This paper will serve as a critical examination of Shakespeare as a person, as a writer and as an artist. In the past four hundred years, his works have been interpreted in many different art forms. This paper will also serve as a critical comparison of some of the various interpretations.

Very little is known and documented about Shakespeare the man. In fact, there is great controversy regarding his authorship of the works for which he is credited. No original manuscripts of his works exist today. Most of what is known about Shakespeare comes from church and legal documents. It is believed that his hand writing appeared in some of his colleagues’ works, but there is no documentation to serve as proof.

Shakespeare lived and worked during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It would be impossible to critically analyze any of his works without first examining that time period in England’s history.

Setting the scene for the second half, the first half

Anne gave birth to Susanna who was baptized May 26, 1583. Susanna, William and Anne were then joined two years later by twins, Hamnet and Judith. Very little is known about the early years of their marriage or why he left his wife and children and moved to London around 1586 or 1587. Many have conjectured that he spent time as a schoolmaster. Others theorize that he may have even been in some type of trouble with illegal poaching that led to his move to London. Regardless of the reason, Shakespeare spent most of his adult life in London pursuing the arts through theatre and writing. Very little else is known about William until the year 1592.

After ending his acting career in 1610, Shakespeare suffered some financial loss when the Globe Theatre burned in 1613. This fire is said to be the primary reason for such a lack of knowledge regarding his life and writings. It is thought that many of his original writings and personal notes and papers were lost in this fire. With his remaining wealth, Shakespeare contributed to the rebuilding of the Globe. Shortly thereafter, on April 13, 1616, he died in and was buried in the chancel of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford. A monument to Shakespeare was set up on the north wall of the chancel, with a bust of Shakespeare. In his will, Shakespeare left most of his estate to Susanna and her daughter. To his wife, Anne, he left his “second-best bed.”

You are lovelier and more temperate:

Rough winds shake the darling buds of May,

By the year of Shakespeare’s birth, 1564, Henry VIII had been succeeded by his daughter, Elizabeth I. War between the countries of Europe was continuing. England, however, under Elizabeth’s rule was the dominant power politically, militarily and economically. The Renaissance was fully underway. English society was changing in just about every aspect including philosophy, art, literature, government, economics and religion. Shakespeare was certainly born in a time conducive to progressive thought and experimentation.

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