William Shakespeare 

(/ˈʃeɪkspɪər/;[1] 26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616)[nb 1] was an

English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English
language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.[2] He is often called England's national poet,
and the "Bard of Avon".[3][nb 2] His extant works, including collaborations, consist of
approximately 38 plays,[nb 3] 154 sonnets, two 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.[4]
Shakespeare was born and brought up 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. He appears to have retired to Stratford
around 1613, at age 49, where he died three years later.Shakespeare produced most of his
known work between 1589 and 1613.[6][nb 4] His early plays were
primarily comedies and histories, which are regarded as some of the best work ever
produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608,
including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in
the English language.[2] In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances,
and collaborated with other playwrights.
Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his
lifetime. In 1623, however, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two friends and fellow actors
of Shakespeare, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous
collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised
as Shakespeare's.[7] It was prefaced with a poem by Ben Jonson, in which Shakespeare is
hailed, presciently, as "not of an age, but for all time".[7]
In the 20th and 21st centuries, his works have been repeatedly adapted and rediscovered by
new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular and are
constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts
throughout the world.
"Shakespeare, Drayton, and Ben Jonson had a merry meeting and it seems drank too hard
for Shakespeare died of a fever there contracted."
 Shakespeare's burial is recorded in the Stratford Parish Register as occurring on 25
April, 1616
 The exact words used on the register are "Will Shakspeare gent"
 William Shakespeare was buried on April 25th 1616 in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-
upon-Avon
 His tomb lies beneath the floor of the church, in the chancel
 The chancel is the space around the altar of a church for the clergy, and sometimes
the choir, often enclosed by a lattice or railing
 The tombstone is inscribed with the following words, which are believed to have
written by Shakespeare:
Good friend for Jesus sake forbear
To dig the dust enclosed here!
Blest be the man that spares these stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones
 Shakespeare is said to be buried 17 feet under the stone but his bones have not
been moved, as per his wishes on the tombstone, so this has not been confirmed
  Anne Hathaway Shakespeare, wife of the great Bard, died in 1623 at the age of 67.
Her funeral was on August 6, 1623 and she was buried next to William also in the
chancel of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford
 Twelfth night
Viola is shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria and she comes ashore with the help of a captain.
She lost contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believed to be drowned.
Disguising herself as a young man under the name Cesario, she enters the service of Duke
Orsino through the help of the sea captain who rescues her. Duke Orsino has convinced
himself that he is in love with Olivia, whose father and brother have recently died, and who
refuses to see charming things, be in the company of men, and entertain love or marriage
proposals from anyone, the Duke included, until seven years have passed. Duke Orsino then
uses 'Cesario' as an intermediary to profess his passionate love before Olivia. Olivia,
however, forgetting about the seven years in his case, falls in love with 'Cesario', as she does
not realize the Duke's messenger is a woman in disguise. In the meantime, Viola has fallen in
love with the Duke Orsino, creating a love triangle between Duke Orsino, Olivia and Viola:
Viola loves Duke Orsino, Duke Orsino loves Olivia, and Olivia loves Viola disguised as Cesario.
In the comic subplot, several characters conspire to make Olivia's pompous steward, Malvolio,
believe that Olivia has fallen for him. This involves Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch; another would-be
suitor, a silly squire named Sir Andrew Aguecheek; her servants Maria and Fabian; and her fool,
Feste. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew engage themselves in drinking and revelry, thus disturbing the peace
of Olivia's house until late into the night, prompting Malvolio to chastise them. Sir Toby famously
retorts, "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" (Act II,
Scene III) Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, and Maria are urged to plan revenge on Malvolio. They convince
Malvolio that Olivia is secretly in love with him by planting a love letter, written by Maria in Olivia's
handwriting. It asks Malvolio to wear yellow stockings cross-gartered, to be rude to the rest of the
servants, and to smile constantly in the presence of Olivia. Malvolio finds the letter and reacts in
surprised delight. He starts acting out the contents of the letter to show Olivia his positive response.
Olivia is shocked by the changes in Malvolio and leaves him to the contrivances of his tormentors.
Pretending that Malvolio is insane, they lock him up in a dark chamber. Feste visits him to mock his
insanity, both disguised as a priest and as himself.

Meanwhile, Sebastian (who had been rescued by his friend Antonio, a brigand who Orsino
wants arrested) arrives on the scene, which adds confusion of mistaken identity. Mistaking
Sebastian for 'Cesario', Olivia asks him to marry her, and they are secretly married in a
church. Finally, when 'Cesario' and Sebastian appear in the presence of both Olivia and
Orsino, there is more wonder and confusion at their similarity. At this point, Viola reveals
her disguise and that Sebastian is her twin brother. The play ends in a declaration of
marriage between Duke Orsino and Viola, and it is learned that Sir Toby has married Maria.
Malvolio swears revenge on his tormentors and stalks off, but Orsino sends Fabian to
placate him.