Essay about Shakespeare's life. explaination of general life durring Shakespeares time (elizabethan period) and breif notes on the Globe Theatre -includes a catagorized list of Shakespeares plays.

William Shakespeare, surely the world's most performed and admired playwright, was born in April, 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, about 100 miles northwest of London. According to the records of Stratford's Holy Trinity Church, he was baptised on April 26. Since it was customary to baptise infants within days of birth, and since Shakespeare died 52 years later on April 23, and--most significantly--since April 23 is St. George's day, the patron saint of England, it has become traditional to assign the birth day of England's most famous poet to April 23. As with most sixteenth century births, the actual day is not recorded.

Shakespeare's parents were John and Mary Shakespeare, who lived in Henley Street, Stratford. John, the son of Richard Shakespeare, was a whittawer (a maker, worker and seller of leather goods such as purses, belts and gloves) and a dealer in agricultural commodities. He was a solid, middle class citizen at the time of William's birth, and a man on the rise. He served in Stratford government successively as a member of the Council (1557), constable (1558), chamberlain (1561), alderman (1565) and finally high bailiff (1568)--the equivalent of town mayor. About 1577 John Shakespeare's fortunes began to decline for unknown reasons. There are records of debts. In 1586 he was replaced as alderman for shirking responsibilities, and in 1592 was reprimanded for not coming to church for fear of process of debt.

Mary was the daughter of Robert Arden and had in total eight children with John Shakespeare. William was the third child but the first son. In 1583 Will Shakespeare's first daughter was born, Susanna and two years later he and his wife were blessed with twins. One boy and one girl named Hamnet and Judith.

COMEDY         

All's Well That Ends Well

As You Like It

The...