Alastair macaulay biography of william shakespeare

He founded the British quarterly Dance Theater Journal in He writes that his first morning in New York City was before September Macaulay started a controversy in when he disparagingly commented on the weight of ballet dancer Jenifer Ringer. In a review of a performance of The Nutcrackerhe wrote that Ringer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy"looked as if she'd eaten one sugar plum too many.

I am severe — but ballet, as dancers know, is more so. This article about someone associated with the art of ballet is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. This article about a United States journalist born in the 20th century is a stub. Evidently Shakespeare garnered some envy early on, as related by the critical attack of Robert Greene, a London playwright, in " Greene's bombast notwithstanding, Shakespeare must have shown considerable promise.

Byhe was not only acting and writing for the Lord Chamberlain's Men called the King's Men after the ascension of James I inbut was a managing partner in the operation as well. With Will Kempe, a master comedian, and Richard Burbage, a leading tragic actor of the day, the Lord Chamberlain's Men became a favorite London troupe, patronized by royalty and made popular by the theatre-going public.

Alastair macaulay biography of william shakespeare: In The Financial Times, Alastair Macauley

Shakespeare's accomplishments are apparent when studied against other playwrights of this age. His company was the most successful in London in his day. He had plays published and sold in octavo editions, or "penny-copies" to the more literate of his audiences. Never before had a playwright enjoyed sufficient acclaim to see his works published and sold as popular literature in the midst of his career.

In addition, Shakespeare's ownership share in both the theatrical company and the Globe itself made him as much an entrepeneur as artist. While Shakespeare might not be accounted wealthy by London standards, his success allowed him to purchase New House and retire in comfort to Stratford in William Shakespeare wrote his will inbequeathing his properties to his daughter Susanna married in to Dr.

John Hall. This is probably more of a romantic myth than reality, but Shakespeare was interred at Holy Trinity in Stratford on April Intwo working companions of Shakespeare from the Lord Chamberlain's Men, John Heminges and Henry Condell, printed the First Folio edition of his collected plays, of which half were previously unpublished. William Shakespeare's legacy is a body of work that will never again be equaled in Western civilization.

His plays have retained an enduring appeal throughout history and the world. Some of his most popular plays include:. Shakespeare died in ; it is not clear how he died, and numerous suggestions have been put forward. John Ward, the local vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford where Shakespeare is buriedwrites in a diary account that:.

The average life expectancy of someone born in London, England in the Sixteenth Century was about 35 years old, Shakespeare died age They contend Shakespeare was actually just a successful businessman, and for authorship suggest names such as Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. Arguments have also been made for Francis Bacon. The argument that Shakespeare was actually the Earl of Oxford relies on circumstantial evidence and similarities in his writing style and relationships between his life and the play of Shakespeare.

However, there is no hard evidence tying the Earl of Oxford to the theatre or writing the scripts. By contrast, there is evidence of William Shakespeare working in theatres and he received a variety of criticism from people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene. Also, the Earl of Oxford died inand it is generally agreed there were 12 plays published after this date.

Oxfords contend these plays were finished by other writers. William Shakespeare was an English poetplaywrightand actor of the Renaissance era. Details about his personal life are limited, though some believe he was born and died on the same day, April 23, 52 years apart. April 23, DIED: c.

Alastair macaulay biography of william shakespeare: I grew up in

The personal life of William Shakespeare is somewhat of a mystery. There are two primary sources that provide historians with an outline of his life. One is his work, and the other is official documentation such as church and court records. However, these provide only brief sketches of specific events in his life and yield little insight into the man himself.

No birth records exist, but an old church record indicates that William Shakespeare was baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 26, Shakespeare was the third child of John Shakespeare, a glove-maker and leather merchant, and Mary Arden, a local heiress to land. John held official positions as alderman and bailiff, an office resembling a mayor.

Eventually, he recovered somewhat and was granted a coat of arms inwhich made him and his sons official gentleman. John and Mary had eight children together, though three of them did not live past childhood. Their first two children—daughters Joan and Margaret—died in infancy, so William was the oldest surviving offspring.

Alastair macaulay biography of william shakespeare: Why Does Marius Petipa Matter?

Anne died at age 7, and Joan was the only sibling to outlive William. He attended until he was 14 or 15 and did not continue to university. The uncertainty regarding his education has led some people question the authorship of his work. Hathaway was from Shottery, a small village a mile west of Stratford. Shakespeare was 18, and Anne was 26 and, as it turns out, pregnant.

Their first child, a daughter they named Susanna, was born on May 26, Two years later, on February 2,twins Hamnet and Judith were born.

Alastair macaulay biography of william shakespeare: This playwright is a master

Hamnet died of unknown causes at age One theory is that he might have gone into hiding for poaching game from local landlord Sir Thomas Lucy. Another possibility is that he might have been working as an assistant schoolmaster in Lancashire. Bythere is evidence Shakespeare earned a living as an actor and a playwright in London and possibly had several plays produced.

Early in his career, Shakespeare was able to attract the attention and patronage of Henry Wriothesley, the Earl of Southampton, to whom he dedicated his first and second published poems: Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece