English Project

Topic: William Shakespeare

Contents:
Biography:- William Shakespeare was a renowned English poet,
playwright, and actor born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His
birthday is most commonly celebrated on 23 April (see When was
Shakespeare born), which is also believed to be the date he died on
in 1616.

Shakespeare was a prolific writer during the Elizabethan and

Jacobean ages of British theatre (sometimes called the English
Renaissance or the Early Modern Period). Shakespeare’s plays are
perhaps his most enduring legacy, but they are not the only things
he wrote. Shakespeare’s poems also remain popular to this day.

Shakespeare's Work
Shakespeare's work includes 38 plays, 2 narrative poems, 154
sonnets, and a variety of other poems. No original manuscripts of
Shakespeare's plays are known to exist today. It is actually thanks
to a group of actors from Shakespeare's company that we have
about half of the plays at all. They collected them for publication
after Shakespeare died, preserving the plays. These writings were
brought together in what is known as the First Folio ('Folio' refers to
the size of the paper used). It contained 36 of his plays and none of
his poetry.

Shakespeare’s legacy is as rich and diverse as his work; his plays

have spawned countless adaptations across multiple genres and
cultures. His plays have had an enduring presence on stage and
film. His writings have been compiled in various iterations of The
Complete Works of William Shakespeare, which include all his
plays, sonnets, and other poems. William Shakespeare continues to
be one of the most important literary figures of the English
language. Ks

List of Works :-

Works before 1600

Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare's first plays were mostly

histories. Henry VI (Parts I, II and III), Richard II and Henry V dramatize the
destructive results of weak or corrupt rulers and have been interpreted by
drama historians as Shakespeare's way of justifying the origins of the
Tudor Dynasty.

Julius Caesar portrays upheaval in Roman politics that may have resonated
with viewers at a time when England’s aging monarch, Queen Elizabeth I,
had no legitimate heir, thus creating the potential for future power
struggles.

Shakespeare also wrote several comedies during his early period: the
whimsical A Midsummer Night's Dream, the romantic Merchant of Venice, the wit
and wordplay of Much Ado About Nothing and the charming As You Like
It and Twelfth Night.

Other plays written before 1600 include Titus Andronicus, The Comedy of
Errors, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew, Love’s Labour’s
Lost, King John, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry V.

William Shakespeare
Works after 1600: Tragedies and Tragicomedies

It was in William Shakespeare's later period, after 1600, that he wrote the
tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth. In these, Shakespeare's
characters present vivid impressions of human temperament that are
timeless and universal. Possibly the best known of these plays is Hamlet,
which explores betrayal, retribution, incest, and moral failure. These moral
failures often drive the twists and turns of Shakespeare's plots, destroying
the hero and those he loves.

In William Shakespeare's final period, he wrote several tragicomedies.

Among these are Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale and The Tempest. Though
graver in tone than the comedies, they are not the dark tragedies of King
Lear or Macbeth because they end with reconciliation and forgiveness.

Other plays written during this period include All’s Well That Ends
Well, Measure for Measure, Timon of Athens, Coriolanus, Pericles, and Henry VIII.

Shakespeare's Life
Records survive relating to William Shakespeare’s family. Through
these, we can gain an understanding of the context of
Shakespeare's early life and the lives of his family members. John
Shakespeare married Mary Arden, and together they had eight
children. John and Mary lost two daughters as infants, so William
became their eldest child. John Shakespeare worked as a glove-
maker, but he also became an important figure in the town of
Stratford by fulfilling civic positions. His elevated status meant that
he was even more likely to have sent his children to the local
grammar school, where Shakespeare was educated.

Shakespeare would have lived with his family in their house on

Henley Street until he turned eighteen. When he was
eighteen, William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway, who was
twenty-six. It was a rushed marriage because Anne was already
pregnant at the time of the ceremony. Together they had three
children. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born six months after
the wedding and was later followed by
twins Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died when he was just 11 years
old.

Paraphrase Of Merchant in Venice

When Antonio obtains a loan of money from Shylock to help his friend
Bassanio woo the wealthy Portia, Shylock makes a stark bargain. If
Antonio fails to pay Shylock back, Shylock demands a pound of Antonio’s
flesh. As Bassanio and Portia fall in love, Antonio gets into trouble over
the money. Dressed as a man, Portia brings Shylock to court. But will her
efforts be enough to save her beloved’s best friend? The Shakespeare
modern English translation of The Merchant of Venice makes it easy to
decipher Shakespeare’s complex language and decipher the play’s most
notable quotes, like “All that glitters is not gold,” “in the end, the truth
will out,” and Shylock’s famous “I am a Jew. Hath / not a Jew eyes?”
speech.

Act 1, Scene 1
Antonio is miserable. Bassanio tells Antonio about his trip to woo Portia and
Antonio promises to borrow money for him.

Act 1, Scene 2
Nerissa describes the suitors seeking Portia's favor, a servant announces more
have arrived.

Act 1, Scene 3
Bassanio asks Shylock for a loan, Antonio arrives, insults Shylock and agrees to
his risky terms.

Act 2, Scene 1
The Prince of Morocco arrives to Portia's house and is told about her father's
marriage game. He prepares himself.
Act 2, Scene 2
Lancelot and his father ask to enter Bassanio's service, Gratiano asks to
accompany Bassanio on his venture to Belmont.

Act 2, Scene 3
Jessica asks Lancelot to give a letter to Lorenzo since he is leaving Shylock's
service.

Act 2, Scene 4
Lorenzo is planning to help Jessica escape as well as to rob her father. He has
Launcelot deliver a message to Jessica.

Act 2, Scene 5
Shylock is leaving with Launcelot to go to eat with Bassanio, he locks his house,
but Jessica plans to escape.

Act 2, Scene 6
Lorenzo comes to Jessica's house and she leaves to join him. Antonio tells
Gratiano that Bassanio is setting sail soon.

Act 2, Scene 7
Morocco must choose a casket to marry Portia, he incorrectly chooses gold and
promises to leave her and never marry.

Act 2, Scene 8
Salerio and Solanio discuss how Lorenzo and Jessica escaped, and how upset
Shylock was from losing his money and child.

Act 2, Scene 9
The Prince of Aragon plays the marriage game and chooses silver. Portia is told
that Bassanio is coming.

Act 3, Scene 1
Antonio's ships have all sunk, meaning he will not be able to repay Shylock.
Shylock, angry over Jessica, seeks revenge.

Act 3, Scene 2
Bassanio correctly chooses Portia, Gratiano asks to marry Nerissa, and word
from Venice describes Antonio's trouble.

Act 3, Scene 3
Shylock arrests Antonio and will not listen to his pleas, Antonio resigns himself
to his fate.

Act 3, Scene 4
Portia and Nerissa plan to follow Bassanio and Gratiano in disguise, leaving their
house to Lorenzo and Jessica.

Act 3, Scene 5
Launcelot, Lorenzo and Jessica discuss marriage and relationships. Jessica
praises Portia and Lorenzo for their virtue.

Act 4, Scene 1
Antonio is on trial, but Portia (as a lawyer) wins the case for him. Shylock is
disgraced. Portia tests her husband.

Act 4, Scene 2
Portia discovers that Bassanio was willing to give away his ring, on Antonio's
request, and plans to make him repent.

Act 5, Scene 1
Portia and Nerissa pretend to have slept with the lawyers to win back their rings,
the women's plots are revealed.