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 William Shakespeare
 William Shakespeare is England ’s foremost playwright and the
his plays, which include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and the Merchant of
Venice, are as popular today as they were in Elizabethan times.
Born in Stratford-upon-Avon
in 1564, William was the son of a local glove maker. At the age of 18,
he married local girl Ann Hathaway, who gave birth to their first son
six months later. But William didn’t stay in the quaint little town of
Stratford for long and soon after headed to London , leaving his wife
and child at home.
It was while he was here in London,
between the years of 1586 and 1610, that Shakespeare gained fame and
fortune as a playwright. By 1594, Shakespeare was an actor, playwright
and part owner of a theatrical company known as the Lord Chamberlain’s
Men, playing at the now famous Globe Theatre on the Southwark in
London. The group’s popularity grew throughout late Elizabethan London
and when 
James I ascended to the throne, the new king took over
their patronage and they were known as the King’s Men. Shakespeare
returned to Stratford in 1610 where he retired a rich and famous man.
He died in 1616 and is buried in the Holy Trinity Church in
Stratford-upon-Avon.
William Shakespeare is regarded
by many, as the greatest writer and most pre-eminent dramatist in the
English language. His plays managed to distil social and personal
drama’s and the everlasting themes of life, love, greed, power, fortune
and misfortune, with a sense of poetic and philosophical depth that is
a relevant today as it was when he put quill to parchment.
Shakespeare’s works continue to be performed throughout the world, both
on stage and screen and his writings have been translated into every
major language in the world.
Shakespeare’s most prominent works include Richard III,
a story of the corrosive lust for power centred on England’s most
notorious monarch; Romeo and Juliet the timeless tale of two doomed
lovers, a story adapted time and time again most famously in the
musical A Tale of Two Cities; The Merchant of Venice, recently filmed
staring Al Pachino in the lead role, depicts a story of betrayal and
greed; Julius Caesar, a historic portrayal of the fall of Caesar;
Hamlet, Shakespeare’s best known and most quoted tragedy and Macbeth,
the bloody tale of foul deeds in the Scottish court.
Today,
the Bard’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the most popular
tourist destinations in Britain attracting over 3 million visitors each
year. An ideal time to visit Stratford-upon-Avon is 23rd April when the
Bard’s Birthday is flamboyantly celebrated in the town.
This attraction is included in the Great British Heritage Pass.
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