SHORT BIOGRAPHY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare (1564-1616). English poet and playwright – Shakespeare is

widely considered to be the greatest writer in the English language. He wrote 38 plays and
154 sonnets.
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on 23rd April 1564. His father
William was a successful local businessman, and his mother Mary was the daughter of a
landowner. Relatively prosperous, it is likely the family paid for Williams education, although
there is no evidence he attended university.
In 1582 William, aged only 18, married an older woman named Anne Hathaway. They
had three children, Susanna, Hamnet and Juliet. Their only son Hamnet died aged just 11.
After his marriage, information about the life of Shakespeare is sketchy, but it seems
he spent most of his time in London – writing and acting in his plays. Due to some well-
timed investments, Shakespeare was able to secure a firm financial background, leaving
time for writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near
Stratford in 1605, which soon doubled in value.
It seemed Shakespeare didn’t mind being absent from his family – he only returned
home during Lent when all the theatres were closed. It is thought that during the 1590s he
wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays developed
a good deal of interest and controversy. His early plays were mainly comedies (e.g. Much
Ado about Nothing, A Midsummer’s Night Dream) and histories (e.g. Henry V)
By the early Seventeenth Century, Shakespeare had begun to write plays in the genre
of tragedy. These plays, such as Hamlet, Othello and King Lear, often hinge on some fatal
error or flaw in the lead character and provide fascinating insights into the darker aspects of
human nature. These later plays are considered Shakespeare’s finest achievements.
Some academics, known as the “Oxfords,” claim that Shakespeare never actually
wrote any plays. They contend Shakespeare was actually just a successful businessman,
and for authorship suggest names such as Edward de Vere. Nevertheless, there is
evidence of Shakespeare in theatres as he received a variety of criticism from people such
as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene. When writing an introduction to Shakespeare’s First
Folio of published plays in 1623, Johnson wrote of Shakespeare:
“not of an age, but for all time”

Shakespeare the Poet

William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets mostly in the 1590s. These short poems,
deal with issues such as lost love. His sonnets have an enduring appeal due to his
formidable skill with language and words.
“Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:”
– Sonnet CXVI

The Plays of Shakespeare

The plays of Shakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the
English language and have been translated into numerous languages. He was rare as a
play-write for excelling in tragedies, comedies and histories. He deftly combined popular
entertainment with an extraordinary poetic capacity for expression which is almost mantric
in quality.
“This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!”
– Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3
During his lifetime, Shakespeare was not without controversy, but he also received
lavish praise for his plays which were very popular and commercially successful. His plays
have retained an enduring appeal throughout history and the world. Some of his most
popular plays include: Twelfth Night, Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, King
Lear, Othello.
Shakespeare died in 1616; it is not clear how he died, and numerous suggestions
have been put forward. John Ward, the local vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford (where
Shakespeare is buried), writes in a diary account that:
“Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting and it seems drank too
hard, for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted.”
In 1616, there was an outbreak of typhus (“The new fever”) which may have been the
cause. The average life expectancy of someone born in London, England in the Sixteenth
Century was about 35 years old, Shakespeare died age 52.

William Shakespeare and John Lennon

William Shakespeare was baptized on 26 th April 1564. He was an Englishpoet and
playwright who was regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He is often
called England’s national poet. His surviving works consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets,
two long narrative poems and several other poems. His plays have been translated into
every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other
playwright. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of18 he
married Anne Hathaway and they had three children: Susanna, Hamnet and Judith who
were twins. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor,
writer and part owner of a playing company which was called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
and which was later known as the King’s Men. He retired to Stratford around 1613 where he
died three years later.
John Lennon was born on the 9th October 1940. He was an English musician and
singer-song writer who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The
Beatles. With Paul McCartney he formed one of the most successful song writing
partnerships of the 20th century. John Lennon was born and raised in Liverpool and he
became involved as a teenager in the Skiffle Craze; his first band. The group “The Beatles”
was created in1960. Towards the end of the decade Lennon embarked on a solo career
and then in 1975 disengaged himself from the music business to devote time to his family,
but came back in 1980 with a new album. He was murdered three weeks after its release.

Source : https://www.biographyonline.net/poets/william_shakespeare.html
https://id.scribd.com/document/172112485/Active-or-Passive-Three-Texts)
Active Voice  Passive Voice
1. He wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets.
38 plays and 154 sonnets were written by him.
2. It is likely the family paid for Williams education, although there is no evidence he
attended university.
It is likely Williams education was paid by the family, although there is no evidence he
attended university
3. In 1582 William, aged only 18, married an older woman named Anne Hathaway.
In 1582 an older woman named Anne Hathaway was married by William, aged only 18.
4. It is thought that during the 1590s he wrote the majority of his sonnets.
It is thought that during the 1590s the majority of his sonnets were written by him.
5. Some academics, known as the “Oxfords,” claim that Shakespeare never actually wrote
any plays.
That Shakespeare never actually wrote any plays are claimed by some academics,
known as the “Oxfords”.
6. Nevertheless, there is evidence of Shakespeare in theatres as he received a variety of
criticism from people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene.
Nevertheless, there is evidence of Shakespeare in theatres as a variety of criticism
were received (by him) from people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene.
7. William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets mostly in the 1590s.
154 sonnets were written by William Shakespeare mostly in the 1590s.
8. He deftly combined popular entertainment with an extraordinary poetic capacity for
expression which is almost mantric in quality.
Popular entertainment with an extraordinary poetic capacity were combined deftly for
expression which is almost mantric in quality.
9. He also received lavish praise for his plays which were very popular and commercially
successful.
Lavish praise was also received (by him) for his plays which were very popular and
commercially successful.
10. His plays have retained an enduring appeal throughout history and the world.
An enduring appeal has been retained by his plays throughout history and the world.
Passive Voice  Active Voice
1. Shakespeare is widely considered to be the greatest writer in the English language.
They widely consider Shakespeare to be the greatest writer in the English language.
2. He only returned home during Lent when all the theatres were closed.
He only returned home during Lent when they closed all the theatres.
3. These later plays are considered Shakespeare’s finest achievements.
They considered these later plays as Shakespeare’s finest achievements.
4. The plays of Shakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the English
language and have been translated into numerous languages.
They have translated the plays of Shakespeare into numerous languages and have
studied them more than any other writing in the English language.
5. It is not clear how he died, and numerous suggestions have been put forward.
It is not clear how he died, and they have put forward numerous suggestions.
6. William Shakespeare was baptized on 26th April 1564.
He baptized William Shakespeare on 26th April 1564
7. He is often called England’s national poet.
They often called him England’s national poet
8. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed
more often than those of any other playwright..
They have translated his plays into every major living language and perform them more
often than those of any other playwright.
9. The group “The Beatles” was created in1960.
They created The group “The Beatles” in1960.
10. He was murdered three weeks after its release.
They murdered him three weeks after its release.
William Shakespeare ______________ (baptize) on 26th. April 1564. He was an English
poet and playwright who _____________ (regard) as the greatest writer in the English
language. He _______________ (often/call) England’s national poet. His surviving works
____________ (consist)of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and
several other poems. His plays ______________ (translate) into every major living
language and _______________ (perform) moreoften than those of any other
playwright.Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18 he
___________ (marry) Anne Hathaway and they _______ (have) three children: Susanna,
Hamnet and Judith who ______ (be) twins. Between 1585 and 1592, he __________
(begin) a successful career in Londonas an actor, writer and part owner of a playing
company which ____________ (call) the LordChamberlain’s Men and which
_________________ (later/know) as the King’s Men. He ____________ (retire) to Stratford
around 1613 where he ____________ (die) three years later.
“Jack the Ripper”
is the name which ______________ (give) to an unidentified serial killer who wasactive in
the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888.
Thename _______________ (originate) in a letter which ______________ (write) by
someone claiming tobe the murderer. The letter ____________ (believe) to be a hoax and
may ___________ (write) by a journalist in an attempt to heighten interest in the story. The
“Ripper” __________ (attack) femaleprostitutes from the slums whose throats
___________ (cut) prior to abdominal mutilations. Rumoursthat the murders
_____________ (connect) intensified in September and October 1888 and lettersfrom
people purporting to be the murderer _____________ (receive) by media outlets and
ScotlandYard. There are now over one hundred theories about the Ripper’s identity and the
murders ______________ (inspire) multiple works of fiction.
John Lennon
was born on the 9
th
October 1940. He _____ (be) an English musician and singer-songwriter who __________
(rise) to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles.With Paul
McCartney he __________ (form) one of the most successful songwriting partnerships
ofthe 20
th
century. John Lennon was born and raised in Liverpool and he ___________ (become)
involvedas a teenager in the Skiffle Craze; his first band. The group “The Beatles”
_____________ (create) in1960. Towards the end of the decade Lennon ____________
(embark) on a solo career and then in1975 ______________ disengage) himself from the
music business to devote time to his family,but _____________ (come) back in 1980 with a
new album. He _______________ (murder) three weeksafter its release.
 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare was baptized on 26 th April 1564. He was an Englishpoet and

playwright who was regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He is often
called England’s national poet. His surviving works consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets,
two long narrative poems and several other poems. His plays have been translated into
every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other
playwright. Shakespeare was born and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of18 he
married Anne Hathaway and they had three children: Susanna, Hamnet and Judith who
were twins. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor,
writer and part owner of a playing company which was called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men
and which was later known as the King’s Men. He retired to Stratford around 1613 where he
died three years later.
“Jack the Ripper” is the name which was given to an unidentified serial killer who was
active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in
1888. The name originated in a letter which was written by someone claiming to be the
murderer. The letter is believed to be a hoax and may have been written by a journalist in
anattempt to heighten interest in the story. The “Ripper” attacked female prostitutes from
the slums whose throats were cut prior to abdominal mutilations. Rumours that the murders
were connected intensified in September and October 1888 and letters from people
purporting to be the murderer were received by media outlets and Scotland Yard. There are
now over one hundred theories about the Ripper’s identity and the murders have inspired
multiple works of fiction.
John Lennon was born on the 9th October 1940. He was an English musician and
singer-song writer who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The
Beatles. With Paul McCartney he formed one of the most successful song writing
partnerships of the 20th century. John Lennon was born and raised in Liverpool and he
became involved as a teenager in the Skiffle Craze; his first band. The group “The Beatles”
was created in1960. Towards the end of the decade Lennon embarked on a solo careerand
then in 1975 disengaged himself from the music business to devote timeto his family, but
came back in 1980 with a new album. He was murdered three weeks after its release.