WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Learn key facts about Shakespeare's life, works, and legacy!

Watch the video about William Shakespeare and answer the questions below: William Shakespeare was born in _ . Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564. Stradford-upon-Avon in April 1554. Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1554. Stradford-upon-Avon in April 1564. William's father, John Shakespeare, was a _ and mother, Mary, was the daughter of a _. successfull bussinesman / healthy landowner successful businessman / wealthy landowner successful bussinesman / healthy landowner successfull businessman / wealthy landowner At age _, in 1582, he married _ , a woman who was _ years older than he was. 19/ Anne Hathaway / seven 18 / Ann Hathaway / six 24 / Ann Hathaway / two 18 / Anne Hathaway / eight William Shakespeare and his wife had _ children. He had _ . three / one son four / two sons three / two sons four / one son Scholars use the phrase _ to refer to the period between the baptism of his twins and Shakespeare’s first-known appearance in the London theatre scene in 1592. "the silent years" "the lost years" "the blank years" _ was a company of actors, or a "playing company", for which Shakespeare wrote and played during most of his career. The Sir Chamberlain's Men The Lord Chamberlain's Men The Lord Chambermaid's Men The Sir Chambermaid's Men _ are considered to be some of Shakespeare's earliest works. The Taming of the Shrew Richard V Richard III Hamlet Midsummer's Dream The _ was a famous London theatre in which Shakespeare's plays were performed. Clope Theatre Round Theatre Globe Theatre Colombo Theatre Shakespeare's four greatest tragedies are:_ , _, _ and _. Hamlet Hamnet Othello Ottelo King Lear King Leer Mecbeth Macbeth Mackbeth Shakespeare retired to _ where he died in _ . Oxford / 1606 his home town / 1615 London / 1616 his home town / 1616 William Shakespeare is widely regarded as _ and is often called England's _. the world's greatest drammatist / national poet the world's greatest dramatist / national poet the world's greatest dramatist / national poem the world's greatest drammatist / national poem Watch this second video and do the tasks below it: The actual date of Shakespeare's birth is not known, but, traditionally, 23rd April has been accepted as his birthday.It is believed he attended the grammar school in his hometown, but he did not attend a university.William's only son, Hamnet, died of an unknown cause when he was just eleven years old.Shakespeare was a businessman as well as an artist.Shakespeare's company changed its name to The King's Men in 1603 when King James I ascended the throne and became the company's patron.Besides being a playwright, Shakespeare was also a poet - partly because of economic necessity during the early 1590's, because theatres were closed due to the plague.Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, which were collected and published in 1609.Shakespeare is the second most quoted English writer after the writers of the Bible. There are a lot of phrases Shakespeare invented when writing his plays or sonnets, which are still commonly used, for example:- slings and arrows = problems- good riddance = said to express relief at being free of an unwanted person or thing.- naked truth = the truth about something, especially something unpleasant- send him packing= to ask someone to leave immediately- lie low = to hide, or to try to avoid attracting attention to yourself- come what may = no matter what happens.- sorry sight = a sight that one regrets seeing- seen better days= to be old and in bad condition- not sleep one wink = to not sleep at all:- vanish into thin air= become invisible or pass out of sight,- laughing stock= someone or something that seems stupid or silly- fight fire with fire = to use the same methods as someone else in order to defeat them- break the ice= to do or say something that makes people who do not know each other feel more comfortable:- wild-goose chase = a search that is completely unsuccessful and a waste of time- What's done is done = There is no changing something;- The game is up= someone's secret plans or activities have been revealed and therefore must stop because they cannot succeed- Wear your heart on your sleeve= to make your feelings and emotions obvious rather than hiding them- too much of a good thing = the fact that something pleasant becomes unpleasant because you have or do too much of it:- dead as a doornail = quite dead- for goodness' sake = I am surprised or annoyed by this- love is blind = loving someone makes you unable to see their faults.- green-eyed monster= jealousy or envy-all of a sudden = suddenly ROMEO AND JULIET The play which is set in Verona is a story about a long feud between the Montague and Capulet families. This feud causes tragic results for the main characters in the play, Romeo and Juliet. The events contrast hatred and revenge with love and a secret marriage. A young lovesick Romeo Montague falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet, who is due to marry her father’s choice, Paris. With the help of Juliet’s nurse, the women arrange for the couple to marry the next day. Romeo’s attempt to stop a street fight leads to the death of Juliet’s own cousin, Tybalt, for which Romeo is banished. In a desperate attempt to be reunited with Romeo, Juliet follows the Friar’s plot and fakes her own death. The message fails to reach Romeo. Believing Juliet is dead, Romeo takes his life in her tomb. Juliet wakes to find Romeo’s corpse beside her and kills herself. The grieving family agree to end their feud. HAMLET The ghost of the King of Denmark tells his son Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing the new king, Hamlet's uncle. Hamlet feigns madness, contemplates life and death, and seeks revenge. His uncle fears for his life and also devises plots to kill Hamlet. The play ends with a duel, during which the King, Queen, Hamlet's opponent and Hamlet himself are all killed. KING LEAR King Lear divides his kingdom among the two daughters who flatter him and banishes the third one who loves him. His eldest daughters both then reject him at their homes, so Lear goes mad and wanders through a storm. His banished daughter returns with an army, but they lose the battle and Lear, all his daughters and more, die. MACBETH Three witches tell the Scottish general Macbeth that he will be King of Scotland. Macbeth is brave and loyal to King Duncan. However, after hearing the prophecy, Macbeth is overcome by ambition and greed. Encouraged by his scheming wife, he kills King Duncan and seizes the throne. Afterwards, Macbeth’s guilt, fear, and paranoia lead him to commit even more murders to secure his power. His confidence in the prophecies eventually leads to his downfall, and he is overthrown and killed by those he has wronged. OTHELLO Othello, a Moor and a general in the Venetian army, marries a Venetian noblewoman, Desdemona, without the blessing of her family. Iago is furious because he has been overlooked for promotion and plots to take revenge against his General, Othello. Iago manipulates Othello into believing his wife Desdemona is unfaithful and stirs Othello's jealousy. Othello allows jealousy to consume him, murders Desdemona, and then kills himself. Taming of the Shrew There are two sisters in Padua: "mild" Bianca and "wild" Katherina. Lucentio loves Bianca but cannot court her until her older sister Katherina marries. The eccentric Petruccio, who wants a rich wife, marries Katherina and uses a number of tactics to make her an obedient wife. Lucentio marries Bianca and, in a contest at the end, Katherina proves to be the most obedient wife. The Merchant of Venice Antonio, an antisemitic merchant, takes a loan from the Jew Shylock to help his friend to court Portia. Antonio can't repay the loan, and without mercy, Shylock demands a pound of his flesh. The heiress Portia, now the wife of Antonio's friend, dresses up as a lawyer and saves Antonio. Four Athenians run away to the forest only to have Puck the fairy make both of the boys fall in love with the same girl. The four run through the forest pursuing each other while Puck helps his master play a trick on the fairy queen. In the end, Puck reverses the magic, and the two couples reconcile and marry. Listen to Shakespeare's sonnet 66 Willam Shakespeare - sonet č. 66Martin Hilský, 1992 Znaven tím vším, já chci jen smrt a klid,jen nevidět, jak žebrá poctivec,jak pýchou dme se pouhý parazit,jak pokřiví se každá čistá věc,Jak trapně září pozlátko všech poct,jak dívčí cudnost brutálně rve chtíč,jak sprostota se sápe na slušnost,jak blbost na schopné si bere bič,jak umění je pořád služkou mocných,jak hloupost zpupně chytrým poroučí,jak prostá pravda je všem prostě pro smích,jak zlo se dobru chechtá do očí.Znaven tím vším, já umřel bych tak rád,jen nemuset tu tebe zanechat. 1) Have you read any plays by Shakespeare? Which ones?2) Have you seen any films based on his plays? Which ones?3) Which Czech fairy tale has a similar beginning to King Lear? Do they end in the same way?4) How would you describe the Sonnet 66? What is its message? Do you like it?