William Shakespeare
“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts…” describes a simple introduction to William Shakespeare’s works. He was an illustrious and celebrated dramatist, writer and poet. To Shakespeare, the world was an ordinary theatre where people played their parts to fulfill their duties. The entrances are births and the exits are deaths. The conclusion of the 16th century (1599) saw the creation of Globe theatre in London which played Shakespeare’s plays, owned by Shakespeare, and some of his friends and fellow-artists.
His dramatic company was best remembered by the name Lord Chamberlain’s men or King’s men. His plays were historical, humorous and tragic in nature. Till the theatre’s destruction due to a fire accident in 1613 while performing Henry the Eighth, Shakespeare wrote his plays. Queen Elizabeth and King James I patronized William Shakespeare who enacted his plays in London. Shakespeare wrote sixteen comedies, ten historical and twelve tragically plays in his lifetime. Later, Shakespeare’s plays were also performed at Blackfriars theatre, since it was taken over by the Globe theatre. Actors who were present in his legendary plays were John Heminges, Richard Burbage, Richard Cowley, Henry Condell and William Kempe.
During the 19th century, Royal Shakespeare Company dramatized and revitalized Shakespeare’s plays. Many plays were acted by leading artists and later the company formed an art gallery from Shakespearean era. Richard III, King Lear, Twelfth night, Romeo & Juliet, Tempest, A mid summer night’s dream, Macbeth, hamlet, Julius Caesar, taming of the shrew, Merchant of Venice and Othello were a few among his commendable dramas. After the 19th century, Shakespeare’s plays gained popularity and till today remain an important part of English language teaching and learning. But Shakespeare never printed any of his works which were later available through writers interested in the script of the play.
