William Shakespeare

Literary Movement

The literary movement William Shakespeare was associated with is

known as the Renaissance literary movement that spanned from
1485 to 1625. Shakespeare’s work reflects on the artistic and
literary environment of the Renaissance Period. The Renaissance
literary movement included the Elizabethan Age, during the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, which was a burst of creative expression and was
very prominent for literary development. The most important
literature during this time was lyric poetry, sonnets, sonnet cycles,
epics, etc.
 Cultural Origin
William Shakespeare was born on April
23, 1564 in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Shakespeare’s father, John, had various
different jobs such as being a glove-maker
and held positions as an alderman and
bailiff in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
Shakespeare grew up in a working middle
class family and received only a primary
school education. In many of
Shakespeare’s works he would reflect on
the conflict between the Protestants and
Catholics and also often allude to the
Bible, however he would also use
supernatural elements, for example
witches in “Macbeth”, that could be
influenced by superstitions of the time.
 Personal History
At the age of eighteen, he married Anne
Hathaway who was twenty-six years old and
three months pregnant. They had three children
together, a daughter, Suzanna, and twins, Judith
and Hamnet. Hamnet died at eleven years old,
loss influenced Shakespeare’s writing as he
started about Hamnet. He was also influenced by
his environment, he would often write about the
sights and sounds in London. Shakespeare began
his career as an actor, then moved on to be a
playwright. During the plague, he wrote 37 plays
and 154 sonnets and was known to be one of the
few playwrights that excelled in the comedy
genre as well as tragedy. He acted in many of his
own plays which were performed at the Globe
Theatre and became very wealthy over time. He
later retired sometime after 1611 and was still
married to Hathaway up until his death in 1616.
 Type of Literature
Shakespeare is the world's most famous and
greatest playwright and poet because his work in
poetry and drama is known to exhibit a deep
understanding of human nature. His plays and
sonnets contained genres of comedies, romance,
and tragedies with complex plots and language
used. His first works were Venus and Adonis
published in 1593 and The Rape of Lucrece in 1594.
Venus and Adonis is a narrative poem about the
goddess of love, Venus, and her attempt to
seduce a handsome man, Adonis. The Rape of
Lucrece is also a narrative poem about Roman
noblewoman Lucretia who was violently raped by
the son of the king.
 Style of Writing
Shakespeare is most noted for their style of writing
because of his play on words and the versatility of
genres he excelled in. His use of poetic expressions
and articulate vocabulary made his work luring to
general audiences and scholars. Shakespeare also
made his own sonnet by changing the pattern and
rhyme scheme of the petrarchan or Italian sonnet
and calling it the Shakespearean Sonnet. The
Shakespearean Sonnet is divided into four quatrains
and a closing couplet.
 Style of Writing

Shakespeare was popular in his time but not famous until after
his death. His most famous works include Hamlet, a tragedy
about revenge and justice, and Romeo and Juliet, a tragic love
story. Both Hamlet and Romeo And Juliet represent the
Renaissance literary movement by displaying the Renaissance
values of humanism. The theme of doomed love was very
popular at the time and he delved into the consequences of
impulsive decisions in many of his writings. The Renaissance
literary movement was about the exploration of human
experience which Shakespeare embraces.
 Impact
William Shakespeare has impacted the
world, the English language, and literature
in many different ways. His contribution of
exploring and popularizing many words
has shaped society and is still used
today. For example, expressions such as
“star-crossed lovers,” and “to be or not to
be,” are used in modern day time. He left
an imprint worldwide to still be studying
him today. Many authors like Charles
Dickens, have drawn inspiration from
Shakespeare’s storytelling and have
delved into human nature.