SHAKESPEARE'S LIFE AND ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND

WILIIAM SHAKESPEARE

1.      Read the text about Shakespeare’s life and Elizabethan England. If you have any vocabulary questions ask your teacher or look it up in the dictionary.

Shakespeare’s life

Shakespeare’s children

William Shakespeare, considered his country’s greatest writer, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in the English Midlands on St George’s Day, April 23^rd, 1564. He was the third child of John Shakespeare, a glove-maker, and Mary Arden. He went to Strattford grammar School, where he received a good education, but he did not go to university. In 1582, he married Anne Hathaway and they had three children.

Shakespeare probably left Stratford around 1586. In 1592 Shakespeare was living in London and had become famous. At this time he was writing and acting for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men at the Globe Theatre. Shakespeare became very successful and in 1599 he bought the Globe Theatre. During his life he wrote at least 38 plays – tragedies, comedies, histories and romances, like A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Hamlet, Macbeth, the Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night… and 154 sonnets.

When he retired from writing, Shakespeare went back to Stratford and lived in a large,

comfortable house called New Place. He died on his 52^nd birthday in 1616 at the age of 52 and is buried in the Holy Trinity Church.

Elizabethan England (1558 – 1603)

 Queen Elizabeth I

The two centuries before Shakespeare’s birth were a very exciting time in history. People were rediscovering the culture of Ancient Greece­­­ and Rome. They explored new lands and used science to understand the world. This period was called the Renaissance. It was the time of Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Erasmus andmany other important people in European culture.

The Renaissance’s man valued friendship and he liked playing sport. He loved drama and playing with language and he enjoyed studying and discussion. Above all, he was always thinking about life and asking questions. England was changing very fast and developing a feeling of national identity. It was a Protestant country with a powerful Queen, Elizabeth I. It was very good at commerce and war.

In this period there was a lot of activity in all the arts: architecture, painting, music and poetry, but in drama (political, religious, social questions…) the activity was extraordinary. There were many popular plays by various writers about revenge.

In 1603, Queen ELizabeth I died and James I became the king of England.

2.     Choose the correct words  and complete the texts.

<<bought – 38 – Ann Hathaway – successful – 52 – Holy Trinity Church – Globe Theatre – birthday – 23rd April – Lord Chamberlain’s Men – 1616 – Stratford-upon-Avon  – wrote – Twellfh Night – New Place – Romeo and Juliet – 1592>>

William Shakespeare was born on ____________(1), 1564 in _______________(2). He left school when he was about 14. He was only 18 when he met ___________________(3) and they got married in November, 1582. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born eight months later. In ___________(4), Shakespeare was living in London and had become famous. At his time he was writing and acting for the ________________________________(5) at the _____________________(6). Shakespeare became very ___________________(7) and in 1599 he ___________________(8) the Globe Theatre. When he stopped writing, he went back to Stratford in a very comfortable house called___________________(9). During his life he ___________________(10) at least ___________________(11) plays including ___________________(12), Hamlet and ___________________(13). He died on his ___________________(14) in ___________(15) at the age of _______(16). He is buried in _________________________(17).

<<new lands – asking questions – developing – commerce – Renaissance –language – Elizabeth I – Ancient Greece – rediscovering – national identity - Protestant>>

Before the greates writer of all times was born there was a very exciting time in history. All over Europe, new ideas were ___________________ (18). People were  ___________________ (19)the culture of  ___________________ (20) and Rome and they started exploring  _______________(21) and used science to understand the world. This period was called the ___________________ (22).

The most important things to the Renaissance’s man were friendship and sport. He loved drama and playing with _______________ (23) and he enjoyed studying and discussion. More than anything, he was always thinking about life and ________________________(24). England was changingvery fastand carrying out a feeling of ____________________________(25). It was very good at  _________________(26) and war. It was a ___________________ (27) country with a powerful Queen, ___________________ (28).