All about

William
Shakespeare
What do you know about this
prolific writer?
• Born April 1564 at Stratford-
Upon-Avon
• Eldest son of John
Shakespeare and Mary Arden
Shakespeare
• Married Anne Hathaway and
had three children (a girl and
fraternal twins)

• Susanna – eldest
• Hamnet and Judith – fraternal
twins.
• Went to London from
Stratford-Upon-Avon (walked
the distance of167 kilometers)
to find work in order to
provide for his family.
• Many details of Shakespeare’s
private life are shrouded with
mystery.
• Many scholars agree that his
sonnets (love poems) were
written about a man
• The time period in which
Shakespeare lived is often
referred to as the Elizabethan
Era (referring to the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I of England
(1558-1663)
• Lord Chamberlain’s Men
(changed in 1603 to King’s Men when
King James I ascended the throne)
- The theatrical company with
which William Shakespeare was
intimately connected for most of his
professional career as a dramatist. It
was the most important company of
players in Elizabethan and Jacobean
England.
• The Globe
- famous London theatre in
which the plays of William
Shakespeare were performed
(after 1599).
• He wrote two long narrative
poems, 39 plays, 154 sonnets,
all within a period of 23 years.
• His longest play is the Hamlet
and his shortest play is The
Comedy of Errors.
• He died on April 23, 1616
in Stratford-Upon-Avon
 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.
• Act
- main divisions of a play

• Dramatis Personae
- list, usually found at the beginning of each play, of
the characters in a play
• Dialogue
- the conversation between and among the
characters.

• Aside
- the words an actor speaks to the audience which other
actors on the stage cannot hear.
• Monologue
- a long speech spoken by a character which can be
addressed to other characters

• Soliloquy
- a passage that reveals a character’s thoughts to
the audience or to himself/herself but not to other
characters.
• Exit
- departure of one character from the stage

• Exeunt
- departure of two or more characters from the
stage
• Protagonist
- the main character

• Epilogue
- the afterword in any literary work;
- the final scene of a play that comments on or
summarizes the main action
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE

• Lorenzo
- A friend of Bassanio who falls in love with
Jessica, daughter of Shylock

• Portia
- An intelligent, rich and beautiful woman pursued
by many men
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE

• Bassanio
- Young man who borrows from Antonio in order
to court Portia

• Gratiano
- A friend of Bassanio who falls in love with
Nerissa, Portia’s servant
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE

• Jessica
- Daughter of Shylock who marries Lorenzo

• Duke of Venice
- Reigning official of Venice who presides over the
court where Shylock intends to collect his bond
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE

• Nerissa
- Handmaid of Portia who falls in love with
Gratiano.

• Shylock
- Jewish businessman who lends money to
Antonio
 DRAMATIS PERSONAE

• Antonio
- Wealthy but sad merchant who is willing to
lend money to his friends without interest.

• Salerio and Solanio

- Friends of Antonio and Bassanio