Arias, Hazel Leah Khae C.

BTLED ICT 3-G3

The Life of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564. He was John and Mary
Shakespeare's oldest. Growing up as the big brother of the family, William had three
younger brothers, Gilbert, Richard, and Edmund, and two younger sisters: Anne, who
died at seven, and Joan.
Their father, John Shakespeare, was a leatherworker who specialized in the soft
white leather used for gloves and similar items. A prosperous businessman, he married
Mary Arden, of the prominent Arden family. John rose through local offices in Stratford,
becoming an alderman and eventually, when William was five, the town bailiff—much like
a mayor. Not long after that, however, John Shakespeare stepped back from public life;
we don't know why.
In late 1582, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. She was already
expecting their first-born child, Susanna, which was a fairly common situation at the time.
When they married, Anne was 26 and William was 18. Anne grew up just outside Stratford
in the village of Shottery. After marrying, she spent the rest of her life in Stratford.
In early 1585, the couple had twins, Judith and Hamnet, completing the family. In
the years ahead, Anne and the children lived in Stratford while Shakespeare worked in
London, although we don't know when he moved there. Shakespeare's only son, Hamnet,
died in 1596 at the age of 11. His older daughter Susanna later married a well-to-do
Stratford doctor, John Hall. Their daughter Elizabeth, Shakespeare's first grandchild, was
born in 1608. In 1616, just months before his death, Shakespeare's daughter Judith
married Thomas Quiney, a Stratford vintner. The family subsequently died out, leaving
no direct descendants of Shakespeare.
Following this gap in the record, the first definite mention of Shakespeare is in
1592 as an established London actor and playwright, mocked by a contemporary as a
"Shake-scene." The same writer alludes to one of Shakespeare's earliest history
plays, Henry VI, Part 3, which must already have been performed. The next year, in 1593,
Shakespeare published a long poem, Venus and Adonis. The first quarto editions of his
early plays appeared in 1594. For more than two decades, Shakespeare had multiple
roles in the London theater as an actor, playwright, and, in time, a business partner in a
major acting company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men (renamed the King's Men in 1603).
Over the years, he became steadily more famous in the London theater world; his name,
which was not even listed on the first quartos of his plays, became a regular feature—
clearly a selling point—on later title pages.
Shakespeare prospered financially from his partnership in the Lord Chamberlain's
Men (later the King's Men), as well as from his writing and acting. He invested much of
his wealth in real-estate purchases in Stratford and bought the second-largest house in
town, New Place, in 1597.
 Among the last plays that Shakespeare worked on was The Two Noble Kinsmen,
which he wrote with a frequent collaborator, John Fletcher, most likely in 1613. He died
on April 23, 1616—the traditional date of his birthday, though his precise birthdate is
unknown. We also do not know the cause of his death. His brother-in-law had died a week
earlier, which could imply infectious disease, but Shakespeare's health may have had a
longer decline.
The memorial bust of Shakespeare at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford is considered
one of two authentic likenesses, because it was approved by people who knew him. (The
bust in the Folger's Paster Reading Room, shown at left, is a copy of this statue.) The
other such likeness is the engraving by Martin Droeshout in the 1623 First Folio edition
of Shakespeare's plays, produced seven years after his death by his friends and
colleagues from the King's Men.

Shakespeare's Works in Chronological Order

The Comedy of Errors

The Two Gentlemen of Verona
King John
Henry VI, Part 1
Henry VI, Part 2
Henry VI, Part 3
Venus and Adonis
Richard III
The Taming of the Shrew
Titus Andronicus
The Rape of Lucrece
Romeo and Juliet
Love's Labours Lost
The Sonnets
Richard II
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Merchant of Venice
Henry IV, Part 1
Henry IV, Part 2
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Much Ado About Nothing
As You Like It
Julius Caesar
Henry V
Hamlet
Troilus and Cressida
Twelfth Night
 All's Well That Ends Well
Othello
Measure for Measure
Timon of Athens
King Lear
Macbeth
Pericles
Antony and Cleopatra
Coriolanus
Cymbeline
The Winter's Tale
The Tempest
The Two Noble Kinsmen
Cardenio
Henry VIII

TIMON OF ATHENS
Wealthy and popular, Timon of Athens helps his friends, gives many gifts, and holds a
feast. After ignoring his true friends' warnings, Timon runs out of money, and none of his
"friends" will help him. He runs away to a cave where he curses humanity, finds gold,
funds someone to destroy Athens, and dies.
ACT I
Lord Timon, a wealthy philanthropist in Athens, entertains a poet, a painter, a
jeweller, a merchant, and some Senators. Timon greets each of them. He offers to pay
the debts of his friend Ventidius who is in debtors' prison. And he negotiates (and pays
for) the marriage of his servant who has aspired to marry above his station. Apemantus,
a friend, warns Timon against his flatterers, but Timon ignores his advice. He invites
everyone to eat with him when he gives a feast for a general named Alcibiades.
At the banquet, Apemantus criticises Timon once more but still joins the guests.
Everyone is entertained by a masque play with Amazon dancers, who take part in Timon’s
hospitality. Timon’s devoted steward, Flavius, tries to warn his master that his assets are
dwindling rapidly, but Timon ignores him.
ACT II
It is only when Flavius is unable to pay some of the creditors that Timon is puzzled.
After asking Flavius why he never told him (he did), and arguing for some way to get out
of his debts, he realises that his finances are in ruin. He sends his servants to his former
flattering friends to ask for money, but each one rejects him. The creditors continually
badger him to be paid.
ACT III
 In response, Timon gathers everyone for one more feast. Timon's friend
Apemantus advises the Senators not to condemn Timon for his unpaid debts. Rather than
freeing Timon, however, Apemantus only succeeds in receiving banishment himself.
Timon harshly criticises his guests and presents a meal of stones and water, which Timon
throws in the faces of his former friends. Timon leaves Athens, furiously cursing the city
and its people. He vows hatred toward them all, condemning them for ignoring his former
kindness.
ACT IV
Flavius, loyal as ever, now takes leave of his fellow servants to search for Timon.
Timon, meanwhile, is in the wilderness and on the edge of madness, digging for edible
roots near a deserted cave. Rather than finding roots, he discovers buried gold and hides
it away. Afterwards, the general Timon hosted a feast for, Alcibiades, finds him and offers
friendship. Alcibiades was banished from Athens when one of his servants murdered a
man in a fit of passion. After Timon initially spurns him, Timon discovers Alcibiades's plot
to destroy Athens. He offers Alcibiades most of the gold to further his violent aims.
Timon then receives visits from other past acquaintances. The banished
Apemantus visits Timon and criticises his hatred towards his false Athenian friends.
Together, the two men speak harsh words against the world and its love of riches.
ACT V
Flavius finally discovers his former master, and Timon praises him as the only
honest man he has ever known. Timon gives him gold as a reward for his loyalty. After
hearing of the buried gold, the poet and the painter arrive at Timon’s cave, but Timon
realises their greedy intentions and drives them away.
Two Senators, led by Flavius, try to persuade Timon to return to Athens to prevent
Alcibiades’s impending attack, but they are rejected too. Soon afterwards, one of
Alcibiades' soldiers discovers Timon’s gravestone. Alcibiades decides an arrangement
with the Senators and promises to spare all but Timon’s enemies. When he receives the
news of Timon’s death, he enters the city, proclaiming peace and honouring Timon.

Learnings; No matter how good you are as a person people will betray you if they’re
envious worst part is, they are your friends. Fake friends are only good at you because
you have something they can abuse and if you’re already sinking to the pit, they will turn
your back at you. Small circle of friends is better at least they are true friends.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

 Two best friends, Proteus and Valentine, travel to Milan where they both fall in love
with Silvia. Silvia loves Valentine, but Proteus pursues her despite the fact he has a
girlfriend at home. After an apology, Proteus and Valentine reconcile, Proteus loves his
girlfriend again, and both couples marry.
ACT I
Young friends Valentine and Proteus say farewell to one another as Valentine
resolves to travel. Proteus will not leave Verona, where his beloved Julia lives.
Meanwhile, Julia's maid, Lucetta, gives her a letter from Proteus. Julia treasures it despite
her outward show of carelessness for the love it conveys.
ACT II
Later, Antonio, Proteus's father, sends his son to Milan, much to the sorrow of
Julia. Proteus and Julia part with words of love to one another. Proteus is joined by Lance,
his servant, and Lance's dog Crabb. While at the Duke's court, Proteus finds that
Valentine has fallen in love with Silvia, daughter of the Duke. Speed, Valentine's quick-
witted page, helps Valentine realise that his love is reciprocated. Proteus, who had
earnestly exchanged rings and vows of faithfulness with Julia before leaving Verona, sees
Silvia and immediately changes his allegiance.
ACT III
As the Duke plans for the foolish Thurio to marry Silvia, Valentine decides to elope
with her. However, the jealous Proteus reveals Valentine's plot to the Duke, and Valentine
is discovered while carrying a rope ladder. Valentine is banished for his scheming and
leaves the court with Speed as his companion. In his absence, Proteus woos Silvia, but
she scorns his speeches and music, urging him to remember Julia. In contrast with all
this courtly love, Lance considers the virtues and vices of the milkmaid he wishes to
marry.
ACT IV
In Verona, Lucetta has helped Julia to get a disguise as a pageboy. She calls
herself Sebastian to find Proteus. Unrecognized in Milan, she does indeed find Proteus,
and he sends her to collect a portrait promised by Silvia. Silvia, meanwhile, remains
devoted to her memory of Valentine. Silvia persuades Sir Eglamour, a knight, to
accompany her in a search of Valentine in Mantua.
ACT V
The banished Valentine is captured by a band of noble outlaws who make him
their captain. Silvia is also captured by the outlaws while Sir Eglamour escapes. The Duke
and Thurio take Proteus (followed by Julia/Sebastian) in pursuit of Silvia. When they find
her with the outlaws, Proteus rescues her. Despite Silvia's protests, Proteus attempts to
force himself on her, but Valentine stops him, as leader of the outlaws.
 Julia overhears the young men's argument and their eventual reconciliation.
Mistaking Valentine's apparent wish to give Silvia to Proteus, Julia faints in front of them.
Proteus recognizes the ring she carries as the one he gave to Julia. She reveals her
identity, and Proteus's love for Julia is revived. The outlaws arrive with their captives, the
Duke and Thurio. Thurio denies Silvia in response to threats from Valentine. Valentine's
attachment to Silvia is rewarded by the Duke's approval. The two pairs of lovers agree to
share a wedding day. The play ends as the Duke gives a free pardon to the outlaws at
Valentine's request.

Learnings; I learned from this work that don’t betray a friend just for a mere girl/boy. Don’t
compete if the person doesn’t like you. This work portrays cheating also, I hope the other
party won’t forgive the cheater but it’s fine as long he’s changed and won’t do it again.
Once is enough for a cheater.

ROMEO AND JULIET

An age-old vendetta between two powerful families erupts into bloodshed. A group
of masked Montagues risk further conflict by gatecrashing a Capulet party. A young
lovesick Romeo Montague falls instantly in love with Juliet Capulet, who is due to marry
her father’s choice, the County Paris. With the help of Juliet’s nurse, the women arrange
for the couple to marry the next day, but Romeo’s attempt to halt 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, and believing Juliet dead, he 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.
ACT I
Romeo and Juliet begins as the Chorus introduces two feuding families of Verona:
the Capulets and the Montagues. On a hot summer's day, the young men of each faction
fight until the Prince of Verona intercedes and threatens to banish them. Soon after, the
head of the Capulet family plans a feast. His goal is to introduce his daughter Juliet to a
Count named Paris who seeks to marry Juliet.
Montague's son Romeo and his friends (Benvolio and Mercutio) hear of the party
and resolve to go in disguise. Romeo hopes to see his beloved Rosaline at the party.
Instead, while there, he meets Juliet and falls instantly in love with her. Juliet's cousin
Tybalt recognises the Montague boys and forces them to leave just as Romeo and Juliet
discover one another.
ACT II
 Romeo lingers near the Capulet house to talk with Juliet when she appears in her
window. The pair declare their love for one another and intend to marry the next day. With
the help of Juliet's Nurse, the lovers arrange to marry when Juliet goes for confession at
the cell of Friar Laurence. There, they are secretly married (talk about a short
engagement).
ACT III
Following the secret marriage, Juliet's cousin Tybalt sends a challenge to Romeo.
Romeo refuses to fight, which angers his friend Mercutio who then fights with Tybalt.
Mercutio is accidentally killed as Romeo intervenes to stop the fight. In anger, Romeo
pursues Tybalt, kills him, and is banished by the Prince.
Juliet is anxious when Romeo is late to meet her and learns of the brawl, Tybalt's
death, and Romeo's banishment. Friar Laurence arranges for Romeo to spend the night
with Juliet before he leaves for Mantua. Meanwhile, the Capulet family grieves for Tybalt,
so Lord Capulet moves Juliet's marriage to Paris to the next day. Juliet’s parents are
angry when Juliet doesn't want to marry Paris, but they don't know about her secret
marriage to Romeo.
ACT IV
Friar Laurence helps Juliet by providing a sleeping draught that will make her seem
dead. When the wedding party arrives to greet Juliet the next day, they believe she is
dead. The Friar sends a messenger to warn Romeo of Juliet's plan and bids him to come
to the Capulet family monument to rescue his sleeping wife.
ACT V
The vital message to Romeo doesn't arrive in time because the plague is in town
(so the messenger cannot leave Verona). Hearing from his servant that Juliet is dead,
Romeo buys poison from an Apothecary in Mantua. He returns to Verona and goes to the
tomb where he surprises and kills the mourning Paris. Romeo takes his poison and dies,
while Juliet awakens from her drugged coma. She learns what has happened from Friar
Laurence, but she refuses to leave the tomb and stabs herself. The Friar returns with the
Prince, the Capulets, and Romeo's lately widowed father. The deaths of their children
lead the families to make peace, and they promise to erect a monument in Romeo and
Juliet's memory.

Learnings; This story is very popular that’s why I chose this as one of the works of
Shakespeare. The feud between the family of Romeo and Juliet caused their tragedy, a
life is paid just because people can’t get a long with each other. It is important to not let
your children be affected of the family’s problem. It sounds cliché to me since the conflict
ends just because the children involve died together. In real life situation, if your
daughter/son is friends with your enemy then let them be. Don’t hinder their happiness
just because you can’t get along with each other. They’re out of the story to the both of
you.

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Lucentio loves Bianca but cannot court her until her shrewish older sister Katherina
marries. The eccentric Petruccio marries the reluctant Katherina and uses a number of
tactics to render her an obedient wife. Lucentio marries Bianca and, in a contest at the
end, Katherina proves to be the most obedient wife.
ACT I
Taming of the Shrew begins with a group of hunting nobleman tricking a drunken
tinker named Christopher Sly into believing he is a lord. The noblemen give Sly a
disguised young page as his supposed wife. They entertain him at their house with a play
by a group of travelling actors, which is as follows.
The student Lucentio arrives in Padua to further his studies. He hears that the
merchant, Baptista, has two daughters. When he sees Bianca, the pretty younger
daughter, he decides he must woo her. Bianca already has two suitors, Gremio and
Hortensio, although she cares for neither. Bianca's father, Baptista Minola, says Bianca
may not marry before her strong-willed older sister, Katherina.
Lucentio hears that Baptista Minola is going to hire tutors for Bianca, and disguises
himself as a Latin tutor in order to woo her. The elderly Gremio hires the disguised
Lucentio to woo Bianca on his behalf. Hortensio also disguises himself as a musician to
obtain access to her. Tranio, Lucentio's servant, dresses as Lucentio to convince Baptista
to let Lucentio marry Bianca.
ACT II
At the same time, Petruccio, a young, confident man from Verona, arrives to visit
Hortensio, his friend. He learns about Katherine and resolves to court her, aided by both
Gremio and Hortensio. Baptista is enthusiastic about Petruccio's suit, since Katherine is
a burden to him. She continually quarrels with her sister and father. Although she is
resistant to Petruccio's advances, he will not be deterred and fixes their wedding day.
ACT III
While everyone prepares for the wedding, the disguised tutors Hortensio and
Lucentio compete for Bianca's affections. At the church the next day, Katherine unwillingly
awaits her bridegroom. Petruccio finally arrives late, dressed in outlandish clothes, and
he causes a scene. After the ceremony, he immediately leaves for Verona with his new
wife.
ACT IV
On reaching her new home, Katherine is mistreated by Petruccio and his servants
and is refused food and rest. Petruccio's aim is to 'tame' Katherine, while pretending to
act out of a desire for her benefit. Eventually, worn down by her husband's behaviour,
Katherina submits and agrees to all Petruccio's whims. In exchange, she has his
permission to visit her father in Padua. On the journey, the couple meet Vincentio,
Lucentio's wealthy father. Petruccio tests Kate's obedience, asking her to say that the sun
is the moon and that an old man is a beautiful young woman.
ACT V
The three eventually reach Padua. Hortensio, rejected by Bianca, has already
married a wealthy widow. They also find that Tranio, still dressed as Lucentio, has
succeeded in convincing Baptista to let Lucentio marry Bianca. A pedant (school teacher)
has posed as Vincentio, Lucentio's father, to give his blessing to the match. Meanwhile,
the real Lucentio has organised a secret wedding with Bianca, which they carry out. When
the real Vincentio arrives and discovers a pedant posing as him and Tranio in his son's
clothes, Lucentio is forced to confess to the whole plan. He tells them about his new
marriage to Bianca.
Undismayed, Baptista holds a wedding feast for both his daughters. As the men
relax after their meal, Petruccio devises a scheme to prove whose wife is the most
obedient. Bianca and the widow fail to come to their husbands when called. But Katherine
returns immediately and firmly tells the women the proper duties of a wife.
Back in the real world, the visiting players leave. Christopher Sly is abandoned to
sleep off his dream of the taming of a shrewish wife.

Learnings; I learned a lot from this work of Shakespeare. First, the attitude of a person
should not be awful because the people around you might be suffering because of you
without knowing it. Second, you should deceive a person because you will be hurting
them at the end.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

Falstaff decides to fix his financial woe by seducing the wives of two wealthy
merchants. The wives find he sent them identical letters and take revenge by playing
tricks on Falstaff when he comes calling. With the help of their husbands and friends, the
wives play one last trick in the woods to put Falstaff's mischief to an end.
ACT I
 Justice Shallow arrives at Windsor with his young cousin Slender. Shallow
proclaims that he is angry at Sir John Falstaff over a personal dispute. Hugh Evans, the
local school-master and parson, attempts unsuccessfully to calm him down. He suggests
that Slender pursue the young Mistress Anne Page. After travelling to the Page house,
Shallow confronts Falstaff, who confesses to his wrongdoing.
Later, at the Garter Inn, Falstaff discloses his resolve to pursue the wives of two
wealthy merchants, Page and Ford. When his companions, Nim and Pistol, refuse to help,
he sends his page with a letter to each wife. Nim and Pistol, meanwhile, decide to tell the
husbands of Falstaff's plot.
ACT II
The wives meet and compare their letters and find that they are identical. They
decide to teach Falstaff a lesson. To begin, they invite him to come to Mistress Ford's
house when her husband is out shooting birds with his friends. Pistol and Nim inform her
husband, Ford, of Falstaff's intentions. The jealous Ford, distrustful of his wife, decides to
catch her in her infidelity. He disguises himself as a man called Master Brook, seeks out
Falstaff, and declares his love for Mistress Ford. He bribes Falstaff to pursue her on his
behalf. Falstaff agrees before disclosing that a meeting is already arranged. This makes
Ford even angrier at his wife.
ACT III
Parson Evans has befriended Slender, who now seeks the love of Page's daughter
Anne. Anne, meanwhile, is already meeting with the gentleman Fenton in secret since
her father disapproves of him. Anne's mother hopes that the French doctor Caius will
become Anne's husband. When Caius learns of Slender's rival suit, he challenges Parson
Evans to a duel. The host of the Garter Inn sets different meeting places to confuse the
antagonists. Eventually, they are persuaded to make up their differences.
ACT IV
When Falstaff reaches Mistress Ford's house, he begins his flirtation. But he is
interrupted when Mistress Page announces that the menfolk are returning. They convince
Falstaff to hide in a large laundry basket, and he is carried out to the river while Ford
ransacks the house in search of him. The delighted wives decide to repeat the trick
(especially after seeing the reaction of the jealous Ford) and invite Falstaff to call again.
Despite being tipped out on a muddy river bank during the previous trip, Falstaff is
persuaded to accept by Brook, who is the disguised Ford. Like the first occurrence, he is
interrupted by Ford's return. This time, however, the women convince Falstaff to disguise
himself in the clothes of a servant's elderly aunt while Ford searches the contents of the
linen basket. It turns out that Ford hates the elderly aunt that Falstaff is impersonating,
and he begins to beat Falstaff out of the house, much to the delight of the wives.
 Successful in their attempt, the wives reveal the hoax to their husbands. Page
suggests Falstaff should be publicly humiliated to stop his seduction attempts on honest
women. They arrange one last prank for the entire community to put on.
ACT V
Mistress Ford invites Falstaff to meet her at night in Windsor Park with him
disguised as Herne the Hunter. They plan to scare him with children dressed up as fairies.
Parson Evans organises Anne, her brother, and other children to carry out the plan. Anne
uses the occasion to elope with Fenton, while her mother and father both plot for Anne to
be stolen away by the respective suitors of their choice (Caius and Slender).
All meet in the woods, and the fairies tease and pinch Falstaff as Anne escapes.
Falstaff recognises the plot and realises that he has deserved his punishment. He makes
up with Page and Ford, and their wives, while Ford is also reprimanded for mistrusting
his wife. Anne returns married to Fenton, while Caius and Slender realise they eloped
with boys, whom they mistook for Anne in the dark woods. Page and Mistress Page
accept Fenton as their new son-in-law, and all return home laughing over the night's
activities.

Learnings; No matter what your situation in life is, never do outrageous things that will
harm you. Don’t use and deceive other people just to ascend yourself with money. The
thing that you should do is work hard in a good way.

Sources:
https://www.folger.edu/shakespeares-life
https://www.bardweb.net/plays/timeline.html
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-
shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespearesplays/timon-athens/
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-
plays/two-gentlemen-verona/
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-
plays/romeo-and-juliet/
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-
plays/taming-of-the-shrew/
https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-
plays/merry-wives-windsor/