but the author of these lines, most likely, never traveled outside his native England.
- Thanks to Shakespeare, according to various sources, from 1700 to 3200 new words appeared in the English language.
- Theater directors considered the ending of Shakespeare's play King Lear so sad that for a century and a half it was never staged in its original form.
- During Shakespeare's lifetime, his most popular work was the verse "Venus and Adonis", which is now known only to connoisseurs of his work.
- At least two of his plays are known, the text of which has been irretrievably lost.
- Shakespeare repeatedly used the theme of twins in his works, since the poet himself was the father of twins. His son died in early childhood, but the daughter lived to be 77 years old.
- The first film based on Shakespeare's creation was made at the end of the 19th century.
- Shakespeare's vocabulary ranged from 20 to 25 thousand words, although now educated Englishmen use no more than 4,000 words for writing and speaking. At the same time, the writer's parents were not literate, and there is no information about the education of the playwright himself.
- Not a single manuscript of Shakespeare has survived to this day. Scientists can study only 6 signatures under documents made by his hand.
- The direct line of Shakespeare was interrupted in 1670 after the death of his granddaughter.
- Shakespeare was born and died on April 23rd. 52 years have passed between these two events.
- There are more than 80 pronunciations of the playwright's first and last name.
- Shakespeare's books are the second most quoted in Britain after the Bible.
- Shakespeare was not only a writer, but also a good actor who played many roles in his own plays. In addition, he, along with his companions, owned several theaters.
- In 38 plays written by the playwright for his creative career, there are over 884,000 words.
- All the moons of the planet Uranus are named after characters from Shakespeare's works.
- The researchers concluded that Shakespeare was well versed in politics, music and botany - references to 63 plant species were found in his plays.
- Shakespeare's friend Henry Risley used to walk around in women's clothes and put on make-up every day.
William Shakespeare is the great English poet and playwright of the amazing Renaissance. Today it is difficult to find a person who is not familiar with his work. Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Dream in midsummer night» - this is an incomplete list of worldwide famous works the author, who are forever included in the list of masterpieces classical literature. A selection of interesting facts about Shakespeare will surely attract the attention of both fans of the poet's talent, avid theatergoers, and those who have a very vague idea of what a play and theater are.
- The future poet was born in a small English city Stratford, located on the River Avon. This event happened in the family of John Shakespeare and Marie Arden, who belonged to a limited number of wealthy citizens. The head of the family earned his bread by making gloves. He was immensely respected and was invited several times to the city's board of directors.
- It is interesting to note that the exact date of William's birth is still unknown. The only thing that can shed light on this mystery is the church record of the baptism of an infant, which dates from April 26, 1564. Historians suggest that it was made three days after the birth of the boy. From this it follows that April 23 is the date of birth and death of Shakespeare. Mystical coincidence, isn't it?
- Nature rewarded the great poet not only with a poetic gift. He had an exceptional memory and a brilliant mind. He was fluent in French, Italian and Spanish. In addition, he understood their dialects. How this is possible is unknown, because Shakespeare never left the borders of his homeland - England.
- The facts of the biography of the great English playwright speak of his encyclopedic knowledge. He understood history, was interested in politics, was seriously interested in painting and music, and mastered a whole layer of botany.
- Shakespeare's interests were not limited literary activity. His seething energy spread in all possible and impossible directions: he brewed beer, rented out housing. In his theater, he was one for all, did not shy away from even the dirtiest work: he guarded the horses in the theater stable, was a stage director of performances and an actor. There is a version that he played the role of the shadow of the father of the Prince of Denmark - Hamlet.
- Until now, it is not known what religion he was - a Catholic or a Protestant. Scientists are inclined to believe that he, like his father, professed the Catholic faith, but carefully concealed it. The thing is that in those days the Catholic denomination in Protestant England was under a strict ban. Catholics, in order not to end up behind bars, were forced to pay off the reformers and secretly attend church services.
- Today, Shakespeare's autographs represent a huge scientific interest. It's all about a very vague biography of the creator of great dramas and comedies. It turns out that only six signatures of Shakespeare are known, and all of them are not placed under poetic works by poets, but on official documents, such as wills and mortgages on real estate.
- As for the will, it is interesting to note that the list of bequeathed property is large: everything is indicated in it, down to the smallest detail, with the exception of the literary heritage.
- In connection with this and many other circumstances, the so-called “Shakespearean question” comes to the fore: is Shakespeare the true author of great plays or is he still a figurehead? Unfortunately, researchers of the poet's work do not give a definite answer. The main thing is different - he enriched the English language with new words and set expressions, and left behind priceless - beautiful works, which we have the good fortune to read in Russian.
The most popular materials of February for the class.
English poet and playwright William Shakespeare is considered the greatest English writer and one of the best playwrights in the world. The extant works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, 4 poems and 3 epitaphs. Based on his works, operas, ballets were written, performances are staged and films are made. But the life of this man remains shrouded in mysteries ...
It is still not known exactly when Shakespeare was born. However, it is still generally accepted that he was born on April 23, 1564.
This assumption is based on the fact that the baptism of the future poet took place on April 26 of the same year, under the name of Will Shaksper (at that time this ceremony was carried out three days after the birth of the child), just three days before the outbreak was recorded in church books. plague.
Shakespeare's house in Statford
Shakespeare's father, John, was a glove maker, but over time he was able to reach the post of senior bailiff (the highest elective position in Statford), which was serious for those times. But in 1570, he himself was caught in the illegal wool trade and usury. After that, public life for Shakespeare's father was closed.
The family of John Shakespeare and his wife, Marie Arden, the daughter of a local wealthy landowner, had eight children. William was the third child, but the oldest boy. It is not known exactly, but it is possible that the young Shakespeare was educated at the Royal Edward VI School for Boys.
My adulthood William began as a butcher's apprentice, and then, after leaving his native Stratford, he succeeded in commerce and became a shareholder in the theater. In a word, he was an inhabitant, completely unlike the genius of world literature, who left a rich legacy.
The classic possessed truly encyclopedic knowledge for his time: he perfectly knew not only English history, but also critical processes V European countries, had knowledge of ancient philosophy, jurisprudence, understood navigation, the intricacies of international diplomacy, medicine, owned several foreign languages, among which are Latin, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish.
The only known reliable depiction of Shakespeare is an engraving from a posthumous "First Folio" ( 1623 ) workMartin Droeshout
The playwright was well versed in politics, music and botany (researchers counted 63 plant names in his works), had skills in naval affairs, knew a lot about the entertainment of the nobles of that time, for example, falconry and bear baiting.
He may have traveled extensively, but no source confirms that the Stratford Shaksper ever traveled further than London.
At the age of 18, in 1582, William married the already pregnant Anna Hathaway, who at that time was 26 years old. They had three offspring: eldest daughter Suzanne and twins Hamnet (son) and Judith (daughter). Susanna was baptized in May 1583, and the twins Judith and Hamnet in February 1585.
Anne's gravestone is carved that she died at the age of 67 in 1623, that is, she was eight years older than her husband. Some of Shakespeare's sonnets addressed to a married lady also testify to a predisposition to older women.
Shakespeare's line will end in the 17th century. Shakespeare's son Hamnit died in childhood, Judith had three children, but they all died childless, Suzanne never had children. In 1670, when Susannah died, the Shakespearean line also ended.
Despite Shakespeare's marriage and the presence of children, creative scholars offer different opinions about his sexual orientation, speculating about his attraction to men, referring to some of his plays, as well as the fact that Shakespeare lived in London for a long time, at that time while the wife and children were in Stratford.
The playwright's best friend in the capital was Henry Risley, third Earl of Southampton, who used to wear women's clothing and wear everyday makeup.
Henry Risley
William's religion also remains a mystery. Some researchers believe that he and all members of his family were Catholics, but in the time of Shakespeare this religion was prohibited.
Evidence of what Shakespeare did at the beginning of his writing creativity from 1582 to 1592, has not survived. Thus, one can only speculate how he came to his glory.
In the theatrical field, Shakespeare worked first as a watchman, then as an actor, theater producer, who earned a fortune from his work, later becoming a pawnbroker, brewer and homeowner.
In Shakespeare's time, there were no curtains and only a minimum of scenery was used. The situation surrounding the actors was described directly in the text of the performance.
Theatergoers from the time of Elizabeth could buy apples and other fruits during the show, and if the performance did not meet their expectations, various cores were fired at the actors.
In February 1599, Gutberg and Richard Burbage and five other members of the company, including Shakespeare, leased land for the Globe Theater for 31 years. Shakespeare's share in the enterprise in different years ranged from one fourteenth to one tenth.
The theater was burned to the ground in 1613 by a fire caused by a cannon during a performance of Shakespeare's Henry VIII.
In 1603, the Shakespeare Company became the official director of plays for King James I and changed the name of Lord Chamberlain's Men to The King's Men.
In 1608, the King's Men opened the Blackfire Theatre, after which the later indoor theater buildings were built.
William Shakespeare left to posterity 38 plays, 4 poems, 154 sonnets, 3 epitaphs. In total, his works have been translated into many languages and have had a significant impact on the development of world literature. And the language contributed to the formation of modern English, enriching it with rich phraseological units.
Shakespeare's plays are usually divided into 3 groups: comedies, historical plays and tragedies. Many of them are based on legends and myths of the past, which was quite a common practice in those days.
Almost nothing is known about when, how and where the 154 brilliant sonnets were written, to whom they were dedicated and about chronological order their writing.
Sonnets are considered purely love works, but Shakespeare's masterpieces were often "self-deprecating", bitter and even homoerotic.
Many sonnets are Love letters, addressed to a "beautiful" man, which led historians to speculate about Shakespeare's bisexuality. These hints were traced in the texts of some plays.
IN Shakespearean works contains 2035! words that have never appeared in print before, "critical" - "critical", "frugal" - "thrifty", "excellent" - "magnificent", "countless" - "endless" and many others.
Countless phrases of amazing elegance and depth belong to Shakespeare's pen.
According to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, Shakespeare wrote one tenth of the most repeated quotations, both in spoken and written English.
Shakespeare created his works during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603) and James I, who ruled the country after the death of the queen. Theater and poetry flourished in England at that time. Shakespeare is particularly famous for two poems, Venus and Adonis(1593) and Lucrece(1594), and Sonnets (1609). Sonnets have become popular through the study of all aspects of love.
At one time, Shakespeare was also known as a "quick" writer. According to its editors Heminges (Hemming or Hemings) and Condell, Shakespeare's "thought and hand acted in synchrony," and he expressed his thoughts with such ease that they rarely saw corrections on the materials received from him.
However, despite all the praise, the opinion of some writers was not so positive. So Samuel Pepys called "A Midsummer Night's Dream" "the most tasteless and ridiculous play" he had ever seen.
Shakespeare had the gift of understanding the human essence, which was clearly expressed in his work. In his plays you can see real people, elements of personalities of which can be found in Everyday life. Unusually, William was one of the few who gained fame even among his contemporaries.
Suicide is committed 13 times in his plays. Twice in Romeo and Juliet, three times in Julius Caesar, one suicide each in Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, and finally 5 suicides can be seen in Antony and Cleopatra. Interestingly, Romeo and Juliet was based on real events that happened to two lovers in Italy, Verona. They gave their lives for each other in 1303.
The monument, erected in Stratford in 1623, contains an inscription in Latin: “In the judgments of Pilos, in the genius of Socrates, in the art of Maron. The earth covers him, the people weep for him, Olympus has him.
Around 1611, William Shakespeare retired to Stratford, where his family had once been formed. April 23 is considered to be the date of the writer's death. Shakespeare was buried in the Stratford church of St. Trinity. On the tombstone there is an inscription in which he curses anyone who dares to disturb his “peace”.
It is noteworthy that Shakespeare's testament, which scrupulously lists all household items, down to spoons and forks, does not contain information to whom he will grant his literary heritage. Apart from this document, not a single manuscript belonging to the author has survived.
Modern graphologists, having studied the signature under " last will”, concluded that he was not used to holding a pen in his hand. Other researchers argue that trembling handwriting indicates Shakespeare's illness.
All these facts gave rise to a number of hypotheses that under the name of Shakespeare there is something completely different. historical person. Some researchers categorically argue that Shakespeare did not write his plays at all. More than 50 candidates were considered to be the authors of Shakespeare's works.
The pseudonym "Shakespeare" was not chosen by chance. The de Veres family coat of arms depicts a knight with a spear in his hand, and the literal translation of Shake-speares is “stunning with a spear”.
Almost all of Shakespeare's plays are a vivid parody of the mores of the court, therefore, hiding behind a pseudonym, the count could continue to create. In addition, Edouard de Vere could not publicly declare himself a playwright: in those days, writing for the people was not to face for aristocrats.
He died in 1604, it is not known where his grave is, the researchers claim that his works continued to be published by the family under a pseudonym until 1616 (that was the year Shakespeare died).
In 1975, the Encyclopædia Britannica confirmed this hypothesis, stating: "Edward de Vere is the most likely contender for the authorship of Shakespeare's plays."
To other "authors" the best works William was ranked and Francis Bacon. But he, being himself a brilliant writer, left a literary legacy in which a style was traced that was completely different from the manner of Shakespeare's writing.
Compilation of material - Fox
