W. Shakespeare

The great poet and dramatist William Shakespeare was a genius formed by the epoch of the Renaissance. He is often called by his people "Our National Bard", "The Immortal Poet of Nature" and "the Great Unknown". Indeed very little can be told about his life with certainty, as no biography of Shakespeare was published during his life time or for 93 years after his death. Yet, patient research by certain scholars has uncovered the biography, but not fully.

William Shakespeare was born at Stratford - on - Avon on the 23rd of April, 1564. His father, John Shakespeare, was a farmer's son, who came to Stratford in 1551 and became a prosperous tradesman. John Shakespeare was elected alderman and later by the time his eldest children were born he acted as bailiff which meant he had to keep order in the town according to the local laws. John Shakespeare was illiterate; he marked his name by a cross because he was unable to write it

A phenomenally prolific writer, William Shakespeare wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets and two narrative poems. Shakespeare's plays belong to different dramatic genres. They are histories, tragedies, comedies and tragic-comedies.

Shakespeare's literary work is usually divided into three periods:

— The 1st period - from 1590 to 1601 - when he wrote histories, comedies and sonnets;

— The 2nd period - from 1601 to 1608 - was the period of tragedies;

— The 3rd period - from 1608 to 1612 - when he wrote mostly tragic-comedies.

These three periods are sometimes called optimistic, pessimistic and romantic (1.58-60).

During his life-time Shakespeare created a variety of plays and characters. The ideas set out by the Renaissance, the struggle for happiness and freedom are expressed by him in the most realistic forms. Shakespeare's plays have become so popular in the world because of his great humanist ideas and his realistic characters. Shakespeare did not idealize the people he portrayed. He painted them as they were in his time. He created characters of great depth and unusual intellects. We see a philosopher in Hamlet, a learned man in Horatio, a cunning diplomat in Claudius. Many scholars have studied Shakespeare. These are the central themes Shakespeare dealt with in his plays:

— 1. The idea of freedom for peoples. This is felt in his tragedies and histories.

— 2. Humanism. The love for mankind is seen in every play.

— 3. Freedom for the individual.

— 4. The idea of patriotism.

— 5. National unity under one strong king. The last two themes are stressed in "King Lear".

— 6. Social relations between people.

— 7. The masses as a political force.

— 8. The themes of love and friendship which are developed in his sonnets and plays.

— 9. The struggle against cruel medieval blood-feuds (in Romeo and Juliet).

Shakespeare achieved great skill in speech individualization of his characters through the choice of words, and the use of folklore- popular songs, ballads and sayings. That is why the plays are written in the living language of the epoch. Shakespeare's ideas of love, freedom, humanism and national unity are still very popular. His plays are staged by all the world's theatres. 14 operas and many symphonies were composed on the themes of his plays. Almost all his comedies and tragedies have appeared in the cinema (1, 81-82).