Author - William Shakespeare

From Wikipedia: William Shakespeare (April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "the Bard"). His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. At age 49 (around 1613), he appears to have retired to Stratford, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive; this has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, his sexuality, his religious beliefs and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.

Shakespeare produced most of his known works between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and are regarded as some of the best works produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, all considered to be among the finest works in the English language. In the last phase of his life, he wrote tragicomedies (also known as romances) and collaborated with other playwrights.

Many of Shakespeare's plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy in his lifetime. However, in 1623, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two fellow actors and friends of Shakespeare's, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works that included 36 of his plays. Its Preface was a prescient poem by Ben Jonson, a former rival of Shakespeare, that hailed Shakespeare with the now famous epithet: "not of an age, but for all time".

King Lear

by William Shakespeare

“King Lear” is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is one of his most famous and enduring plays, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1606. The play tells the story of King Lear, an aging monarch who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters based on their professions of love for him. However, the distribution of the kingdom leads to treachery, betrayal, and ultimately tragic consequences.
The central themes of “King Lear” include the nature of power, the… Read More

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

by William Shakespeare

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a famous comedy play written by William Shakespeare. It was most likely composed around the year 1595 or 1596 and is one of Shakespeare’s most well-known and frequently performed works. The play explores themes of love, magic, and the unpredictable nature of human emotions.
The story takes place in Athens, Greece, and the surrounding enchanted forest. It revolves around the adventures and misadventures of several groups of characters whose lives become inte… Read More

Julius Caesar

by William Shakespeare

“Julius Caesar” is a historical tragedy play written by William Shakespeare, believed to have been first performed in 1599. The play portrays the conspiracy against Julius Caesar, a prominent Roman general and statesman, and his eventual assassination on the Ides of March in 44 BC.
The play explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of political ambition. It also features some of Shakespeare’s most famous lines, including “Beware the Ides of March” and “Et tu, Brute?… Read More

Romeo and Juliet

by William Shakespeare

“Romeo and Juliet” is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The play is set in Verona, Italy and tells the story of two young lovers from rival families, the Montagues and the Capulets, who fall in love and secretly marry. However, they are eventually discovered, leading to a tragic turn of events that results in the deaths of both lovers, as well as several other characters.
In the end, the feud between the two families is finally resolved through the tragic events that have taken place… Read More

Antony and Cleopatra

by William Shakespeare

“Antony and Cleopatra” is a play by William Shakespeare that tells the story of the relationship between Mark Antony, one of the three rulers of the Roman Republic, and Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. The play explores themes of love, politics, power, and betrayal, and it is set against the backdrop of the political turmoil in the Roman Republic. The play begins with Antony dividing his time between Rome and Egypt, where he is deeply in love with Cleopatra, but is also torn between his duty t… Read More

Othello

by William Shakespeare

Othello is a play about a Moorish general, Othello, who falls in love and marries a Venetian woman, Desdemona. Othello is an outsider in Venetian society and faces discrimination and mistrust because of his race. Additionally, Othello’s ensign, Iago, manipulates Othello into believing that Desdemona is unfaithful, leading Othello to murder her and then take his own life. The play explores themes of betrayal of love, jealousy, racism, nature of trust, and the destructive power of manipulation a… Read More

Macbeth

by William Shakespeare

Macbeth, a William Shakespeare tragedy, chronicles the bloody rise and fall of the Scottish warrior Macbeth. Guided by a prophecy foretold by three witches and his ambitious wife, Macbeth pursues power and the throne. He soon discovers that the prophecy and his ambition have clouded his judgment. Partly inspired by actual events, Macbeth is Book 2 of our Shakespeare series.
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Hamlet

by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most well-known and enduring plays of all time. The play tells the story of Prince Hamlet of Denmark, who is seeking revenge for the murder of his father, the king. Along the way, he must confront his own doubts and fears, and ultimately make a decision about what he believes is right. The play is known for its complex characters, dramatic plot, and themes of betrayal, madness, and the consequences of inaction.
… Read More